The document discusses microfinance institutions in Ghana and issues of trust and credibility that some institutions face. It notes that while microfinance plays an important economic role, some institutions have faced criticisms for operational and ethical issues. The regulator is cracking down on illegal institutions to improve the landscape. This development could negatively impact both illegal and legal institutions if public trust continues to decline. The document recommends leveraging a value-driven brand campaign to build trust through thought leadership, stakeholder engagement, industry advocacy, and social causes.

1. Background

2. • Ghana’s microfinance institutions have grown in leap and bounds.
• Currently there are 518 licensed institutions operating in the micro-
finance landscape.
• Need not recount the economic relevance of Microfinance institutions in
a developing economy like that of Ghana's.

3. • Not only does it make funds available to small and medium size
businesses, more so, microfinances has strongly boosted the country’s
effort towards a cashless society.
• While the mainstream commercial banking system has been unable to
rope in majority of people in the banking sector, the role of Micro finance
institution in attracting Ghana’s unbanked into the banking stream has
been profound.
• Despite these widely recognized merits, recent occurrences have raise
doubt about credibility of most Microfinance institutions.

4. • The fact is that some Microfinance institutions have come under a barrage
of criticisms over some operational and ethical infractions, lately.
• Subsequent to these negative publicity, the Central bank has threatened
• Pulse report headlined ‘Bank of Ghana wages war on illegal microfinance
companies’ dated August 24,2015, speaks volumes of the regulators
commitment to ridding the microfinance landscape of illegality.

5. • The regulator is not the only stakeholder which stand indicted, Customer’s
confidence in the whole concept continue to dwindle.
• This will certainly portends challenges for all companies operating in the
Microfinance institutions.(The Trickling or Association Effects).
• Generic association may result in lack of trust and unfavorable disposition
towards these institutions.

6. • While there is a cause for these illegal institutions to be alarmed, those
whose operations are legal must have even more cause to be alarmed since
this development may negatively affect their operations and investments.
• Thus, the cost involved in making these institutions legal and ethical is at
high risk.
• Generally, the benefits as enumerated above may be lost if the seemingly
dwindling trust in these institutions go unaddressed.

7. Insight

8. Trust is invaluable in any form of relationship, especially in
either commercial and transactional relationships….

9. Strategy

10. Leverage a value-driven brand campaign that seeks among
others to:
• Articulate and Exude trust for the company.
• Stand the company out as the most trusted microfinance
player.

11. To build trust you:
• and a .
• and stakeholder engagements
• industry and explore
• and

13. Tactics

14. Building a Thought-Leadership Status

15. • Create a Company Blog.
• An informative platforms to educate your prospecting and existing targets on some key
financial concepts.
• Curate contents that provides valuable information to your target(Prospecting and Existing).
• Occasional Executive/Employee profiling.
• Leverage influencer bloggers who will occasional write on the company’s.
• Customer Testimonials will also be published on the platform
• Business News will be shared weekly.

18. and stakeholder engagements

19. • Organizing events which will afford us a first hand interaction with
our stakeholders.
• Events should bring regulators, shareholders, advisers, partners
and Customers together.
• For instance, Quarterly Financial Symposiums/Forums.
• User-generated social media campaigns has gained prominence.
#MyidealPartner.

20. industry and explore

21. • Beyond our events, there are a number of events that our
association with can rub off positively with us.
• If there are broad base industry events, can we explore and find a
speaking opportunities.
• Are there critical industry issues that we want to spearhead
advocacy on?
• Who attended those events and how has it empowered them for
their task?

22. and

23. • That single social cause that will be executed and sustained,
annually.
• The project must be in line and consistent with brand building
efforts.
• Employees will spearhead the project.