| One of the best ways to separate your | | | | Most people will have two questions when they |
| business from the others is to position | | | | learn of you. One: can you help? and two: how |
| yourself as an expert. Experts charge more, | | | | can you help? Well-written case studies help |
| work less, and are highly regarded. Experts | | | | answer both these questions as they build |
| regularly experience an inflow of interesting | | | | your credibility. We are all, generally, more |
| opportunities. They attract business easily | | | | likely to believe that something will help us |
| and regularly. | | | | if it's helped other people who are just like |
| | | | us. A well developed case study file can |
| Assuming that you do, indeed, possess | | | | shorten your sales process. |
| expertise in your chosen field...what are | | | | |
| some ways to showcase this expertise so | | | | 6) Teach workshops or seminars. |
| others see you as an expert, too? | | | | |
| | | | A fast way to build your expert status is to |
| 1) Build an expertise focused website. | | | | teach on your topic. This can be done in |
| | | | person, or on the phone. When you teach on a |
| Ideally, you will have focused your expertise | | | | topic, you are almost automatically seen as |
| in one particular niche. Build a website to | | | | an expert on the topic. Plus, teaching |
| showcase your expertise in this niche. | | | | classes or workshops can be another way to |
| Include client lists, press releases, and | | | | meet more people, add to your contact list, |
| demonstrations of you speaking or teaching on | | | | and develop another revenue stream, all at |
| your topic. | | | | the same time. |
| | | | |
| 2) Publish a book (or at least some | | | | 7) Present on your topic. |
| articles!) | | | | |
| | | | Offer yourself to relevant groups and |
| Even in this age of lightning fast | | | | associations as a guest expert, panelist, or |
| e-publishing, there still exists some | | | | conference speaker. Use these speaking |
| recognition and esteem for authors of | | | | opportunities to refine your knowledge, |
| published books. It doesn't matter if you | | | | polish your presentation, and to build areas |
| self publish, publish on demand, or go the | | | | for possible lateralization. Public speaking |
| traditional publishing route, there is almost | | | | also offers you another way to build your |
| instant credibility and recognition when | | | | contact list and gain recognition at the same |
| people say, "Oh, she or he wrote a book on | | | | time. |
| it." | | | | |
| | | | 8) Hang out with other experts. |
| If you can't get yourself to write a book on | | | | |
| it, at least write some articles and | | | | If you spend time with other experts, you |
| distribute them regularly. | | | | will, by association, be seen as more of an |
| | | | expert. If you belong to an association or |
| 3) Build a focused newsletter around your | | | | professional group, make contact with the |
| expertise. | | | | leaders of this group. By spending time with |
| | | | the leaders in your field, you will be more |
| You may already have a newsletter, but is it | | | | easily seen as one of them. |
| focused around your expertise? If not, it | | | | |
| might be time for some repositioning. When | | | | 9) Refer to yourself as an expert. |
| you do this, you'll find that your | | | | |
| newsletters actually get easier to write, | | | | For some, this might be more difficult than |
| because it's always easier to drill down into | | | | it seems. Expert status is not just given, it |
| one topic than to develop multiple new ones. | | | | must also be claimed. If you are an expert at |
| Also, this focused newsletter can be a great | | | | what you do, there is absolutely nothing |
| hand-out for prospective clients, and can be | | | | wrong with identifying yourself as one. If |
| a way of articulating your expert position on | | | | you're not, do what it takes to become one. |
| relevant trends in your field. | | | | Authenticity and integrity are powerfully |
| | | | effective marketing tools. |
| 4) Seek publicity regularly. | | | | |
| | | | 10) Commit to regular actions to build your |
| This may be in the form of writing effective | | | | expert status. |
| press releases or being quoted in industry | | | | |
| journals or magazines. Just find some way of | | | | As you build your expert status, you will |
| regularly getting your name and expertise | | | | find the flow of opportunities come faster |
| mentioned in print. There are many resources | | | | and more easily. When this happens, continue |
| on how to write effective press releases. Aim | | | | to take regular actions to keep building your |
| to send out at least one press release per | | | | expert status. Once gained, expert status |
| quarter or to attain two magazine or journal | | | | must be maintained. |
| mentions each month. | | | | |
| | | | Try these strategies to build your expert |
| 5) Build a file of successful case studies. | | | | status. Your business (and bank account) will |
| | | | benefit. |