Coaching | Collaboration | Connections

Becoming the Expert – Part 2

in Cathy's Blog

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Anthony Sanni in his post, How to become an expert in your field – It will change your life. says, “The key to understanding what it means to be an expert is to shift focus from the word “expert” and place our focus on the concept of “specialized knowledge or skill”. Actually, you can be an expert in pretty much anything you choose from skin care for domesticated felines to wild mushroom pruning. Whether or not these are worth your time or will add anything valuable to your personal or professional life is a matter of preference and power of imagination.”

‘Wild mushroom pruning’? Love it!

What I understand about becoming the expert is that you have to have passion for what you do. It’s not about being a ‘know-it-all’, – no one really likes a know-it-all – it’s about want to learn more to augment what you already know. It’s about a sense of collaboration and being relatable.

Here are the other 6 tips for Becoming the Expert I would give to anyone trying to increase their expertise online and in person.

7. Tell stories

Consistently tell stories about your brand and your industry. This is how people will connect with you and how you’ll become memorable. Share yourself, get personal, and tie it back to your customers’ goals.

From a brand perspective – create content that shows your POD in action. Tell stories that demonstrate how you do business, post photos of your consumers interacting with your products. Make sure these items are easy to find and to share. Craft stories about your industry by creating characters out of the biggest players, highlighting issues, and setting your brand up as the solution. If you’re not looking at how to incorporate storytelling into your marketing, you’re making it harder for people to remember your name and what you’re about.

8. Build relationships

Become an expert networker.  If you know someone who should know someone else, connect them. If there’s a blogger whose radar you want to get on, connect with them.  Comment on their blog and offer a helpful tip, help them solve a problem they’re dealing with, connect them to a person in your network you think they should know. Little by little these “acts of goodwill” will help you to create powerful relationships that you’ll be able to leverage in the future.  Be nice and helpful to everyone you meet. Partly because there will comes a time when your generosity will pay off and, also, because it’s just a good way to be.

9. Talk about your industry, not yourself

Write more about your industry and the world around you than you do about your own products or services. If someone is interested in learning about your product offerings, they can find that information on their own. Instead, pique their interest by talking smartly about the things they’re concerned about. If you sell green-related technology, focus on the issues your audience is passionate about and share your stance. Set yourself up as a thought leader and become part of the conversations that are happening around. The more you’re seen talking about the key issues related to your industry, the more you’ll be perceived as an expert by those around you.

10. Be seen

Once you identify what it is you want to be known for, be seen talking about it. Don’t be a wallflower. Guest blog on other sites, participate in online conversations, attend conferences, and get your voice and your opinion out wherever you can. You’d be surprise how much of “becoming an expert” is really about “being seen talking about stuff”. It’s somewhat sad to point out but the more you’re seen, the more apt people will be to put you on the pedestal.

11. Show results

Of course, you’ll have to be able to do more than just talk. You’ll also need to prove your salt by showing your results. Post case studies showing how you helped Client X increase their revenue by 200 percent in the year they worked with you. Post client testimonials that explain how your product made their life easier. Document your success and share it in the form of helpful tips and tactics that others can learn from. Collect information and share it with your entire industry so everyone can benefit from it.

12. Expand your Thought Leadership

Once you achieve a certain level of success it becomes pretty easy to keep talking about what you’ve done instead of doing new stuff. The trouble with that is eventually you’ll run out of things to talk about or the topics you want to talk (ie the same old things) about won’t be as valuable anymore. In your efforts to be seen as expert, don’t forget to keep learning what you’re trying to become an expert in. That’s how you’ll expand upon your thought leadership, it’s how you’ll keep getting invited back to the table, and it’s how you’ll, ultimately, be able to better serve your customers. You can be seen as an expert all you want – if you can’t back it up, eventually you’ll customers will realize and leave you.

*BONUS TIP*

13. Be Humble

Resist the urge to drink your own Kool-aid by focusing on giving back to others. Instead of patting yourself on the back, lift others up instead. Not only will it make you a more attractive person to be around, you’ll also be building valuable connections that you’ll be able to use in the future. Because no one becomes an expert on their own. They do it with the help of everyone around them.

Now Go Get Connected!

An award-winning Leader, Entrepreneur and Business Development Consultant, Cathy teaches entrepreneurs how to increase their influence; build their business and stay sane while doing it. She helps you to let go of limiting beliefs to “Stand Up, Stand Out & Step Forward” for business success. Named one of the Top Ten Mentors by StartUp Canada, Cathy is recognized across the country for her expertise on “All Things Small Biz”. She is the Founder of the Connected Woman community, author of numerous books and articles, host of the podcast When Women Talk, and is a networking maven. (whew!)

For information on upcoming workshops, business coaching or to engage Cathy as a Keynote speaker at your next event, visit www.cathykuzel.com

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