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THE X FACTOR BLOG

This blog is a forum for discussion on topics relevant to business owners. We also publish strategies on marketing and growing your business, special offers and advanced tools to keep your business on the cutting edge as well as keep you up to date on SME news and media.

The dummies guide to being seen as THE expert in your field

10X Newcastle - Thursday, January 19, 2012
It’s not always easy to set yourself apart from the competition. After all, you’re competing with hundreds of other businesses in your community, each vying for the attention (and dollars!) of your customers. You can be assured that your competitors are constantly thinking of ways to attract new customers. So how can your business stand out from the rest? By becoming THE expert in your field – the ‘go-to’ person in your industry – THE business with the reputation and credibility for being the best at what you do! Positioning your business and yourself, the Business Owner, as a leading authority on your product or service is a guaranteed method to build trust and credibility with your prospective clientele. Though it may sound like an impossible and intangible task, it’s easier to achieve than you might think!

Being seen as the expert in your field enables you to generate a significant amount of referral business, and subsequently charge significantly more for your product/services because your prospective clients will actually go out of their way to seek out ‘experts’ to help with their problem, and pay premium prices for the privilege. A client or customer recommended to a business already comes with a certain level of trust and credibility firmed up in their mind, so there is generally less work to do to build that initial trust. You’ve probably experienced this yourself at some point or other when someone came recommended – whether it was an IT specialist, recruitment expert or a top supplier.

What many businesses don’t realise is that you don’t actually need to be ‘the’ pre-eminent expert on a certain topic to be perceived as the expert. There are many qualified people in each industry, but the perceived experts are often those who are just better at getting their voice heard in the public domain. Obviously, you need to be skilled at what you do if you want to promote your expertise, but there are many clever strategies you can use to fast track your way to ‘guru’ status.

1. Write a Book
The instance your name appears on the spine of a book (whether you self-publish or are picked up by a publisher), you’re seen as an authority on a topic. The book doesn’t need to be a mainstream bestseller either, it just needs to be interesting and relevant for your target market or industry.

If you’re thinking, “I don’t have time to write a book!” - don’t worry. You can have a ghostwriter do much of the work for you, and you can secure very affordable ghost writing by posting your project on freelance websites such as Elance (www.elance.com).


2. Use a checklist as a prospecting tool
Use a checklist as part of your next direct mail piece. A checklist gives people questions to consider – questions that people perceive you can answer.

Here’s an example: Early in 1999 when Y2K fever was at its peak, one IT company sent a direct mail piece to small businesses recommending that they have a Y2K analysis performed. Attached to the direct mail piece was a ‘Y2K Risk Analysis’ checklist that people could complete to determine whether their business was at risk. This checklist played a very powerful role in producing huge numbers of responses to that direct mail campaign.

3. Run seminars and workshops or speak at other events
Just as being an author turns you into an expert, so too does being a speaker. The moment you’re on stage in front of an audience, you’re elevated to ‘guru’ status. These events don’t need to be big production affairs. They might be a simple introductory, lead generation-style workshop presented to prospective clients. Or you can seek out industry events by developing a relationship with conference organizers and industry networking functions.

4. Testimonials
Featuring testimonials from clients and from high profile peers is a great way of positioning you as a business development expert. Use testimonials prominently in all your marketing material - the more the better.
 
5. Send media releases out
Whenever something newsworthy happens in your business or industry, send out a media release to media outlets. The more media coverage you get, the more the public and media will perceive you as an expert and the more new clients you’ll attract.

6. Establish a Knowledge Base and Strategy Guides
Increase the amount of information you provide your clients with. This helps you appear more knowledgeable, which in turn, attracts more business. For instance, 10X clients receive access to 300+ comprehensive Strategy Guides (over 4500 pages of advice, action steps, strategies, checklists and marketing pieces) on how to dramatically increase the profits in their business.

7. Run tele-seminars, record them and sell the products
Tele-seminars are seminars conducted via the telephone and are an easy way to build your expertise and sell your services. There’s a lot less preparation time and cost than there is for live seminars. What’s more, you can run one at a moment’s notice, record it and then develop the recording into a product.

8. Write a column for a business or industry publication
Being a regular columnist for a small magazine is another great way of building credibility. To start with, approach the editors of the publication with an idea for a one-off article. Over time, develop a relationship with the editor and once they’re comfortable with your level of expertise and the value that you deliver in your articles, approach them with an idea for a column.

9. Conduct industry surveys and publish white papers
Another great way to be positioned as an authority is to conduct a survey of the operators and even the customers in your industry. Once you’ve gathered all the research, publish a white paper containing your findings. Then, submit press releases announcing your survey to relevant magazines and media outlets. Media love stories that are backed-up with research and statistics.

In Summary
There are a variety of initiatives you can undertake to position you and your business as an expert. Sure, it takes a little time, but once you’re seen as a ‘guru’ you’ll be on the fast track to enjoying ‘industry leader’ status and the flood of new clients and referrals that comes with it.

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