If you're a small business owner, presumably you are an
expert in your industry or profession — or you would not be
in that industry or profession.
Expertise does not mean being the best in the world at
something — like Lance Armstrong or Bill Gates. Can you
imagine being ranked No. 1 in the World at a
particular skill or talent? It sure would be nice — but it
doesn't happen for most of us. And yet many more of us are
experts than we may realize.
With more than 6 billion people in the world, good thing it's
utterly unnecessary to be the best in the world at something
to qualify as an expert. All expert means is that you know
your subject better than most people.
American Heritage Dictionary defines an expert as "a
person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a
certain subject." Given those more relaxed standards,
chances are pretty good you know a great deal about at
least one particular subject, meaning that you are an expert
in some area.
So you've given it some thought and have acknowledged
that you really are very good at something. Canvas pool
covers. History of birdhouses in America. Ways to help
college freshmen succeed. The subjects are limitless —
but you ARE an expert at one of them.
Question: What are you doing with that knowledge and
expertise? If "using it to build credibility in my area of
specialization" is not your answer, it should be!
WHY CREDIBILITY?
Simple. Credibility is the thing that makes people respect
you as an expert. It's the thing that gives you an edge
because it causes people to seek you out for your
knowledge. Credibility means the quality of being logically or
apparently valid. And with credibility comes
authenticity, believability, genuineness, legitimacy, visibility,
trust, plausibility, reputation, and word of mouth.
Are those qualities helpful in building a successful
business? You'd better believe they are!
BENEFITS OF CREATING CREDIBILITY FOR
YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS
Perception of Trust — Credibility creates an
implied trust that decreases your need to work as hard to
prove yourself. People trust you if you have credibility.
Knowledge Showcase — Credibility allows
you to share useful and/or entertaining information about
your area of specialization that draws added attention to
you/your business but is not confused with advertising.
Implied Quality — Credibility carries with it an
assumption of due diligence. For example, if Oprah
recommends a book, do people bother to read other
reviews or do they run out and buy the book? Deserved or
not, Oprah's opinion carries some of the highest credibility
in the world.
Increased Exposure — Credibility enables
you to reach potential customers who fall beyond the reach
of your traditional marketing efforts.
Improved Recall & Recognition —
Credibility reduces your audience's resistance to your
marketing message. With traditional advertising, a
customer must hear your message as many as 21 times
before they recognize your message as your
message, remember the contents of your message,
and are moved to take action.
Heightened Demand — The more credibility
you have, the more likely someone is to want to pay
for your product or service.
Brighter Visibility — The more your credibility
increases, the more likely people are to seek you out to
suggest joint ventures and other opportunities.
HOW CAN YOU BUILD CREDIBILITY?
There are many ways to increase your credibility, some of
them more instant in nature, while others require a more
plodding, long-term effort.
Get interviewed by the mass media.
Pro: Provides immediate visibility. Con: Is
inordinately difficult to accomplish. Key: The old
80/20 rule — put the large majority of your efforts into more
realistic goals, but never neglect the attempt for widespread
coverage entirely.
Contribute to mass media publications.
Pro: Offers virtually instant credibility. Con:
This market is neither specialized nor particularly focused
on your industry. Key: Regular appearances, like a
featured column.
Get interviewed by or contribute to niche media
outlets. Pro: Is easier to achieve than national
exposure. Con: Offers less exposure than national
outlets. Key: Write or speak as THE expert in your
field.
Get a blog. Pros: Easy to do, very
inexpensive, and most blog providers have syndication
technology built right in. Cons: Everybody's doing it,
and just because you write does not mean anyone will read.
Keys: Write more than one blog on hyper-niche
topics, cross-link them, and promote them just like you do
your Web site.
Try Podcasting/Internet broadcasting.
Pros: Almost as easy as blogging, but with audio —
once you learn how; new listeners are seeking Podcasts
daily. Cons: Finding the resources to learn how to
Podcast is still a challenge; attempting to produce a quality
show is more difficult than it seems. Keys: Commit
to a niche topic, have fun, and experiment until you find your
own unique show format.
Write! Articles, media releases, books, info
products, etc. Pro: It's the easiest way to create
visibility. Cons: It takes time, effort, and research;
may require you to hire an editor. Keys: Test various
markets; develop a system.
The trick to creating expert credibility and its subsequent
increased publicity — even notoriety — in your field is to
getoutthere! No matter
how good you are at what you do, no one's likely to stumble
over your genius as you quietly plod away at your desk or in
a corner of your shop. You must draw attention to yourself
like a beacon. However, with some directed and dedicated
effort, you can achieve expert credibility in your industry and
race to the forefront of your profession.
Laura Orsini is an editorial consultant, helping small
business owners use words to build credibility and enlarge
their client bases. Allan Sabo specializes in helping small
companies and entrepreneurs create and implement
strategies to grow their businesses, open new
opportunities, and operate with greater efficiency and
increased profits. For further information regarding a viable
alternative to the credibility-building methods mentioned in
this article, join Laura and Allan for their next tele-class,
"Credibility-Building Secrets Revealed."
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