Whether you want to use the term expert, authority, or even preeminent positioning, one thing is clear, life is better on top.
Because when you’re perceived as an expert or authority by your market you can charge more, work with better customers and clients, and essentially set your own rules… you are the expert after all.
Which is why in this post we’re talking all about how you can become an expert and the benefits that go along with it.
When it comes to building a world class brand and business few things compare to being perceived as an expert or authority in your market.
Life and business are just a whole lot easier and more fun when you’re trusted, respected, and valued for what you do.
There’s also the added bonus that the top 20% of businesses typically tend to get 80% of all the customers, clients, and revenue, and that common customer objections like price, time, or trust seem to disappear from your prospects vocabulary when they truly view you as an authority in your field.
But here’s the reality you may not have been expecting to hear.
Becoming an expert is actually really simple.
Don’t get me wrong it’s not easy, but it is simple. Rather, it’s the second part of the equation that takes time, energy, persistence, and hard work.
And that second part is not just becoming an expert, but becoming PERCEIVED as an expert. Because it doesn’t matter how great you really are, if nobody knows it.
So let’s cover the easy one first so we can get that out of the way and move on to the good stuff.
How To Become An Expert
Becoming an expert is actually a fairly simple task.
Simply choose the area you want to master and dedicate a significant amount of time to dutifully studying, practicing, and implementing your topic.
Read books, talk to other experts, find mentors, hire coaches, practice, and put your studies into action and 10,000 hours or so later you’re an expert, or pretty darn close.
Now obviously some topics like astrophysics are going to take a little more time and study than say sock knitting, but to become proficient and develop expertise in either, you’re going to need to put in the time.
This step is crucial and there’s simply no way around it. To become an expert you’re going to need to put in the work.
But just doing the work and putting in the time aren’t enough to ensure success, profitability, and recognition as an expert. Which is why we need to focus on the second and often overlooked part of the equation. Perception.
How To Be PERCEIVED As An Expert
Perception equals reality.
Therefore once you’ve established a sufficient level of knowledge, skill, and expertise on your subject it’s time to move on to phase 2; creating Authority Implying Signals (AIS) that show your audience and market that you really are an expert.
You need these symbols because without them your expertise will simply sit on the shelf ignored and underutilized collecting dust and doing nothing to build your brand or business.
Now this doesn’t mean you need to be overly promotional, obnoxious, or “salesy”, it just means making sure that you’re putting out the right signals to ensure that you’re recognized and appreciated for your expertise and authority on the subject.
In fact, being overly promotional, obnoxious, and “salesy” actually diminishes and destroys your authority and expertise because it makes you look needy and desperate.
Neither of which are very desirable traits in an expert.
So here are 5 ways to be perceived by your customers, clients, leads, and prospects as a genuine and authentic expert and authority in your field.
1. Produce, Post, and Publish
There is perhaps no better strategy available today when it comes to building expertise and authority than content marketing.
But this shouldn’t be surprising.
After all, the exact same principles involved in content marketing apply equally to building authority and expert status.
These include educating your market, creating original content, and sharing your ideas and opinions with your audience.
Because when you produce, post, and publish your ideas and insights and focus on providing value, answering questions, and solving problems, people can’t help but to see you as a valuable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable resource.
Also known as, an expert.
This is why the first step to not only becoming, but also becoming perceived as an expert is to focus and adopt a content marketing strategy that revolves around the consistent creation and distribution of some kind of value providing content.
2. Precision Promotion
The next way to become perceived as an expert by your market is to focus your attention on only your most ideal customers or prospects and reach them where they are.
When you get crystal clear about who it is you’re trying to serve a couple of amazing things start to happen.
First, you’re able to refine and clarify your message so your audience will feel as if you’re speaking directly to them and their pain points and problems.
And next, it will allow you to cut your marketing efforts in half, by abandoning platforms and channels that aren’t frequented by your market.
All too often businesses try to do everything and be everywhere but this is a flawed strategy as the odds are good that your perfect target market isn’t everywhere, but rather on 1, 2, or maybe 3 different key channels.
By focusing on those key channels and ignoring the rest you’ll be able to create double the impact with half the effort.
3. Share and Care
Experts and authorities naturally have opinions. And therefore so should you.
I’m not suggesting you need to be loud, obnoxious or contrarian just to stand out, but you should have a position, stance, or opinion on your topic and not be afraid to stand behind and support it.
As an expert you should be able to share your opinion while at the same time care about what others have to say.
And if your opinion changes, which it should if you’re presented with a compelling enough argument or set of facts, than don’t be afraid to say so either.
4. Engage and Interact
Engaging and interacting is an important promotional strategy that will not only help build your brand but will also ensure you stay connected to your customers and clients.
In fact, your level of engagement and interaction with your tribe can be tied directly to an increase in perceived expertise, authority, and ultimately, revenue.
This is because engaging with your community, answering questions, solving problems, and really just talking to people are all key steps in humanizing your business while simultaneously allowing you to showcase your knowledge and expertise.
Plus, there’s the added benefit of getting in the trenches and really uncovering exactly what your audience wants to know and what problems they have, so you can be better positioned to answer their questions and solve these problems for them.
5. Continuing Education
Becoming and staying an expert means committing to ongoing and continuing education.
The key here is to make it fun and enjoyable and not limit yourself to just sitting at a desk and reading for hours on end, unless of course that’s your thing.
Because when it comes to continuing education the options available are nearly endless. You of course have the traditional route of good old fashioned hard copy books, but you also have audiobooks, seminars, conferences, masterminds, podcasts, webinars, coaching and consulting, and online courses and training, just to name a few.
So don’t be afraid to spice it up and vary your content consumption.
But one thing is clear, when it comes to acquiring new knowledge, new ideas, and new insights, if you want to be and stay an expert you always need to be fueling the fire.
The more and better content you’re able to put in, the more and better thoughts, ideas, and strategies you’ll be able to churn out.
