E-Tip 253 - 3 Steps the Position You as the "Go To" Expert

One of the easiest ways to drive sales opportunities and to ensure job security is to become an expert in your field. In fact, the term "expert" carries a tremendous amount of authority, trust and credibility - the things that reduce the risk of people not buying what you have to sell . . . and goes a long way in ensuring your job security.

This 3-Step Process Can Help You Quickly Position Yourself As The Fountain Of Knowledge People Turn To.

Step 1: Determine A Niche

Instead of trying to sell or market yourself to everyone (including your own company), you are better off by narrowing down your focus to a specific industry/industries or job function. Doing so will help you develop certain skills, buzzwords and contacts. It will also position you as the resident expert. Recently, a business acquaintance of mine told me how she was able to set herself up as the go-to expert at management/leadership training in three industries (nuclear energy, coal and solar). When she told me what she was doing, I asked, "Are there enough companies you can target to make a living from it?" She smiled and said, "There are hundreds of locations, and I am the only management/leadership training expert in the country who concentrates on these industries." Find your niche and you will eliminate any sales obstacles or job issues.

Step 2: Write About Your Area Of Expertise

After settling on your niche, you need to begin the process of writing about your area of expertise. You could write weekly e-tips, newsletters, books, articles, training manuals, new processes and techniques; your options are close to endless. You can even create your own website and design it as a way for people to access your information. If you can, write about things that teach people about your expertise and what you do.

The More Business You Do In An Industry, The More Of An Expert You Will Become.

Once you start marketing yourself on a proactive basis, you will become recognized as an expert in an industry -- even if you never had formal education in it; however, there are times when certification or specific training is needed to truly be anointed as an expert.

Step 3: Become A Speaker Or Presenter As Often As You Can

If you are proactive in networking and publishing articles you will find people will ask you to speak at conferences, chamber meetings and industry associations, or even make presentations within your own organization. Sure, most of us get nervous about speaking in front of a group, but keep this in mind: You will gain instant trust and credibility when you do it.

What To Do If You Are Nervous About Speaking In Front Of A Group

If you get nervous talking in front of a group, we suggest attending a public speaking class (click here to see what type of public speaking courses we have to offer). And taking this type of course could be one of the best decisions of your business career, as you will most likely find yourself more secure in presenting your concepts, processes and thoughts. The more confident you are, the more convincing you will be.

Summary: Start today by thinking of what niches you could become an expert in. After that, write down ways you can network, i.e. trade shows or associations meetings, as well as targets of opportunities. The key here is building up a database of names/e-mail addresses. After you build this database, start the process of "dripping" on people with e-mails and direct mail campaigns . . . just make sure the content is relevant to whomever you are targeting.