Positioning Yourself as an Expert – Online and Offline
There is nothing quite as powerful and effective in building your business and increasing revenue as positioning yourself as an expert in your field and industry from the very beginning. My experience proves that you can achieve this through your writing, speaking, and teaching on your topic. Allow me to share how you can get started with this strategy today and begin to see the results almost immediately in your own small business.
I was not a writer when I set out to become an online entrepreneur in 2006. Almost immediately I came to the realization that this had to change if I intended to build my credibility and earn income from the products, services, and recommendations I would provide to my prospects. That led to my starting a blog and forcing myself to write at least two hundred fifty words as a post at least twice each week. Soon I increased that to a three hundred word post every day and within a month I was in the habit of writing regularly on my topic.
These blog posts began the content for my first full length book, and to date I have written and published more than twenty books on various aspects of entrepreneurship. You can do the same thing to position yourself as an expert on your field. But this is only the first of the three-pronged approach I am advocating for small business owners.
Public speaking gives you the opportunity to get in front of your prospects and discuss topics relevant to your field. This opportunity first presented itself when I was a new member of my local Rotary Club. My fear of speaking was soon replaced with an enthusiasm and desire to share my knowledge and information with my fellow Rotarians. Now I speak on topics around entrepreneurship throughout the world, further positioning myself as an expert.
Finally, teaching your topic rounds out the three-pronged approach to positioning yourself as an expert with writing, speaking, and teaching. Everyone is a natural teacher and this style goes back to the beginning of time. Whether or not you have children or grandchildren, you most likely already know that if you can teach someone else how to replicate one of your systems, you will know for sure how it works and whether or not you need to make any changes to your process.
You can teach in person, on webinars and teleseminars, or even with your writing. No matter what type of business you operate, there is always something to teach someone. Think of the classes that Home Depot has offered its customers for many years in order to get some ideas. Writers could teach entrepreneurs how to get started with blogging. Speakers could teach how to create a signature speech. Veterinarians could teach proper dental care for dogs and cats, a clothing store could teach proper care and cleaning of garments, and plumbers could teach proper care of sinks and drains. The possibilities are unlimited in this largely untapped area of small business growth strategies, both online and offline.
Be creative with your goal of positioning yourself as an expert. Make a list of the topics you could write, speak, and teach about to further share your knowledge and experience with others in the community. Start a blog or newsletter to get your message out to your prospects and current clients and customers. Contact local organizations and groups about speaking to them on a specific topic of interest to their audience. And teach others what you know so that they will be better able to consume your products and services with enhanced knowledge of how they can improve their lives and solve their problems and challenges.
By now you can see that this three-pronged strategy of writing, speaking, and teaching to better position yourself as an expert is a win-win scenario for everyone. You may already be implementing much of what I am sharing with you here within your own business.
I’d love to hear how you are using this information to increase your own bottom line and to better position yourself as an expert in your field and industry.
You may also be interested in an article I wrote on the topic of public speaking for your business here.
I’ve co-authored a new book with Ellen Finkelstein on the topic of turning your speaking into a business as an ongoing revenue stream. The title is Speakers! The Quick Public Speaking to Business Method: Turning Your Talk into an Ongoing Revenue Stream.
I’m bestselling author, marketing strategist, and entrepreneur Connie Ragen Green and I would love to connect further with you to help you to achieve your goals. If you are interested in learning how to optimize the syndication of your content, please take a look at my popular Syndication Optimization training course and consider coming aboard to increase your visibility, credibility, and profitability. I’m here to serve you!
Come aboard my new training on how to Position Yourself as an Expert and see how this can be a win-win for everyone as you build your business.
Up until now I have been making youtube videos instead of writing. What I have found is that writing causes me to laser in my focus on a topic. I am getting clarity in areas that were foggy before. Thanks to your encouragement I am writing 1 to 2 blog posts each week following my topic grid. I still have to do the writing and it is so much easier if I stay consistent.
Nancy Dadami recently posted…Do You Know The #1 Feng Shui Hot Spot In Your Home?
Thanks so much for your comment, Nancy. Writing is the very best way to gain credibility, visibility, and more. Building a body of work in this way will serve you for years to come.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Positioning Yourself as an Expert with Writing, Speaking, and Teaching