What We Need Here Is An Expert!

The market for what most businesses offer is so crowded that it is very difficult to stand out. But, in order for the small business to succeed, it must be able to stand out in a crowd.  One of the greatest ways to do this is to position your business or you the owner of that business as an expert in your chosen field.   When a potential client is trying to determine one firm from another, do they go to the firm that has a nice marketing brochure full of color pictures and promises or do they go to the individual who is a recognized leader and expert.

Okay, so that's the easy part. How do you become an expert?   Let me just tell you a little secret, you are an expert to some degree or you wouldn't ever convince anyone to give you a couple of bucks to provide a service, right?  The only difference between you and other so-called experts is the way in which you communicate.  It's kind of like in the Wizard of Oz. The wizard didn't make the scarecrow a genius; he simply gave him the piece of paper that proved it to the world. So all you need is your piece of paper.

Here are some of the easiest ways to begin to be recognized as an expert in your field. (By the way, experts charge a premium for their services and can be really picky about who they take on as clients.)

	Write articles Create a Workshop Get Quoted Conduct A Survey Write A Book

Pick a hot, or at least useful, topic in your field and write an article about it.  Think that's too hard? Then make up a list of the top 10 things to consider when doing whatever it is you do.   Make contact with a publication that is read by your target market and then send the article to them. It is a good idea to be familiar with the publications you are trying to write for so that you can match their needs and style.

When trying to break in to this, don't go straight to the top.
Go for in industry or Internet newsletter. They are much more open to beginners and nobody cares that only 5 people read your article. You're published. By the way, published articles make great marketing materials when reprinted.

Offering workshops that can attract potential clients is a great way to cultivate your expert status.  Groups of all shapes and sizes need speakers for lunch and dinner meetings. Work on your presentation skills in these free and often very friendly settings so nobody gets hurt while you are in training.

You can branch out to bigger and better things and may even be able to look at your workshops as an additional revenue stream once you develop a bit of a following. Don't forget industry trade shows and Internet channels either.

Make a list of every reporter you can find that covers your industry and then begin to routinely send them interesting industry data, surveys, stories, and ideas. Don't pitch them on your firm; just become a trusted source of information.  In time, they will begin to seek quotes and information from you after you have proven that you can make their job easier.

Most reporters are trained to find at least three sources to quote in every article they write. Now you know how to become one of them.

"...according to industry expert Cindy Lou, blah, blah, blah"

Everybody wants to know what the numbers say. Look for ways to measure some hot or even kooky trend in your industry and then conduct a survey (scientific or not) that can be turned into an interesting story or tidbit for publication.  There are many companies that use this technique often to hold the position of industry trend spotter and leader.

Nothing says expert like a published author. Don't discount this one as too hard for you to do. If you do a little research on the topic of publishing you will discover that, while not a cakewalk, it has become much easier to do.  Professionals often find that this is the most powerful marketing tool they will ever develop. (Plus you get better seating at all the fancy restaurants)
 

So cowardly lion, I hereby award you for meritorious conduct in the face of small business marketing warfare the official title of expert. Now, go for it.
 

John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006.

He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system. You can find more information by visiting http://www.ducttapemarketing.com.