There’s a number of great ways to become an authority in your niche, and they all come down to one thing… Becoming well known as an expert.
I know what you’re thinking… “Thanks for the insight Captain Obvious, but how do you make it happen?”
Excellent question!
And since you didn’t come here for a bunch of useless ‘jibber jabber’, I’ll get right to it with a short list on some of the best ways you can ‘make it happen’ – and become an authority in your field…
1) Do some research, and share what you discover.
You don’t need to know everything about your niche to be seen as an expert. You just need to share lots and lots of little tidbits for most people to start believing you’re an insider in your industry.
In a way, you can piggy-backed on the success of others by sharing your research.
Once people realize they can come to you for insights, you’ll quickly become an authority.
2) Offer free information.
I know, you’re trying to make money, and giving away free information seems counter productive. But, giving valuable information away for free can help you gain an audience.
When people realize you’re genuinely looking for opportunities to help them, opposed to just making money off of them, they quickly begin to trust you and are far more willing to believe what you say.
Once they believe you, and trust you, they’re far more likely to buy from you when you do have something to sell.
Another way to gain expert status is to…
3) interview others who are already authorities.
Think about it… People like Oprah, and Larry King, generally don’t know diddly squat about very many topics. But they interview experts, and through osmosis they become authorities themselves.
Most experts are busy people, but many of them are only too happy to be interviewed by someone because it will expand their own authority even further.
Start small to build your reputation. And once you get the opportunity to interview a truly famous person, your own authority will skyrocket.
And remember… Keep recorded copies of all your interviews. You never know, a year down the road you might get an opportunity to re-post them on your website as a podcast or streaming audio, or transcribe them into print for posting on a web page or blog.
4) Be somewhere, and do something.
You can be the defacto expert in your field, but if no one knows you exist, you’ll never be an authority.
To get noticed, people need to know who you are. You can join an organization related to your niche, speak at social events, volunteer a couple hours a week teaching others about anything you’re good at.
And before you say “but I’m not an expert yet so how can I teach others?”
Here’s a little secret for you… To be considered an expert, you only need to know more than the people you’re talking to.
For example: If you’ve only been involved with internet marketing for a year, you’ll still be an expert to someone who’s just starting out at day one.
If you’re not into the face-to-face networking, you can still become an authority in the online world. Comment on blogs, forums, and social media sites. Post useful and helpful content on your own blog or website. Once people begin to know who you are, and what you represent, slowly but surely you’ll become an authority in your niche.
And don’t be anonymous. You’re building your authority, which is the same as building your own personal brand. If you don’t want to use your real name (for whatever reason) do what many successful writers, business owners, and entertainers have done… Use a stage name. You get to stay out of the spotlight and still enjoy the benefits of being identifiable.
All right, this post is getting a little lengthy, but I think we have time for one more, so…
5) Above all else… Deliver Quality.
You want to be recognized as someone who delivers useful information. Not just another wannabe delivering useless gibberish.
If you have enough expertise to write a 600 page book, or deliver a two hour speech full of quality insights, then by all means, do so. But if you only have enough genuine information for a 500 word article, or a 20 minute speech, don’t try to fluff it up by adding a bunch of filler.
To become an authority in your niche, you want to inspire people with your wisdom… Not bore them with bullshit.
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Well, that’s about it for now folks. This post is getting a bit long, and I have a hot date tonight with my wife.
So until next time, keep moving forward.
All the best,
SARubin
Direct Response Copywriter
Advertising and Marketing Egghead
www.sarmarketing.net
P.S. If you have any questions or comments, you can reply directly to this message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
And just remember… Not every marketing idea will work the same for every business. But every proven idea I send you has already helped other businesses grow.
So even if you don’t think these ideas apply to you right now, it’s still something you may want to use in the future – as your business grows and evolves. It’s always a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open for good, proven marketing strategies.
In the end, your integrity and authority is one of the few things you have that sets you apart. Sometimes saying no to what others will say yes to, gets you further in the long term. Let’s hope I am not wrong in that, eh?