Expertise is a perceived ranking
So you’ve graduated college, you have a degree, maybe a graduate degree and a little bit of work experience. Are you considered an expert? It depends on who you ask. If you ask, professionals that have been in the industry for 30 years then you don’t know anything. If you ask the average Joe that knows nothing about the industry, then you are an expert.
What can you take from this? Use the 30 year experts as your mentors and ask for guidance or learn from their work. Then, use the average Joes to build your expertise. Use their comments, testimonials, and stories to show that you know what you’re talking about.
Follow these 7 steps to build expertise in your industry:
- Research your industry - Know who the key players of your industry are and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and any other relevant websites. It shouldn’t take much to figure out what platforms the key players are using, just Google their name or business.
- Read - Once you know who the key players are, read their information and use it. Read magazines, publications, books, blogs, e-books, tweets, notes, and possibly even use their services. Don’t hesitate to contact the authors in order to get personal advice and build a relationship.
- Join Organizations – Possibly the simplest way to network and build your expertise is to join organizations. They don’t even have to cost anything, include them on your resume and actively participate in them. Most people will not take the time to look up how to join or what it takes to join. This is as effective if not more effective then adding titles to your name (Dr.).
- Add Titles to Your Name – One of the more expensive options, but certainly the title adds to your expertise. Do you have more faith in your professor Dr. Anderson or professor Johnson? Most likely Dr. Anderson. Are you more likely to believe a BA in accounting or an MBA grad with a BA in accounting?
- Write Free Articles for Magazines, Newspapers, or Websites – Provide quality information for free in order to build your brand and expertise. Not to mention, it is free advertising as you can include your products, website, and business contact information. If you can get in a popular magazine like Inc magazine or Men’s fitness, your brand will flourish.
- Give a Seminar at the Local College – Use the expertise you’ve already built and offer to give a free seminar to students at the local college. If you’ve built enough expertise then you may even get paid or asked to speak.
- Give a Seminar to Local Businesses – Use the same technique with local businesses, just make sure to clearly explain your expertise and other businesses that you have helped. Once you’ve done it for free a few times, then you can start asking for money.
Now that you’re an expert, start networking with other experts. See if they will back you or help spread your information. Use their social networking contacts to spread your business and likewise, do the same for them.
Find out more about social networking here Day to Day: Live Free – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips #1
- Matthew Sodoma
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