I know it has been a few weeks since I last posted. The holidays have come and gone, and I did not want to do the obligatory “New Year’s Pep Rally” post. (I had actually planned to do one, but then I saw that everyone was doing it. And I figured that if I was sick of them, I couldn’t submit you to the same thing in good conscience.)
So here we are, it’s a new year, and I am back to writing.
In speaking to people, many of them have said that in the new year they want to attract more business. Of course, something like that is easier said than done, but I wanted to re-examine a common belief (that is partly true.)
We have all heard the phrase of “All things being equal, people will do business with those they know, like, and trust.”
That is indeed true, but in the real world, things are NEVER equal. Even so, people will still usually do business with those they know, like, and trust.
The other component, however, is that they have to view you as competent. That you are able to do that which they need done.
In today’s business world, it simply isn’t good enough to just be known, liked, and trusted. You have to be viewed as an expert.
I have many people who know me, like me, and trust me, but they would never come to me for brain surgery. Why? Because, (duh!) I don’t know anything about brain surgery. On the flip side, if I needed brain surgery, I don’t care if the surgeon is abrasive and someone I don’t like. I want him operating on me. Because he is the expert, he is competent in the area that I need him to be competent about. I don’t care about his customer service skills (I doubt there is such a thing in the medical field anyway), I don’t care where he went to college, and I don’t care if he is a lousy father and his home life is in shambles. All I care about is that he can operate on my brain in a way that gives me the desired result. I won’t know him well, I don’t have to like him, but his expertise goes a long way towards making me trust him.
But then we get back to the “all things being equal” part. If you have to choose between two brain surgeons, you will choose the one you know, like, and trust.
So, how do you get a reputation as an expert?
Quite simply, you share your expertise. One reason I blog is to show off. I offer a sample of my knowledge so others can see that I know what I am talking about.
If you do not want to blog, then you can have information products, give lectures and presentations, or just pontificate to anyone willing to listen. But the best way to be viewed as an expert is to simply look the part.
If you tell people you are an expert on a topic, and it isn’t too far-fetched, they will be inclined to believe you. If you claim to be an expert at cooking, people will believe you more than if you say you are an expert on rare poisonous plants from the neolithic era.
But everything about you must be congruent to that claim. You must dress, talk, and act the part.
To give you an example, one time I was at a networking event and I met someone who claimed to be a marketing expert. He was dressed nicely in a suit, and spoke well. I was inclined to take his word for it. Then he handed me his business card.
His business card was a plain white card with his name, title, and contact information. That’s it.
I am sorry, but if you want to be viewed as an expert in marketing, your marketing pieces must be pretty stupendous. Just like if I claim to be an expert at cooking, I better give you more than a plain grilled cheese sandwich.
Don’t wait for someone to tell you that you are an expert. There are no tests to pass (unless you are claiming certifications or licenses in a technical or professional field.) If you know more about something than an average person, you are an expert. You don’t need to know EVERYTHING, just enough that you can educate others on things they themselves do not know. The truth be told, a little bit of intense study on a specialized topic can turn anyone into an expert.
If you want to be viewed as an expert, BE an expert. Look like an expert, act like an expert. And believe that you are one.
