“An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field.”
– Niels Bohr (1885-1962)
All too often, we hear the term ‘expert’ being loosely thrown around to define a plethora of different meanings – whether someone’s a leading expert in a particular area or a qualified expert in their designated sector. But how does that person earn the right to call themselves an ‘expert’?
Danish physicist Niels Bohr provided the world with his worthy definition as a fundamental method of learning – and as a Nobel laureate, he is arguably one of the most renowned experts within his field. Yet his mantra teaches us the importance of making mistake after mistake in their chosen niche in order to be assigned the label of becoming an expert. Yet how can these modern day professionals avoid committing a series of errs to establish themselves as a successful spokesperson within their preferred industry?
By harnessing what modern day has given us. The internet.
The power of social media
A report released by eMarketer earlier this year noted that social networking reaches approximately one in four global users. Increasing from last year’s 1.47 billion to an incredible 1.73 billion in 2013, this 18 per cent rise may not seem like much now – but come 2017, the worldwide social network audience will stand at a staggering 2.55 billion.
That’s why social media is an extremely handy tool when carving out your career as an expert in your chosen trade; just ask the stars made famous by their appearances on video-sharing site YouTube or via pinned content courtesy of Pinterest.
However, such fame is only awarded to those using personal traits to their strengths – and should you wish to be taken seriously on a professional level, then your efforts are more likely to be respected on platforms such as Google Plus, LinkedIn or Twitter:
Content is king – which is why it is imperative that the content you share is given the royal treatment. With many people now understanding the importance of raising their authority on Google+, this in turn directly impacts upon search results – ergo the more influential you become thanks to imparting specialist and relevant knowledge, the more respected and popular a source you’ll establish yourself both online AND offline. From garnering a considerable number of followers to regularly posting content, it’s these little steps that will make a huge difference.
A count undertaken in July noted over 225 million members using the professional network – from people simply looking to build up their contacts to seeking out new job prospects. But this should not be viewed as a passive device, but a great opportunity to actively engage with key members both on a local and international scale. Importing your blog feed into your LinkedIn profile will allow users to read your posts as you update them, letting them stay informed as and when important news occurs. Alternatively, why not drive awareness to your brand by creating events and inviting selected members? Best of all, any accepted requests will automatically show up in that person’s network – meaning several other members will get to hear about you through digital word-of-mouth.
Depending on how you view this microblogging service, you may find that this could work to your advantage – however, if you’re new to the Twittersphere then you may be a little unsteady of certain jargon as well as feel constrained by the 140 character limit. However, this site offers something more valuable and far more advantageous compared to its social networking counterparts: real-time marketing. Its interactive set-up encourages users to retweet and reply to others by reacting instantly, whilst letting you discover what is ‘trending’ via its hashtag system. Another advantage to Twitter is how accessible it is to a variety of people – including celebrities. This offers users the perfect method to gain notoriety by engaging with the more well-known personalities; and can boost their reputation to reach an even greater number of followers.
It’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know
While promoting your digital identity on a number of social networks can reap its own set of benefits, there’s just one minor drawback that prevents you from reaching your full ‘promotional’ potential – the ability to physically network. OK, so you’ve ‘claimed’ online that you’re a fully-fledged expert; but there you can behind a screen. Thrown into the real-life arena, it’s time for you to prove your credentials by backing up your argument with any qualifications you may have attained, but more importantly, you MUST refer to yourself as an expert – otherwise it completely negates the point you are trying to prove.
Talking to the right people
The best place to start is by attending a regional meet-up that specifies in your area of expertise. Whether it’s visiting an educational conference to an informal get-together concerning people with an interest in technology, remember: take advantage of the personal aspect but ensure your priority is to be professional. It’s an excellent way of practising your social skills by creating a good first impression, but bear in mind that you are there for the purpose of your business – which is to promote your brand.
Make yourself memorable
This doesn’t mean performing an over-the-top stunt – just provide the tools necessary to make you stand out for all the right reasons. It’s one thing getting to know people, but it’s another getting them to remember you. Print out some business cards that summarise the main details such as your name, your title, your web and physical contact details. Thanks to your previous digital publicity campaign, you can now steer your contacts towards your social networking profiles and hopefully increase your ranking and reputation.
Developing and nurturing contacts
So you’ve successfully mastered the art of networking and have now built up a database comprising some of the industry’s most influential bods – think the hard part is over? Think again. The initial meet and greet is effortlessly simple, but now you have to show these contacts what you’re capable of. Are there any specific needs they require that you can cater to? What weaknesses can you help eliminate from their business? Can your relationship with them flourish into a longstanding partnership? As an expert you must be prepared for any industry updates and advise your customers accordingly – bringing any breakthrough news to them will give them a leading edge over their rivals. So, grow and adapt to any changes accordingly to maximise your presence; thus helping you avoid minimal damage to both your brand and your customers.
Putting a name to a digital face
Hands up how many of you will turn to Google as a means of research? With Google recording an estimated two billion searches per day, this amounts to roughly 300 million people – and this can go from finding out information about a local restaurant to say, an expert like yourself. It’s an extremely common practice to ‘Google’ someone’s identity, and has become second nature to our everyday routines. Yet while this may seem somewhat invasive, you voluntarily chose to publish your data online – so you should ensure that whatever information is available should be relevant and not contain offensive material.
Blogging
So you’ve successfully made a name for yourself thanks to your social networking know-how – time to put your knowledge to the test by putting pen to virtual paper! Set yourself up with your very own digital soap box, and air your expert opinions courtesy of your blog. Yet while it may be easy to get carried away with your personal views, stick to the point – and be professional. Comment on the latest news relevant to your expertise, and assess any solutions to overcome any potential obstacles experienced by your readers. You will soon find yourself as the go-to source for your audience, and you could even expand your opinionated options by sharing your perspectives at speaking engagements or even publishing your own book.
Guest Posts
You scratch their back, and they’ll scratch yours – right? It’s time to roll out that charming networking persona of yours again, and see whether the more-renowned blogs will let you join their elite ranks. By having your work posted on a highly-regarded site read by an impressive amount of readers, this will in turn earn you an impressive amount of credibility. This will also create a ripple effect, as thanks to this high circulation users will seek out your experience in a bid to promote their own readership.
Authorship
The path of true authorship is one that runs rather smoothly; a completely free and effective facility that takes you to your desired online destination simply by raising your profile within the search results. Simply by linking content you publish along with a Google+ profile, your photo and byline will appear next to your content when users happen to search for a topic that you’ve chosen to publish. That way, should all the content you produce online can be traced back to one single profile, everything can be attributed to you and NOT duplicate profiles of you – helping you establish yourself as a leading virtual authority. So long as your Google+ profile is optimised and your non Google+ content is linked accordingly, this will set you up nicely on your journey to becoming a widely-renowned brand.
Finding a wider audience
Social media? Check. Networking. Check. A force to be reckoned with via the world wide web? Check. Think your work here is done?
Think again.
As an expert, you have certain responsibilities that you need to adhere to. After all, why go through all that time and effort to cement yourself as a professional in your given subject, and not share your specialist knowledge with those who could truly benefit from your expertise? Make the most of your qualifications and expand your knowledge base by expanding your audience.
Promoting yourself to local media
Remember all those contacts you made via your various networking events? It’s time to put them into use – but first of all, you’ll need a plan. TV offers the easiest media platform offering, so start with your local TV news station; many networks are always on the lookout for experts to give their views on the latest headlines. Additionally, it’s also easy to share your coverage through social media; but more importantly once you’ve managed to secure a media spot and leverage it appropriately, this immediately presents you with a number of other media openings.
However, you only need to take into account three elements that will make you a valuable source within the media:
- Use content that is relevant
- Deliver content that is unique
- Be flexible and easy to work with.
And by flexible, this also applies to your work schedule. The media business operates on a 24/7 basis, so you may need to change your plans at the drop of a hat for that golden media opportunity.
Conferences
They say the best things in life are free – and what better way to add weight to this argument than by communicating your skills at a speaking engagement, absolutely free of charge? Many events will gladly welcome you volunteering your services, and this allows you to rehearse and refine your public speaking skills in order to really put your name on the map. Also, adding this experience to your CV lets others know that you’re a highly credible and respected professional; taking the time to engage with your real-life audience whilst also providing valuable content to your online readers.
Government consultation
Now that you’ve successfully gained notoriety through the public audience, you may want to enlist the assistance of a high-profile private client – because as the saying goes, ‘you are the company you keep’. This will offer both parties widespread recognition, and if promoted appropriately could see this coverage extend to the government sector; which immediately gains you a widely-acclaimed title. Delivering strategic thinking to various departments also offers you valuable insight into their performance, and also gives you the chance to suggest your own improvements to existing policies – helping you make a significant difference.
How to use your personal brand
It’s extremely satisfying knowing that you’ve positioned yourself as a worthy household name – but more importantly, you’ve successfully cultivated a living, breathing brand. But the proverbial buck doesn’t stop there. Just as there will be continual updates related to your chosen industry, so you will have plenty to learn from in your area of work which will constantly need communicating to your audience. So take advantage of other outlets, such as teaching or holding a workshop; as it is this particular demographic who will truly value your assistance as part of their continued personal AND professional development. For it isn’t just your students who will be taking something away from this; you also have a lot to learn – and will be able to do so by enhancing your techniques as well as broadening your accomplishments.
A man once said that someone who had committed all the mistakes possible in a niche market was considered an expert. Yet the only mistakes are the ones we don’t learn from; so remember to measure your expertise by balancing your failings and successes through equal measure – because a true expert doesn’t just know all there is to know.
They know that there is always more to know.
How to use your personal brand
It’s extremely satisfying knowing that you’ve positioned yourself as a worthy household name – but more importantly, you’ve successfully cultivated a living, breathing brand. But the proverbial buck doesn’t stop there. Just as there will be continual updates related to your chosen industry, so you will have plenty to learn from in your area of work which will constantly need communicating to your audience. So take advantage of other outlets, such as teaching or holding a workshop; as it is this particular demographic who will truly value your assistance as part of their continued personal AND professional development. For it isn’t just your students who will be taking something away from this; you also have a lot to learn – and will be able to do so by enhancing your techniques as well as broadening your accomplishments.
A man once said that someone who had committed all the mistakes possible in a niche market was considered an expert. Yet the only mistakes are the ones we don’t learn from; so remember to measure your expertise by balancing your failings and successes through equal measure – because a true expert doesn’t just know all there is to know.
They know that there is always more to know.