It can be difficult to really stand out against your competition in an over-crowded marketplace. One way to do this is to become an expert in your chosen field, by combining your knowledge and experience, and sharing this with your audience in a way that adds value and builds trusts in what you have to say.
Becoming an industry leader increases your visibility not only with your target audience, but also within your field, enabling you to position yourself as a go-to service provider and voice of authority within your market sector.
So, how exactly do you become an expert? Chances are, you already possess certain specialisations and expertise within your chosen field, and becoming an expert is simply a matter of identifying and refining that knowledge, so you can begin positioning yourself as a leader in your game.
Practice, practice, practice
It’s estimated that becoming an expert in anything requires 10,000 hours of study and practice, so a genuine passion and desire for your chosen field is essential.
Learning does not stop when expert status is achieved, in fact, it becomes more important than ever, and many thought leaders are on a continuous mission to learn as much about their area of expertise as possible.
Know your niche
American philosopher, Nicholas Butler, commented “an expert is one who knows more and more about less and less”. Though the intent behind this may have been rather satirical, it’s true that becoming an expert is far easier if you first identify what your specialist subject is.
Picking a smaller niche within a wider field allows you to position yourself as the go-to voice in that particular area. By narrowing your scope you can better refine your knowledge in this area, and provide real value to those looking for insightful, authoritative opinions.
Build content
The easiest way to demonstrate your expert credentials is to create content that showcases your knowledge while offering relevant and enlightening information to your audience.
Providing valuable information to your industry allows you to really show off your expertise, whether this is done through a small blog on your website, or is part of a much larger content marketing strategy that includes in-depth thought leadership and advisory pieces.
Share your knowledge
You gain good standing as a reliable industry leader by sharing your knowledge with your professional community. This may be through speaking gigs, webinars or training sessions, but all of these contribute to presenting yourself as an authority in your chosen field.
This also gives you the opportunity to align yourself with others who have already gained expert status in their field, which is key to building trust in your audience.
Stay on-trend
As an expert, people look to you for your knowledge within a given area. In our digital age, changes can be incredibly fast paced, meaning to retain your expert status, you must keep on top of rapidly shifting trends.
Being able to recognise or predict key trends in your industry, to see where things are heading or how something is likely to play out, is absolutely key to position yourself as a voice of authority and can be used to drive your own PR and marketing strategy forward.
Get featured
Appearing in trusted publications and outlets as an expert voice establishes trust in your audience, and gives your words instant credibility.
Targeting publications, radio shows or podcasts that are relevant to your field and potential clients not only cements your status as an industry leader, but also bolsters your own personal brand as you begin to build up a portfolio of where you have been featured.
Conclusion
Positioning yourself as a true leader in your game is something that takes dedication and time, as well as a solid PR strategy, but the benefits for your brand are undeniable.
If you’d like an informal chat about amplifying your brand by becoming a thought leader, contact hello@makemorenoise.co.uk or call 0121 594 0712.