Being Known as an Expert in Your Field Trumps Being a Consult

December 4th, 2009

So you want to be well seen, well known, and well paid for doing what you know and love to do, right?

Maybe you call yourself a professional, maybe a consultant, maybe both.

Anyone can declare the same. All you need is some qualifications: experience, credentials, a degree (not necessarily related to what you’re doing now.)

More and more people are doing just that as they are laid off.

That means you’re swimming in a crowded Red Ocean of competition. There are many consequences of playing in this arena. Consultants chase business, winning clients is more difficult, and your piece of the pie is smaller. People want to bargain with you about your fee. You end up customizing what you offer for new clients. You know the drill.

What’s the alternative?

Swim out into a Blue Ocean. In fact, you can create your own Blue Ocean where you become known as an expert in your field. You get treated as a VIP, with all the perks. Business chases experts. People trust experts because they’re known as experts. Experts get to charge more, and people don’t expect a bargain.

Here’s the thing. While anyone can be self-declared professional or consultant, you can’t declare yourself an expert. Well, you can. Without much in your court that validates your declaration, I’m just not sure how credible others will find it.

What does it take to truly be recognized as an expert? Others need to say it’s so. Your clients, peers and experts in your field, the media, people with authority deem you an expert.

How do you win their endorsement? How do you become more visible, credible, valuable and, eventually, you become more profitable?

Have you ever heard of Milgram’s Law? The marketplace will blindly believe the words of an expert. You must be perceived as an expert.

Who’s an expert? Milgram says it’s someone who’s an author. While an author does have instant credibility, I believe today we have other options.

You can become a VIP with VIP ~ a Very Important Person with Valuable Intellectual Property. Turn your expertise into physical, tangible information products. It can be text, audio, video or multi-media. It can be physical or digital. You can offer it for free or a fee. There are many other criteria by which you can describe your Valuable Information Products. The important thing is that they exist. The evidence of your expertise then speaks for itself.

So what’s a consultant to do? Click here to discover 10 Blue Ocean Strategies I propose you implement to transform yourself into an expert in your field.

Here’s the thing. While it takes only a moment to read each strategy, becoming known as an expert isn’t instant pudding. You’ll need to invest time, energy, expertise, and maybe some money to implement each. Do consider working with someone who’s an expert at turning consultants into experts and expertise into Valuable Intellectual Property. You’ll achieve the coveted status more quickly and easily, with less wasted resources, than if you make the journey on your own. I’m here ready to extend a helping hand. All you need to do is ask.

The rewards of being known as an expert in your field is well worth the effort it’s going to take to get there. It’s the quality of your journey as much as the destination, so as you take one step after the other, remember to do so with a joyful heart. “Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way.” If it’s got to be done, make it fun. Your vibration serves as a homing beacon. You attract what you vibrate in harmony with. You get what you put your attention on whether it’s what you want or don’t want.

So keep your eyes on the prize ~ you being known as an expert in your field and enjoying the perks that come with the status.

Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Information Products, Marketing for Consultants, Marketing for Professionals, VIP with VIP

Entry Filed under: Become known as an expert, Blue Ocean Strategy, Information Marketing, Information Products, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Consultants, Marketing for Experts, Marketing for Professionals, Small Business Success, Strategies for Success, VIP with VIP