I once heard that you're only an expert if someone would ask you to travel 100 miles to speak.
That's a great metric. If you're one of the only people in a 100 mile radius that can do the job, you've definitely reached expert status.
The trouble is, how to get there? You can't get in a car and drive 100 miles. You need people to ask for you to come.
You've started a business, and now it's time to attract some new eyeballs and connect with larger audiences. It's time to be seen as the expert you are.
In this post, we've pulled together a few ways to get recognized for your expertise, no matter what industry you're in.
1. Guest Host on Podcasts (or Start Your Own)
Podcasts are rapidly-growing space where hosts and guests discuss topics around a specific niche. If you're not ready to launch one of your own, seeking out podcast guest opportunities is one way you can share your expertise with a new audience of listeners and potential leads.
To get started:
Search for podcasts related to your industry and find 3-5 that have a format and Q&A style that interest you. Then, reach out to the host with a friendly email and introduce yourself as a potential guest, touching on why you think you'd be a good fit for the audience.
2. Start Guest Blogging
With thousands of active blogs on the internet, there are countless opportunities for you to lend your knowledge to different spaces. By connecting with relevant bloggers who are looking for supplemental blog posts, both parties win. Many gain expert status through press opportunities on big name sites.
To get started:
Find a few blogs who focus on your area of expertise and connect with the content strategist who leads the blogging efforts for the company or organization. Make a pitch to write about a topic of interest to the blog's audience -- and offer to do it for free. (Most guest blogging opportunities will be unpaid when you're just getting started.)
3. Speak at Events
Conferences, meetings, training sessions -- all of these are opportunities for you to get in front of new people who can associate your name and face with expert status in your industry. Search out some Request for Proposals at upcoming conferences you'd like to speak at and spend some time putting together a solid outline of what you'd like to speak about. The events don't have to be super fancy either -- local events at your Chamber of Commerce are a great way to build expertise.
To get started:
Use your connections and ask around to see if they know of any speaking opportunities that might be on the horizon. Plus, if you find someone who has an in with the organization of the event, you can get a referral that helps get your foot in the door.
4. Become a HARO Source
Help a Reporter Out connects experts and journalists on a daily basis. Whether it's through their urgent requests sent out through Twitter, or their subscription service that sends expert feedback requests directly to your inbox, this service takes the legwork out of publicity.
To get started:
Sign up as a source or follow the HARO Twitter account. Packages for subscription begin at $19/month.
5. Test New Theories within your Industry
Have a new theory or idea that could revolutionize your industry? Take the risk and test it out. Thought leaders and experts are sometimes discovered by being the people who run in the opposite direction of what everyone else is doing. Don’t be afraid to try something innovative.
To get started:
Think about the processes and tools that complicate your daily work (or the work of your clients.) Is there a work-around or unique solution you could come up with that would make things more efficient? Or maybe it’s a commonly held belief that you think doesn’t always stand true. Test new theories with careful research and document your results along the way.
6. Productize your Expertise
When you can package your knowledge and expertise into a tangible good like a book, coaching program, or a webinar, you create a lasting impact within your field. Having your name on a real-life product is a way for you put your knowledge in writing. Having author in your bio can also help you further establish yourself as a sought-out speaker in your field.
To get started:
Set aside some time to develop your product. Working on your business instead of for your business is one of the hardest things for entrepreneurs—but to grow, you have to make time to create these goods and share your own expertise rather just than impart it to your current clients.
7. Encourage Referrals & Recommendations
You can only tell people you’re an expert so many times before they tune you out. Sometimes you need to highlight the people who are singing your praises and nodding along with what you have to say.
To get started:
Build up recommendations on Linkedin. Ask for reviews on your podcast. Retweet the people who mention your genius. Leverage those elements of social proof to show others you really know your stuff.
Expert Status is Earned Through Hard Work
It's not often that someone walks up to an expert and says, 'Congratulations, you've made it!'
Instead, expert status is earned through hard work, persistence, and shameless (yet earned) self-promotion. If you want people to trust you as a leader in your field, you need to give them a reason to.
What other places would you recommend looking at to become an expert in your field?
