Authority Marketing is about expert positioning in your respected niche. Many of us dream about becoming authorities in the niches we’re interested in. Being a niche authority means gaining the respect of the community, and getting plenty of opportunities to keep evolving and profiting with Authority Marketing. It’s almost like becoming a celebrity of sorts, and some of the perks are definitely similar to those celebrities enjoy (like VIP invitations to events). The road to reach that point is long and difficult though, and it requires much hard work and extreme dedication. However, if you know what steps to take to make the largest impact on your reputation, it will be much easier.
One thing that practically every authority figure does is publish their works on a blog. It’s a great way to build an audience by sharing helpful information and showing off your personality. Even if you’re not a good writer in a traditional sense, you could still blog successfully by writing in a casual, conversational tone. What’s more important than the actual writing is the information you share, so make sure you’re doing your best on that front.
Of course you cannot be an authority figure today without having at least one active social media account. Whether you prefer Twitter, Facebook or Google + doesn’t really matter, as long as you’re certain that large parts of your potential audience following uses that platform too. If 99% of the existing authorities in your niche all use one platform you may want to consider sticking to that one though, as that’s obviously what the audience prefers.
Don’t forget that old-fashioned forums are also great for networking and participating in the community surrounding your niche, so make visiting the largest ones and answering questions a weekly habit.
You may also want to consider writing a book where you share your knowledge of the niche. This is maybe not something you can do in a week, but rather a long term project you can work on whenever you have some spare time. The thing is that a book with your name on it is an incredible authority booster – assuming it is well received in the niche it is guaranteed to help your status more than almost any other activity you can focus on.
These were just some of the things you should consider doing if you want to become an authority in your niche. You can probably think of many others. Just keep your head down and put in the work, and you’ll start seeing results before you know it!
Contents
- Why become an authority in your niche Authority Marketing
- How to become an authority in your field
- What are the benefits of becoming an authority?
- Here are 5 recommendations/tips you should follow if you want to be recognized as an authority
- How to carry yourself like an authority online
- How writing can help you become an authority
- What might you do after achieving authority status?
- 5 things you should do as an Authority
- Life after Authority Status
- How Can I Build My Personal Brand By Hiring An Expert?
Practically every niche in existence has its own set of experts and authorities who gets to enjoy the respect and admiration of the community. No doubt being an authority comes with a range of perks and benefits, and it’s no wonder that so many strive to reach that level. If you’ve been considering giving it a shot, but you’re still not convinced it’s worth all the hard work required, here is a short list of some of the advantages that may aid you in making a decision:
You have the power of the whole community at your disposal
When you’re at the top of the food chain in a niche, getting everyone under you to rally towards a common cause becomes fully doable. Say you get an idea to create the most comprehensive website in the niche – all you have to do is reach out to the community and you’ll most likely get all the help you need.
Opportunity will be everywhere
Whether it’s someone who wants to offer you 50% of their latest project in exchange for expert advice, or someone who wants to pay you obscene amounts of money to come speak at an event, opportunity will be everywhere once you reach authority status. Making money will be easier than ever before. In fact you will probably have to turn down most of the offers you get due to the simple fact that you cannot do everything.
People will trust your word
As an authority you word will be treated like gold. Even if you have an opinion that people disagree with, they’ll still respect it because you are, after all, the authority. If anyone should know, it’s you. Don’t expect everyone to always agree with you though – even when you’re an undisputed authority there will always be people who think of things differently.
Your network will grow effortlessly
As an unknown nobody trying to get started, building a network can be difficult and time-consuming. If you haven’t got much to bring to the table it will be a very slow process. Everyone wants to network with those higher up on the ladder than themselves, ensuring they stand to gain something from it. It therefore follows that when you’re at the top of the ladder, everyone will want to connect with you. You won’t have to make any effort yourself, but can just sit back and build your network passively.
If you’ve ever thought about trying to become an authority in your field, you’ve probably wondered what the best steps to take would be. After all, most niches are quite competitive and getting to the top of the food chain is rarely easy. Truth is you’ll have to work not only harder, but also smarter, than everyone else if you want a good chance of seeing success. Here are some of the best things you could do to reach that sought-after authority position:
To become an authority in any field usually requires years of hard (and smart) work, combined with a solid knowledge and related skills. It also takes quite a bit of marketing and personal branding to reach those higher levels of authority. All in all, it’s a huge undertaking and any strategy that could potentially make it easier should be embraced with open arms. Here are a few such tactics that you should give a serious consideration if you’re interested in becoming an authority in your niche:
Become a good public speaker
Speaking at industry events is something few people dare to do, meaning those that have the guts (and skills) can potentially reap huge rewards from it with little care about competition. Working on your public speaking skills may be one of the best things you can do when you’re trying to become an authority figure in your field. One key aspect is accepting every invitation you get – every one of them is a chance to practice and improve your skills and reputation.
Create (or assume leadership of) a community
Being the leader of a community in your niche is definitely a great way to get people to see you as an authority. Yes, it will require quite a bit of work, and it may take some time to get the community going and become really active, but it’s well worth it. You can count on the members of your community to be on your side when you need it, and you may even make some friends in the industry in the process.
Focus your efforts on blogging and writing articles
This is arguably one of the best ways to show your knowledge of the niche, as well as give people a taste of your personality. It’s also a great way to network and get to know other bloggers and website owners in your niche. You don’t have to be the next Hemingway to write a well-received blog – as long as you can write decently and use a spell checker it is more important that the information within the posts is useful and unique. You must do everything you can to avoid publishing generic, cookie-cutter content with little practical use if you want to see good results from blogging.
Write a book
Nothing says “expert” like having written and published a real hardcopy book that’s available to buy in bookstores around the nation (bonus points if it gets translated to other languages). It’s an instant credibility booster, and definitely something every aspiring authority figure should consider working on. Remember that you can always hire a ghostwriter if you’re too busy or otherwise unable to write it yourself!
Host seminars/webinars and teach others what you know
Teaching is a surefire way to become recognized as an authority in your niche. There are many ways to help people learn, but hosting live seminars (or online “webinars”) has to be one of the most effective for authority status building. The larger you can make the events, the better. If you reach a point where you can easily get hundreds of attendees at your seminars, you’ll know for sure that you’ve made it.
Start blogging
It’s not a given that starting a blog means you’ll be recognized as an authority, but if you play your cards right you’ll have a good chance. The trick is working harder than your competitors, and not giving up during that initial period when success seems so far away. Take the time to craft long, in-depth posts that are actually helpful and you’ll be much better off than those cranking out generic 400-word posts that are mostly filled with fluff.
Build your network
Whether it’s offline or online on social networks, building up a big network of contacts is key to becoming a true authority figure. Don’t pass up any opportunity you get to make new friends in your industry as you never know how much they can help you in the future. A good way to make networking easier is making a commitment to try to help people. Sharing your knowledge freely and generously ensures that you’ll make tons of new connections, and most of them will be happy to return the favor down the road.
What else?
There are countless other things you can do to improve your authority status, from writing books to hosting seminars. One thing you could do is to sit down and write a list of what you enjoy doing (and what you’re good at), then look at every point from an efficiency perspective – how likely is it to contribute to your authority status? Then just focus your efforts on where you think people will notice them the most. Simple!
Have you ever dreamed about becoming an authority in your field, gaining the respect, trust and admiration of your peers? Most of us have, and it’s no wonder considering how beneficial it can be. There are many perks available to people who become well-known experts in their field. Here are a few of the most enjoyable:
Opportunity will knock on your door regularly
Being an authority means that people will want to work with you, utilizing your knowledge, fame and network to maximize the potential of their projects. This also means that you’ll get plenty of chances to embark on joint ventures, or even just acting as an adviser but still getting a cut of the profits. It will be up to you to pick and choose among the projects offered to you, meaning you can focus on whatever suits you at the moment.
You’ll always be invited
Every time there’s a big event in your niche you can count on an invitation landing in your inbox. Most likely you’ll be invited to many more events than you could possibly find the time to attend, both as a guest and a speaker. You can also count on getting the VIP treatment wherever you go!
People will buy your products
If you’ve built up a reputation as an authority in your niche, and you were to one day start selling your own line of products, you can bet that people will be lining up ready to buy from you. All the trust you’ve built over the years means no one will be doubting the quality of your products, whether they’re informational or physical. This is one of the most profitable paths to take once you’ve reached authority status, and it’s no wonder you see so many authorities in all kinds of niches going this route.
Your opinion will be respected
As an unknown nobody, voicing an unpopular opinion means being instantly written off as ignorant. That’s not the case when you’re an authority. While people may not necessarily agree with you in everything you say, you can bet that they will at the very least respect your opinion. After all, you’ve spent years learning all the little ins-and-outs of your niche, and it seems unlikely that you would be plain ignorant about it. Just make sure you keep standing up for your opinions, even if they’re unpopular, as that’s one of the things that marks a true authority.
If you want people in your niche to recognize you as an authority and expert, you need to act accordingly. People have certain expectations of authority figures, and unless you live up to them you’ll risk losing your authority status eventually. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind:
Be a leader
This one is a given. Authority figures should be leaders who aren’t afraid to take the initiative. What this means in practice depends on the niche and situation, but the key is to never act like a follower. People should follow you, not the other way around.
Do not fear controversy
Some people fear being controversial, but as an authority you should in fact embrace it. People are drawn to controversy and there is no better chance to market yourself than placing yourself right in the middle of it. Don’t stir things up just to be controversial though, that’ll likely be counterproductive. The key is recognizing chances to voice an unpopular (but right) opinion and going against the grain – that’s when controversy can play into your hands.
Be humble and respectful
No matter what you do, you should always respect others and be humble, even if you know more than almost everyone else in your niche. Staying in an authority position is just so much easier when people actually like you, not just tolerate you because of your skills and knowledge. This also shouldn’t require much effort from you, so it’s a winning strategy in every way.
Help others
A great way to cement your authority status is taking every opportunity you get to help others who need it, even if you don’t benefit directly from it yourself. This is perfect for creating lifelong, loyal fans who will stop at nothing to return the favor in the future. It doesn’t have to take much time either, simply answering questions daily on an industry forum can be more than enough.
Be social
You cannot become an authority without knowing and interacting with people in your niche. Whether it’s offline or online on social networks, making an effort to be social and continually make new friends and contacts is one of the most powerful things you can do to make sure your authority status will remain today and in the future. All the connections you make have the potential to help you and stick up for you, so never pass up an opportunity to make a new friend!
If you want people to see you as an authority in your field, you need to carry yourself like one. There are a few things you should always keep in mind to ensure you don’t risk harming your authority status (that you’ve probably worked very hard to reach in the first place).
Always try to be helpful
Helping people whenever you can is the best way to make sure you’re seen as a knowledgeable authority in your field. This could mean offering your advice through email, participating in forum discussions or chiming in with your thoughts on social networks. The more people you help, the more you’ll cement your authority status.
Admit when you’re wrong
Staying humble and being able to admit when you’re wrong about something will not only ensure the longevity of your authority status, but also keep you well liked among your peers in the community. You can be an authority figure without being liked, of course, but you’ll likely find the polite, respectful path much more effective.
Embrace controversy when appropriate
Sometimes you’ll find yourself in situations where you opinion goes against everyone else’s. That’s when you should move full speed ahead and state it loud and proud, providing you’re confident that you’re right about it. People respect those who aren’t afraid to go against the grain and stand up for their beliefs, and doing so will do much to cement your authority status in the community (even if you turn out to be wrong, in which case you’ll simply admit it, as you just learned).
Be open to networking
Whenever you get a chance to make a new friend or connection – take it! Networking is something every successful authority spends much time doing, as the benefits are numerous. To network effectively, make sure you keep an open mind and don’t reject anyone because you think they couldn’t bring anything to the table. You never know who among your connections that will turn out a great help in the future. That said, watch out for freeloaders who are only looking for handouts from you. The more well-known you are in your niche, the more of these you’ll get – that’s the unfortunate downside of being an authority.
If you’re interested in becoming an authority in your niche, there are countless methods and strategies you can use to reach your goals. From public speaking to networking at industry events, there is plenty of opportunity to make yourself known as an expert in your niche if you’re willing to put in the work.
Many of us are more comfortable writing than speaking at events and hosting live seminars though, which is why it may be good to know that it’s actually possible to become a recognized authority just by writing.
One of the things you could do is launch a blog. It may sound like trivial advice, but if you think about it you’ll probably realize that 90% of the blogs in any given niche are actually not that interesting. It often seems like the owners aren’t putting any real effort into writing their posts, and beating them with some really high-quality articles wouldn’t be that hard. There are really only two things to creating a popular blog: great content and a sustained audience-building effort (marketing). Work hard on those and you’re almost guaranteed to see some success if you keep at it.
Another excellent authority-boosting tactic is writing a book. Not just any book though, but a real, hardcopy publication with the goal of becoming one of the most popular and authoritative works in your niche. Anyone can write simple e-books, but only true authorities can get real book deals, so naturally that’s what you should aim for. Getting published is an instant credibility booster, and whenever someone questions your authority in the future you can just point them towards your book and they’re bound to go silent real quick…
You don’t have to keep your writings for your own blogs and books though; another great way to get your name out there and build up your reputation is writing blog posts and articles for other websites and magazines. Getting your article published in a popular niche magazine will give you instant recognition, and it also tends to lead to new opportunities. Write a well-received article for one site or magazine, and you’ll find that others come knocking begging you to write for them too.
These were just a few of the things you could do if you want to write your way to an authority position in your field. It’s all about putting in the work and not giving up because you aren’t seeing immediate results. If you keep writing and publishing useful information people will start noticing you sooner or later!
So, you’ve worked hard for years to become an authority figure in your field. Your position as a niche expert is undisputed and you’ve earned the trust and respect of the whole community. What are you going to do next? Are you going to just keep doing what you’ve done (apparently it works really well!), or are you going to slow down a bit, maybe focus on doing something else for a while? Here are a couple of notes to help you decide!
Think you’d like to stay active?
You’ve made it this far by staying active in your niche, so maybe that’s the best option going forward? Well, if that’s what you want to do you need to figure out exactly what you’re going to work on. Most likely you’ve already mastered a few of the strategies required to become an authority in a niche, such as blogging, building up a social media presence, publishing a book or hosting a seminar. However, chances are there is at least one method or strategy you’ve been neglecting for some reason. Maybe it’s something you don’t really enjoy doing, or you just haven’t had the time to focus on it. This is your chance to give it a go! Just don’t forget to keep up your efforts elsewhere too.
You could also try taking everything you’ve learned and branching out to another niche, maybe something similar to the niche you’re already an authority in. The advantage of picking a related niche is that there will be some overlap in audiences, so you can bring along some of your existing followers as you move into the new niche.
Might it be time to downshift?
If staying active and conquering new things sounds like too much work at this point, maybe it’s time to take a step back and slow down a bit. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the time to relax and enjoy what you’ve built up so far. However, it’s important that you realize that you cannot stop working completely if you want to retain your authority status. If you do that you will likely be forgotten within a year, throwing away all the hard work you’ve put in until now. A better option is deciding on a few core activities to keep doing, such as appearing at events or writing books. Then you can do whatever you want with the rest of your time, knowing that your authority status is safe.
Future Plan
It’s always a good idea to think beyond your last product or service. As an expert in your niche, you can always create the next big thing for your business. If there is always a goal or a next step then your brain will remain active for future growth and not stagnate once you feel you have achieved what you may feel was your last best product.
5 things you should do as an Authority
#1 – You are more then a label – share your mission
Something that hit home recently is the thought that we are more then our label. When we name something we can end up limiting the potential and even getting boxed in. Labels direct the mind to preconceived ideas and fixed patterns. As humans we like to label things so we can make it easy to think with generalisations. But at the same time we get put into groups that already have preconceptions which means we may not stick out at all.
I don’t think we need labels but something that is more powerful is having a mission. In life and business we have strategies that work and and those that don’t work. The ones that do work, we stand by them because we know they work and have helped others too. These things make us individuals, these are the things that make us different and sometimes these are things that the rest of the industry may not agree with you on or may not be doing. If you come into an industry and shatter the myths, reveal the truths and shake it up a bit, now you’ll be looked at differently.
Decide what that is, what is it that you want to bring to the industry, what is it that you can do differently or do better? What is it that you feel is missing or lets your industry down? How can you create value? Make it your mission and then share your mission.
#2 – Walk the talk – be real
Don’t just say you are an expert or authority, prove it. Live the truth of it. Don’t lie about it. There’s no point in faking it until you make it. Faking something has an element of fear about it, it’s like we don’t want people to really find out about us and as they say in Star Wars fear leads to the dark side. If you can not live up to it, then its only going to hurt you in the process. Do not make fake claims. Why lead people down a route that you yourself are not on?
Whatever industry you are in, in most cases you’ve been in the line of work for a while. In some instances, you may be new at your work, in which case you’ll have to build up to a level were you can talk about it to others. But whatever it is, share what you know about it, about the things only you know, the amazing discoveries you have made. Share what you have learned.
No need to be macho about it, in fact sharing your own learning and vulnerabilities will get you more engagement because it’s different and people will likely think, now this person is for real, just another human being like myself doing their best in this big wide world. Not only does that create trust but it is key if you want to create a following or tribe.
The more you share the good stuff, the more trust you create, and people will also share your content too.
#3 – Let others say how great you are – be humble
Have you noticed that the best way to make others feel they had a great conversation is to ask them questions and let them do all the talking. They will think you are great because we all secretly love talking about our selfs. In a network environment these same people will probably then go on to tell others how great you are. When you get others saying great things about you, then what else is there to prove?
If you help and support others and serve their needs they will naturally promote you. It’s funny because people don’t necessarily believe what you say about you, they believe what other people say about you. So service others so they talk about you and become your trusted advocates.
#4 – Create the conversations – stand for something
If you get involved in group activities you will notice that there will be at least one person who creates the conversations and starts to take a leading role. Yes you get the people who talk talk talk but I’m not talking about them , I’m talking about the ones who just get into flow and share insights which are not typical or are things that are against the grain. In any industry it’s easy to think or get caught up in the wave of doing things in a particular way, but then you get those people who step in and question it, or give their own opinion, those moments when you think, “yes, why did I not think of that”, or “yes that actually make sense”.
These people are the conversation creators. They stand by their mission, they talk about the things others don’t, they are the ones that bring up the questions that make you think, or stop you in your tracks, these people are authority thinkers. They can be controversial but more so to make a point, they are not interested in the fluff but the reality of the situation.
So create conversations not to stir up the situation but to align with your mission to make the industry great.
#5 – Earn their respect and your position – serve, contribute and add value
They say in order to get respect you must first give it. Sometimes we put unnecessary pressures on our self, especially with all this social media. You may see a lot of activity from direct or indirect competition and start to think they are doing better then you and therefore you must do more. But the reality is, you don’t actually know , you don’t really know how well they are doing. It’s only if you looked at the books you could find out. But sometimes people don’t even say anything, it’s just due to their marketing and brand you may think they are making millions.
So what I’m trying to say is that be content with where you are, its totally ok. If in your vision and mission you have big dreams, that’s ok too. We can only learn to walk one step at a time, and then when we walk we can run. Be at peace with it, and just focus on making a difference, or doing the best you can with the tools, resource and knowledge you have. You can only get better with time so embrace it. You’ll get where you need to be if you keep serving and enjoying what you do.
Doing this, serving, contributing and adding value will earn you the respect and your position in the market. So keep rocking!
Life after Authority Status
Becoming an authority in a niche is not easy, no doubt about it. It usually requires years of hard work, dedication and consistent efforts. After all that, when you finally make it, it can be difficult to know what to do next. Should you keep working as hard as you have, or should you slow down a bit and focus on enjoying the rewards of all that hard work you’ve put in to reach this position?
If you want to stay active and keep plugging away to reach new heights, there are a few paths you can take. One of them is taking a look at what you’ve done so far, and trying to figure out if there’s any areas where you could do better. For instance, you may have focused hard on doing well gathering followers on Twitter, but you’ve completely neglected Facebook. Or maybe you’ve written and published e-books but never launched your own complete e-course. No matter how hard you’ve worked it is almost certain that there is at least one area you could improve.
Another option is branching out to another niche, preferably something related to the one you’ve become an authority in. You could either look into something that’s similar to the topic itself, or something that you think your existing following and audience would also be interested in (even if it’s not really related to the original topic).
If you’d prefer to shift down and work a little less in the near future, that’s definitely possible too. The trick then becomes retaining your authority position with a minimal amount of work. This is actually completely doable, and quite common among authorities in all kinds of niches. One trick is hiring people to keep up with some of your daily activities, such as posting on social media and answering e-mail. What you should focus on personally are high-impact activities such as hosting webinars or speaking at events – things like that will provide you with a great “ROI” for your efforts.
As you’ve seen it’s really completely up to you how you want to handle things going forward. You actually don’t have to settle on either of these options either, as you could easily go back and forth between them on a month-to-month basis depending on your current energy levels and what else you’ve got going on. Whatever you do though, don’t completely stop participating in your niche, even if you’re feeling slightly burned out. People are quick to forget and you could potentially lose your authority position if you were to do that!
How Can I Build My Personal Brand By Hiring An Expert?
It’s essential that anyone doing business online has a strong personal brand. But what if you’re not sure you have the time and skills to do it yourself? Whether you’re just starting to build your personal brand or are looking for a branding brush-up, hiring an agency or expert could be the right way to go.
Take Advantages of an Expert’s Resources
You may not have the resources to tackle personal branding yourself. Most small business owners and entrepreneurs are up to their ears in their daily operations and barely even have time for strategic planning and other long-term issues. If you don’t have in-house staff to help, it may be easier to hire the experts.
Help to Articulate Your Personal Brand
If you’re struggling to define your personal brand, an experienced branding expert can help you better articulate it. It’s often difficult for an individual to understand exactly what they’re going for. What image do you want to create in the public’s mind about who you are and what you do? Branding professionals can help you discover and clarify the best approach.
A Fresh Perspective
It’s often hard to accurately see how you appear in others’ eyes. A branding agency or expert can bring you a fresh perspective. They can see what you’re already doing right or wrong. Their feedback can help you better decide how you want to present yourself to the world. A fresh perspective can also help you get un-stuck if you’re in a rut.
Identify Your Target Market
Have you clearly defined your target market and their values and motivations? This can be a huge task, but it forms the foundation of good branding. An expert with a great deal of marketing experience can help you identify and define your target market. They can also analyze the competition and help you find ways to set yourself apart.
Brand Visuals and Design
Design is one area where an agency or specialist can really help you in your personal branding efforts. A major part of branding is defining your visual language. This is hard for those of us without a keen eye for design, or specific design skills. The experts have done it before and they know what will work best to communicate the image you have in your mind.
Handle Your Own Personal Branding
Of course, you are the expert on you and the problem you can help solve, and you are the essential part of your personal brand. This is a challenge to communicate to others, even if they are branding experts.
So think carefully before you choose to outsource all or part of your personal branding. If you have the means to invest, you can save a great deal of time and energy by outsourcing. And perhaps you can learn a few things from the experts you hire.
If you decide to handle it yourself, you’ll stand a good chance of building a personal brand that really communicates to your audience who you are and what you stand for. Let me help you learn the process for creating a successful personal brand yourself. Check out The Digital SIMAC Method™ Roadmap which teaches you how to craft a brand message that incorporates your unique value, how to develop the visual style of your personal brand, and how to compile a branding pack, and much more.
Conclusion
These were just a few of the things you should focus on to retain your authority status. If you try to follow these basic recommendations you’ll stand a good chance at keeping your position indefinitely. Good luck!
And if you would like to master your Authority Status check out the Authority Dojo Here where Building Your Coaching, Consulting or Author Business Just Got Easier…
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