Stop Trying to "Position" Yourself as an Expert

"How do I position myself as an expert authority in my marketplace?!"

Well, you start by going out and adding value to as many people as you can - through sales calls, webinars, content, all of the things.

And while you're doing that, you check in regularly for your own skills gaps - you figure out what you don't know and who does know it. You get good at the things you're not great at. You get better at the things you're good at.

You use these skills to add even more value to your clients and prospects.

They start getting results, people start talking about you.

"But that sounds like it's going to take a really long time!"

Well, look - it's not a "really" long time. But yeah - it's the work of a few years, at least. That's why I always say, the smart play for your business is where you ALREADY have career capital. Because the thing you've been doing well - even if it's in corporate - for 10 years, means you have a baseline to start with.

If you're starting something completely new, it's going to take a minimum of 3-7 years to get to baseline, before adding authority on top if it.

"BUT HOW DO I SHORTCUT THAT?!"

Why?

"BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE MONEY NOW!"

Cool - but the only way to make money is to add VALUE. And to add value you have to HAVE value. And if you don't have that, you're not ready to run a business or make money, yet.

Becoming an "authority" is not a short-cut.

There's no "hack".

You become known as an expert by BEING an expert.

By helping a lot of people with your expertise.

And when you actually do that, there's really very little else you'll have to do - because most of the people who proclaim themselves experts? Aren't.

You prove yourself by doing the time and putting in the hard yards. By doing the work, helping people get results. Then people start talking about you. And when that happens, you'll inevitably also draw fire.

Because the vast majority of people hate those who are actually good at what they do: you know this from corporate. The Peter Principle is alive and well, everywhere.

Never be too effective, they tell you, less you show up everyone else.

I've watched a million people come and go from my industry over the last 15 years. You can always tell who is going to make it and who is going to crash and burn.

The crash and burners?

Spend a LOT of money on "positioning" themselves as the authority, rather than putting in the work to actually BECOME the authority.