Be an Expert Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Cathy Stucker

Why Should You Market Yourself as an Expert?

April 26, 2006 by Cathy Stucker

You may think that marketing yourself as an expert has ego benefits, but won’t really help your business. However, expertise has almost unlimited profit potential.

First of all, you will attract new customers to your existing business. People like to deal with the best. When you are known as the expert, you are the best, and customers will seek you out.

As your reputation grows, you may find that you have more business than you can handle. That’s a good time to raise your prices. You can work the same hours (or even fewer) and make more money.

Beyond your current business, you will have the opportunity to create new profit centers with your expertise. Many companies that have discovered new processes or procedures, for example, have created new profit centers where they teach the process to other companies that are looking for improved results.

Some of your new profit centers can include passive income streams. These might include publishing books and audio programs that can be sold through retailers, ebooks and special reports you can offer as digital downloads, and getting royalties when you license something you created.

If you need to raise money for a business venture, you may find it easier when you have an expert reputation. Bankers and venture capitalists consider the background and reputation of the principals when investing or lending money.

And, being an expert is fun! It’s a kick to read about yourself in the newspaper, see yourself on television, hold the book your wrote in your hands, and enjoy the respect of others. It doesn’t have to take years to build your expert reputation. You will start seeing results in just weeks or months.

Learn more about turning what you know into streams of passive income.

Repurposing Content

August 30, 2005 by Cathy Stucker

Today’s phrase that pays is “repurposing content.” That means taking intellectual property you have created and using it in another way. For example, turning a book into an audio program, or excerpting parts of the book into articles.

Repurposing content can help you reach a brand new audience with your ideas. One advantage of tranferring your existing information into new formats is that you can meet the needs of people with different learning styles. This can help you to reach a larger audience with your message, as well as increasing your profits.

Here are some examples of how you can repurpose content:

Workshops can be recorded to audio or video. They can be transcribed and turned into articles, booklets and books. If the workshop includes a PowerPoint presentation or other visuals, the presentation can be made available on CD.

Books can be excerpted into articles and booklets. Articles may be sold, or offered freely to get more exposure for you and your products. Books can be read to audio and sold on CD or as an online download. Better yet, adapt the content into a new audio program, not simply a reading of the book.

Articles and booklets can be combined to create a book. Or put several articles together in a PDF and offer it as an ebook.

If you have a large collection of articles, audio, etc., consider setting up a membership Web site. Charge subscribers a fee to access existing and new content.

Modify content to appeal to a new audience. Do you have products you created for insurance sales people? Could they be modified to serve Realtors?

This barely scratches the surface of the ways you can use and reuse your content for promotion and profit. Use your imagination and creativity to find new ideas.

For more great ideas on repurposing content, see Cash Content Formula.

Get Others to Promote You as an Expert

August 9, 2005 by Cathy Stucker

When customers look to you as a respected expert in your field you can get more business, and maybe even raise your prices. Your education, such as degrees and professional designations, and accomplishments, such as publishing a book, will cause others to view you as an expert.

Build on your existing credentials by using these techniques to get others to promote you as an expert and enhance your credibility.

Get testimonials from customers. When customers are happy with the results they got from your product or service, ask them to give you a testimonial. The testimonial may be in writing, or they may give it over the phone, or in an audio or video format.

Most people are hesitant to write testimonials. They may feel uncomfortable writing, or they just aren’t sure what should be in their testimonial. Make it easier for them by writing a draft testimonial they can revise and sign. For example, write down some of the things they have said to you about why they are happy with your company, then send it to them and ask if you may use their comments as a testimonial. Let them know they can make changes if you didn’t capture exactly what they meant. Use the testimonials at your Web site, in your advertising, in brochures and other marketing materials, and as a part of your proposals.

Get endorsements from well-known people. They may be celebrities known to all, or experts who are known only in your industry. Approach them and ask if they would comment on your product, supply a blurb for your book, or otherwise provide something you can use. Make sure you have the person’s permission to use their comments and/or likeness in your marketing, but many well-known people are happy to do this.

Get photographed with famous people. If you hang out with the rich and famous, get your picture taken with them. Likewise, if you are at an event with someone important in your industry, try to get a picture with them. As with the previous method, make sure you have permission to publish the photos, especially if you are going to use them in marketing. Even if you can’t put the photos in your brochure, you can always hang them on your office walls where customers will see them.

Get reviewed. Reviews make people aware of you, and good reviews are like endorsements, encouraging people to buy. If you have a product, or a book or tape, offer review copies to publications and Web sites that might be interested in reviewing it. Send press releases about your restaurant, gallery opening, performance, or other attraction or event to attract reviewers.

Have your seminar sponsored. I present seminars all the time, but I don’t promote and manage them myself. The courses are listed in catalogs put out by colleges and other organizations. They do the promotion, handle registrations and other paperwork, and provide a place for the seminar. I show up and teach. And, because my classes and I are featured in the catalogs put out by these organizations, I get more exposure to potential customers, and the credibility that goes with being associated with the organizations. In fact, I’ve sold books and gotten consulting clients just because people saw me in the catalog.

In addition to colleges and learning centers, you may have your seminar sponsored by a professional or community association, such as your local Chamber of Commerce.

What is a Teleseminar?

July 11, 2005 by Cathy Stucker

A teleseminar is a class you take over the telephone. Prior to the teleseminar, you will receive a phone number and participant code. At the time of the call, you call in and enter the participant code. You will be connected to the call, along with the facilitators and all other participants. You might think of it as being a big party line, where 10, 25, 50, 100 or more people are all connected at once.

Typically, teleseminars use a lecture or interview format. That means that you may listen as an expert explains a topic, or a host may interview an expert. Most teleseminars allow you to ask questions, either by asking your question during a question and answer session or by e-mailing a question before or during the teleseminar.

You can call from anywhere in the world–anywhere you have a telephone. Long distance charges typically apply, but these are the standard long distance charges made by your telephone company. There is no surcharge or special charge for using your telephone to access a teleseminar.

Although some teleseminars are free, there may be a charge to “attend” a teleseminar. If there is a charge, you will be advised of the charge when you register, and you will be asked for payment at that time.

Some Important Information You Need to Know…

We suggest that you wear a headset if you have one available. This allows you to take notes or peruse documents more freely.

We have learned from past teleseminars that participants using cell phones or speaker phones during the cause an echo and a large amount of background noise that is extremely distracting during our question and answer sessions. Please use a land line if at all possible.

During lecture portions of the call, all participants except the hosts/facilitators will be muted to keep background noise to a minimum. During question and answer sessions or at other times when callers are not muted, please keep noise down by moving to a quiet area without television or radio, playing children, barking dogs and other household or office sounds.

Create a Product Line

May 4, 2003 by Cathy Stucker

How do you sell your expertise? You may speak or consult or perform other services. These can all be profitable, but they are limited. The income from a service is limited by the number of hours you can perform the service. To increase your revenue and income, consider offering products in addition to your services.

Creating products allows you to package your expertise to reach many more people than you are serving now. You will also be able to help people who may not be able to afford your services, and you will overcome geographic limitations. Once you have a product line, people can learn from you and be helped by you from anywhere in the world.

In addition, creating products such as books and audio programs helps to build your expert reputation. After all, if you have published a book you are seen as an expert.

Books aren’t the only game in town, though. Here are some product ideas to get you started: