10 Ideas How to Grow Your Expert Position

An expert was once an amateur who kept practicing

It doesn’t matter what products or services you offer, your prospects have lots of different options to choose from. Being able to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and position yourself as an expert in your marketplace is crucial to your success.

When you have authority, people will pay attention. When you are perceived as an expert in your industry, people will naturally want to work with you. They will seek you out. They will pay you more. And they will refer to you more.

So how do you become known as the authority for what you know?

Here are 10 ways you can position yourself as the go-to expert in your industry:

1. Provide Value Above All

The best way to get attention is to provide valuable content. Valuable means BOTH relevant (to your specific audience) AND practical (meaning – they can implement it easily). Give away your best stuff for free (and charge for the “how to implement” information or for doing it for/with them).

2. Answer Questions

Websites like Quora have millions of questions from people looking for expert answers. Spend a few minutes on a regular basis giving helpful answers on sites like Quora (or our website). That way, people who visit the site with the same question in the future will see you’ve already helped someone else, with no expectation of anything in return. You immediately seems trustworthy and approachable. 

3. Comment on Blogs and in Social Media Groups

Engage in conversations that are happening on popular blogs and social media groups in your industry. Do NOT pitch your product or service. Instead add value to others by sharing helpful advice, insights, and responding to questions. Another advantage of adding value to the conversations is that the owners of those blogs (e.g. me here) will notice you. Building relationships with other influencers in your industry is always a good idea. Commenting on a regular basis on their platforms can help you build these relationships.

4. Be a Guest on Podcasts

Most podcast hosts are always on the lookout for more guests to interview for their show. Head over to iTunes, and take a look at the top-ranked shows in your industry/niche. If you think your story, message, or advice would add value to the audience of a specific podcast, send the host a brief message outlining your experience and area of expertise, and tell them you’d like to be considered as a potential guest for their show.

5. Create a Quick Win

The fastest way to build trust and rapport with your potential clients is to give them results fast. For example, start a challenge that gets participants to take one small action a day, with undeniable results by day 7. (see how I did it with the Cold Shower Challenge).

6. Create an Online Course

Start by researching what your prospects want to know. The goal is to create a course that helps them gain the knowledge they want. By the time they’ve completed the course and learned what they came for, they will have established an impression of you as the expert. Check out the Business University – EACH first lesson in EACH online course is FREE.

7. Publish a Book

Writing and publishing a book is one strategy that can help to set you apart from most of your competitors in no time. Think about it. If your competitors are handing out business cards, hoping their phone will ring, and you’re giving copies of your book as gifts to potential clients, who do you think will win more business? We have the best and fastest system to do it – you CAN write a bestselling book in 28 days.

8. Take Your Testimonials to an Expert Level

What separates your average testimonial from a high-impact one? Specifics. Check back in with your clients and see if they can share the returns on investment (ROIs) of the work you have done. Did their sales increase? Did they lose weight? Did their problem disappear? Ask them to include some specific results they have seen by working with you.

9. Create Demand for Yourself

Urgency is one of the best ways to gain momentum with your marketing. Offer an additional bonus if the prospect schedules a call or takes action with you today. As you start to book appointments with new leads, let them know you’ll send them something after the call so they have something to look forward to.

10. Be Expensive

If you’re an expert, charge like an expert. Most people believe that expensive means quality. In the minds of buyers, when you charge more than others you’re telling them you have superior skills.

Win the Ultimate Expert Strategy

In the new upcoming live (Zoom) workshop (April 28) – the Ultimate Expert Strategy – I will show you EXACTLY how to become known as the expert in your topic/field in the least amount of time and effort.

Tickets for the workshop cost €197, but TODAY you’ve got an opportunity to join the Ultimate Expert Strategy workshop – for FREE…

All you have to do is answer the following question in the comment box below, and on Thursday night (April 7), we’re going to choose the lucky winner to get a FREE ticket.

Now It’s YOUR Turn

For five minutes… come up with as many ideas as you can… what can YOU do to increase your expert position in your market?

Let's Brainstorm

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Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.

Live fully, stay awesome,

Nisandeh Neta

Top Commenters – last 30 Days

Let's Brainstorm

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Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.

Live fully, stay awesome,

Nisandeh Neta

  1. 1. Answer questions of your clients that are not complentary to your field. My clients ask me all the time abut IQ test etc.
    2. Work with other great experts. I often work and invite experts in my field.
    3. Be always positive. Even if you think what you read is crab. In my field their is a lot of garbige. Parents really believe that stuff
    In stead of going off, like I feel inside sometimes, I tell them my side of the story. Or my point of view from experience
    4. Focus on one type of company and one type of client. If you do totally different things people do not know what they can expect from you.
    You look like someone who is trying very hard to make money. You are not good enough to make money with your expertise.
    5. NEVER EVER downsize your price unless you can gain something really specific. like in my case increase of hours per week
    Or during school hours. In my case I train people to come during schoolhours. So later hours are more expensive.
    6. I connect with people outside your field that are relevant for you: in my case an eyespecialist.
    7. Make sure you are the to go to person for information.
    8. Do not waste time in networking meetings were you do not belong and were you do not find people that take themselves and there job seriously.
    I learned the hard way that morning breakfast meetings were mainly for people that did not want to grow their business but were looking for a job or wanted to be freelancers. I also met a lot of people that did one course on helping children, but did not have the ETR to work with them.
    9. Make absolutely certain you work only with real experts
    10. Only keep the client that want you for your expertise and that know that expertise is nessesary.

  2. More ideas to show me as an expert is give valuable blogs, give webinars about specific topic, go to trainings yourself and show it to your audience, talk about your own experience, give a free of paid challenge, show what you did to become so far know, write and publish a book, create different online ebooks and trainings and ecourse, give course offline, post on social media about your topic, talk about your nice and what is the news about it, write about your topic and give tips on specific days like valentine day or mothersday, show testimonials.

  3. 1. Have your own you tube channel
    2. In my case, working with children: coach the parents as well
    3. Be newsworthy: Share the newest trends and use them
    4. Show that you are up to date, using the newest material
    5. Interview people that are a little bit further than you in your field
    6. Interview people that were old clients and ask them how they are doing now
    7. Have an online program they can use as a practise tool
    8. If a client asks you a question, you do not no the answer to, investigate and make a new product out of if.
    9. Work together with people that have complimentary skills with at least 5 years of experience as an entrepreneur
    10. Make sure you are hired to do the things you are an expert in. And not use you for simple work for a low price

  4. Branding! Everyting in the same style, be you, be different. But stick to the thing you are...
    Media begets media begets media. Let journalists talk about you as the not so regular Dutch person... that’s interesting.
    Give give give.

  5. For me it is a lot about being true to myself and the way I offer my expertise. I work in the field of caregivers (both professionals and next of kin) for people with dementia. There are many experts in my field. I feel the best I have to offer is ME, in the sense of a warm, enthusiastic woman who really cares, is a good listener and provides help by coaching, being a companion on the road of Dementia, sharing stories on our website, interviewing other experts, and people who share their personal experiences, being interviewed for magazines, creating podcasts with the co-authors of our book ‘Dementie, hoe ga je ermee om?’ , creating e-learning, posts and comments on posts on LinkedIn.
    I enter every situation with an open heart, open mind, open eyes and ears and I give the experience of a ‘ warm, professional friend’ to all who seek my help in any way.

    1. An expert must always have a bellend between experience and knowledge. I Tell something because I have experienced it myself. I've been there done that.

      That makes me an expert

  6. Interview people with certain expertise in your field who are generous in sharing what they know. Learn from them. Write down all the tips. Reflect on the information, use it in a way that helps you build your expertposition in a field, meaning be out there sharing your expertise..... 😀

  7. What a content Everybody gives, thanks!!
    I think most is Said...
    But for me it's
    - Write valie blogs/ artikels
    - give value tips and information in video's
    - use the video's for social media and YouTube and my website
    - have a very good opt-in
    - have e-books
    - have a Book
    - have interviews
    - have results shown on your website
    - show the best reviews

  8. The need to acquire expert status is more than ever a necessity for coaches in the Netherlands, there are now 100,000 of them. It is no longer a choice but pure necessity.
    As an expert, always deliver super quality, super service and super results. Never be satisfied with good is good enough.
    Get yourself hired as a speaker as much as possible and completely blow the audience away. Don't keep an interesting story, but make an indelible impression.
    Being an expert also has a downside, I have experienced. You are being copied and imitated. I gave free training to members of NOBCO and NOBTRA. Associations for coaches and trainers. As a result, I disappeared from the first page of Google to page 10.

    1. Hi Marcel,

      Thanks for your comment. The part where you mentioned you were being copied and imitated is something I hear more often from experts. I think this happens especially to experts who earned their stripes. May I ask how you dealt with that?

      1. Thanks Kimberly for your question. Frankly, I struggle with this. It sometimes makes me angry to see how other coaches and trainers literally copy things from me. There are search terms on which I scored high and because others copied these keywords, I disappear further and further back in Google. You understand that I no longer dare to mention these keywords here. The only consolation is that the experiences customers have with me and write as references cannot be copied 😉 This is also the best marketing: word of mouth. This is how I get my clients and for the rest I always try to distinguish myself with my own specialism, which is more difficult to imitate in practice.

        1. Thanks Marcel for your honesty. I really appreciate that. I can totally understand how frustrating that must be, but it's exactly like you said it. You're unique and people want to work with you not only for the services you offer, but also for your level of expertise, personality, experiences, practical examples etc. I do wonder though, do you confront people when they've copied something?

          1. Thanks for your question, Kimberley,

            No, I don't confront those who copy me because everything that gets attention grows. Besides, I gain nothing from it. What does bother me is that those who copy me are more active on social media than I am, making it seem like they came up with it themselves. It does touch you and thank you for your nice words about what they cannot copy from me. I appreciate that very much.

  9. Great topic. I have already heard it so often and still have not figured out how I can take the expert position. Or even feel like an expert. Though people say to me from time to time that I know so much or have a good way of explaining. However, for me most of what I know feels like a piece of cake. I do not feel I could write a book about my expertise at this moment. Maybe in the future.
    Be consistent in your messaging.
    As I have to follow update courses I share the certificate moment at the end of my course on FB.
    Publish blogs.
    Live and online courses.
    Comment on other posts.
    Podcasting is on my wishlist.
    Moreover, I know everything I can/should do, but it is a lot and overwhelming for me. I skipped two things in the past months: short video's on FB and going live on FB.

  10. Max said to be authorative, and I think it's true. I used to try to please everyone, but there is no money in the middle- and no expert will be in the middle. Dare to say something that people will not like, dare to say something that is not so popular. Be sure that you can tell WHY you think this way, but it will definitely increase your expert positioning.

    Of course it would be great to be invited for a podcast, but I found that it's way easier to invite others, and it will ALSO increase your expert position- because these experts are willing to be on yours. Everyone likes to talk about themselves. But... be careful who you interview.

    Here's the biggest thing. It's covered by all of it but it's the basic. DARE TO BE OUT THERE.... nobody will call you an expert if there is nothing to be found. Of course it is important to deliver value, but bear in mind that many times what you think is so obvious and easy, for others this is mindblowing, because they are not an expert. So dare to also every now and then share content that for you looks so simple...

    What I found out is that I wanted to impress my colleauges, and therefor it had to be very outspoken and thought provoking, but if this keeps you from actually posting or creating, then let it go... you are creating your content for the people who need you. Not for your competition.

    This was a biggie for me.

    Work together with other experts. Find each other. Recommend each other. Don't be afraid to cooperate with someone who might be seen as your competition.

    Expert does not mean you shout how good you are. Others can do the word for you. But you'll have to believe that you have something to offer.

    OFFER your expertise. Don't hold it back. Tell them that this is what you are good at, and that you can help them. Don't be too shy. I talked with a manager last week and I was amazed by how many things she already tried to level up her meetings. In the end I told her that I thought I would probably not have a lot to add, and she said: Are you out of your mind? This is fantastic, and you got me so excited! I'm sure there are many things that I can still learn from you, and I would love to work with you. Not now, but I will contact you in the future, count on that.

    I was like... "oh..." 😀

    1. Great story on helping the manager. I think many people (myself included) underestimate what we can add to other people's quality of live.

      As for being authorative. Good to add that I want to be able to motivate my answers. But I will say "it depends" a whole lot less.

  11. Now here's a question for you - Aramik, Muriel,

    I keep hearing that giving away something for free is killing my expert position - in B2B. What do YOU think?

    Is there a difference in what I should give away for free?

    1. That is a good question and I think the answer might be different depending on who you ask. And I think there is also not one TRUE ANSWER here. I did things (events) for free in the past but also paid and I must say that when people pay for the event, they are more committed and my up-sell conversion is higher most of the time. But I also do have experience in doing things for free which led to new clients, but this was mostly when I gave a lecture on a business event leaning on the email list and track record of the company, club, or person who organized the event. So I was already the expert before climbing on stage. There is no beating that I think.

      For me now I am at a certain stage of my career where I do give things for free in the form of e-books (44 pages of valuable content), free webinars (live and recorded), blogs, videos, and on a platform like this (and this works fine), but I don't do free events or training anymore and this works well for me.

      When it comes to my book I am not sure yet what I should or want to do. My hard-copy book that is and will be between 120-150 pages I might give away at only shipping cost.

      Is this answering your question? If not, let me know.....

      And Aramik gives a lot away for free and he is doing well in business, so he might have a different experience and answer. But I am doing very good as well, so.....you tell me Gerdy 😉

      My suggestion, try different things over some time and find out what works for you.

      1. Muriël wrote:

        "Try different things over some time and find out what works for you."

        If I were you, Gerdy, or anyone else reading this - I would take a spray paint and graffiti this sentence all over your office, bedroom, shower and car... so you can see it ALL the time.

        Not you, nor anyone else, NOT EVEN your prospects/clients can EVER tell you what would work in advance.
        You need to try - and see the results.
        The more you try, the more you learn.
        I aim for 1 success in every 20 different experiments.
        Sometimes I do better, sometimes worse.

        I let go of failures as fast as I can, and when something works I'll milk it for all its worth... for as long as it gives milk (nothing does forever).

  12. Be fully booked.

    Be authorative. (It's in the Write Your Book course) I realised I let my clients negotiate what is right for them all the time. I actually think I can serve them better if I give my answer and stick to it.

    Publish on the topic. Go to books, magazines, television, local and national events.

    Dare to say it. This is what I am good at. And show it.

  13. # write a White paper
    # perform a small study and publish it in a relevant online magazine or site
    # become a speaker on webinars, seminars, fares, company events.
    # share your (clients) results - keep track in a kind of curriculum
    # be yourself and authentic
    # don't say what others want to hear, speak your mind and always give YOUR opinion.

  14. Possible title of a blog: "Temporary reading: a crash course in persuasion"

    So, were you tempted by the title of this "blog"? It's not temporarily readable, but I'm sure this reason played into it when you decided to click on the link. Clever, right? It's a very powerful method of persuasion.

    That's why I want to delve deeper into the psychology of persuasion in addition to this blog of Nisandeh. Because selling yourself better and positioning yourself as an expert is not simply applying tricks that people fall for. It is responding to feelings and a science-based on theories from social and clinical psychology. I am a big fan of Robert Cialdini's influence strategies. He published these six universal principles in 2001 and the work has since become hugely popular. Cialdini's strategies are logical, understandable, and above all very easy to apply. Both as marketing methods, but also in conversations with (potential) customers.

    #1 Social Proof
    If everyone does it, it will be good. Believe it or not, this is one of the most powerful persuasion techniques. People are always looking for confirmation, so if others (like-minded people) have made the same kind of choice before, it is easy to follow them. So don't hesitate to share your successes! In addition, testimonials are very important as Nisandeh pointed out. Let your customers have their say. Preferably in front of the camera. I did this for a while, but I have to be honest I don't do this anymore. So: note to self 😉

    #2 Authority
    Show that you know something! By showing your expertise you become an authority, the evidence that comes with it, radiates confidence. And by 'evidence' I mean things that show your knowledge and honesty. Think about logos of certificates or awards, memberships, and market surveys.
    At the beginning of my entrepreneurial career, I was way too modest. I always thought that was a beautiful quality (and secretly I still do). It just doesn't help. The moment people asked me about my clients and I let them know that I train for KLM, KPN, De Telegraaf, Vitens, and other big names, it helped enormously. My credibility increased. People thought and think: "If she works for such big parties, she must be good". What also helps well is writing blogs, e-books, or a hard-copy book. I've been doing that for years now with very regularity with my first hard copy book being launched this year. It is a good way to demonstrate what you know. So, a bit of name-dropping does help!

    #3 Scarcity
    Some of my offers are only valid at the moment. Either they disappear completely or the price goes up. Also, I may organize things through or for a special group. If people feel that a product is rare, it becomes more valuable in their perception. Everyone wants to belong to an exclusive group or take advantage of a temporary offer. You can do this in conversations, but also your online communication. You can also create this with your business.

    #4 Commitment and consistency
    This strategy hits the familiar "yes" mode. Once people have been seduced, they are more likely to move on to the next step. They want to exhibit consistent behavior, so if you say A, you should also say B. This is a good technique that helps during a sales call. However, you need to know which are the right questions to ask. Fortunately, this is something you can learn.

    #5 Sympathy
    It's a tricky one, because sympathy is about being liked, or the 'gunfactor'. Sympathy cannot be forced, but it can be managed by adapting your tone of voice to your target group/conversational partner and sharing personal successes, but also failures. You not only come across as an expert but also honest and with integrity.

    My gunfactor has always been fairly high, but at the beginning of my career, I sometimes leaned on it too much. Until I sat down with a client who asked me why I chose them and would like to carry out an assignment with them. He did this on the assumption that I had studied them enough. Oops. So I hadn't done that and gone was the gunfactor. Preparation is super important. By doing this you show that you are genuinely interested in the other person and his or her company. And that comes across as sympathetic.

    #6 Reciprocity
    Do something for someone and that person feels obliged to do something in return. Something is given in return. The principle of reciprocity revolves around the mutual obligation to reciprocate a gift. So if you have selected something for someone, you can ask them to sign up for your newsletter. Pretty boy who then refuses. Don't take big steps and ask for things in proportion. You can't expect someone to buy an expensive product from you if you only gave them a key ring. This can be done in several ways. I host a lot of free events or at a purchase price. But also my two e-books are free, my online training and I sometimes give you the opportunity to Skype with me for free. How could you apply it in your business?

    For all principles, you have to use them at the right time in the sales process to position yourself as an expert. In addition, you should only use the principles if you can realize them. Otherwise, it goes, logically, at the expense of your sympathy, authority, and reliability.

  15. One of the best Topics! Yess, @Nisandeh. Love all your idea's like #10 and #4. Podcasts are huge upcoming markt and in the Netherlands are so many great opportunities with this great strategy!

    Especially #3.

    My (business) Life has changed since I am activly participating in This Amazing Challenge! I have made many new friends and have been networking again with some great and old friend. Just by commenting here on the blogs of the challenge, My life totally changes within 28 days. So thank YOU for making this Transformation possible!

    Here come my idea's and tips:

    1: Always GIVE! Find multiple ways and strategies to GIVE (free products, free Advice, free Challenges). Be the Biggest Giver On your Markt, and I am sure you will be the most Successful one. Because The Business Market is a Givers Market.

    2: Join your Competitors Network and Community! I don't believe in Competitors as my enemies, I just see them as my mentors and coaches to learn and model more. The best way to model? Join their communities and mailinglists.

    3: Show Commitment and Challenge yourself more to be Consistent. Find 1(or more ways!) to be consistent Every Day. Whether its posting an update or going live of emailing... Any thing that shows you are commitment and Consistent.

    4: Start a (LinkedIn)Blog! This is one of the best advices I got from Nisandeh. Right now I will publish my 241 (!!)st blog on LinkedIn tomorrow and I am THE Only Expert who is doing and implementing this Strategy On LinkedIn for 241 weeks in a row... Can You imagine how my Profiel Visitors think of me when they read 241 Blogs? Or much better: How do all media (radio, tv, podcasts, JV's) think when they read my blogs and all the comments?...

    5: Go LIVE Every (day/week/month) ! Use the power of Live Streaming to show and demonstrate your Expertise. And yes. you do not have to do it like I am doing by going live every singel day (although... It brings me prospects and clients every single day :)), but DO start with this strategy. Live Streaming (like on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram) is so easy these days. You just need your phone... Click and Go!

    6: Begin a Community and Be present in Your Community! I know so many "Experts" who have huge communities but doing nothing with it. That's a real shame. We all love Communities (just like here... I look forward to read comments of Bina, Vered, Nisandeh, Ine, Frans, Jur, Gedry, Muriel, Maria, Yildiz, Rowan, Max and so many people more!) and yet many experts don't know or don't do the work that is needed to create a community. Don't be just there whenever you are launching your new product or when ever you need some thing FROM them... Always be there!

    7: Serach pro-active for JV-Partners: Do a research on your field of expertise and connect with all of the players of your field. follow them on instagram, Connect with them on LinkedIn and be friends with them on Facebook. Build your relationships as a Master Networker (So never ever Pitch yours stuff on their platforms and communities) and add value.

    1. As always you give so many valuable tips Aramik and with you, one thing is always sure...YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH! And although the tips are not new to me, I want to implement tip 5 this year myself and I am looking forward to doing so.

      What for me is important is that you don't just go LIVE for the sake of going LIVE. I see this a lot and the effect is that I listen to boring improvised stories and not to valuable content. So if you want to go LIVE make sure you have a plan, a story, a strategy behind it and make it truly interesting for your listeners.

      1. Thanks Muriël for your encouraging words. You rock, my dear friend!

        And totally agreeing with you: Going LIVE is not an Action, but a Strategic Decision and Plan. And yes: It needs to have a long-term purpose and Call To Action too, otherwise it will be just an Act or even worst a "Comedy/Tragecy".

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