I talk a lot about becoming an expert. It’s the best way to show people you’re worth hiring. But how does one become an expert? Here I will discuss everything I’m doing to establish myself as an expert in marketing, social media, and PR, and even things I’m not yet doing that you can start.
1. Blog. I think you know how I feel about blogging. I’ve been writing this blog for three years, and recently started a parenting blog. Not to mention me contributing to Dell’s Small Business Blog and a soon-to-be-announced e-marketing blog.
Why: Blogs are full of information. On what you know. What better way to show the world that you know your stuff than to blog about it regularly?
2. Public Speaking. This is one I decided to work on in 2009. I’ve spoken at the Hispanic Business Expo (something I won’t be doing in Spanish again) and I am frequently found on teleseminars about marketing.
Why: Speaking to a crowd really shows your confidence and your knowledge in a topic. The idea is that people are so impressed with you , they come up to you afterward and hire you on the spot. I’m still waiting for that.
3. Interviews. In the last year I’ve been interviewed several times, for blogs, podcasts, live webinars, and other e-products. I love letting my inner marketing geek out and helping people do their own marketing.
Why: Again, it shows your stuff. And if you sell ebooks or other products like I do, interviews are a great way to drive people to your website to buy.
4. Social Media. Another big one for me. I don’t do enough talking about marketing, but when I do, people listen. People who follow me on Twitter have approached me for projects. You can’t always see the results but they happen.
Why: People are on social media to learn. If you can teach even just one person, you’ve done your job.
Now, what are you doing to establish yourself as an expert?
Posted in 
Tags: 
I like how you offer the technique and why it works. I also like articles to help build my expert status and promote my business.
[...] a bit about self promotion, so let’s start there. Now, in the past I’ve talked about becoming an expert, but today I want to talk more about tooting your own horn. Courtesy of VOdesigner on [...]
I agree and would like to start blogging.
I want to create blogs on unrelated topics in addition to personal. I’m not sure if I should use my real name or an alias.
So if I want to blog on architecture and dungeons & dragons do you advise NOT using my real name as the wordpress public nickname?
Or should I just create multiple user accounts on wordpress, one for each blog?
Or not use my real name for any blog even if I am trying to become the expert in that topic?
@leslie thanks for the compliments!
@jeff if there’s nothing embarrassing on one blog that you wouldn’t want found on the other, use your name. if you want people to know you, jeff XX, as the expert in architecture AND d&d, use your name. but a blog often has a name, like The Marketing Eggspert Blog, because it’s catchier than the Jeff blog. my 2 cents.
[...] authority. What is social authority, you ask? It’s everything you do to establish yourself as an expert [...]