7 Personal Branding Tips for Aspiring Experts

Creating Visibility and Personal Brand Recognition

In this article, Dr. Frederiksen provides seven branding tips for aspiring experts.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources:

What Works Now—The Best Practice Development Techniques for 2017

Gaining an Advantage in a Changing Marketplace

Marketing Techniques: Social Media, Networking, and Referrals

How to Become a High Visibility Expert

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If you are involved in valuation or financial consulting, you are, by definition, selling your expertise.  Some examples might be obvious, such as when you provide expert testimony.  But, even when conducting routine transactions, your personal brand—that is, your reputation for expertise and the visibility of that reputation—should be hard at work.

Here are seven proven strategies for improving your personal brand.

Effective Tips for Powerful Personal Branding

1.  Narrow the Scope of Your Expertise

If you could become the “go-to expert” in just one subject area, what would it be?  Try finishing this seemingly simple sentence:

“I am the leading expert in ____________.”

The narrower your answer, the faster your personal brand can grow.  Consider the difference (from a branding perspective) between saying your expertise is in “valuation” as opposed to “valuation for medical practices”…or better yet, “valuation for anesthesiology practices.”  The last topic is far more specific, yet still applies to many businesses.

2.  Choose Your Issues Strategically

By zeroing in on a specialty area, you will uncover a whole new array of ideas, problems, and challenges to explore.  But try to keep your focus on just two or three issues that align well with your services.  These must be issues that you either understand well already, or are ready to do the research needed to get up to speed.  Choose issues that are not easily solved and that are unlikely to go away soon.

3.  Adjust Your Online Profile

Review your profiles and areas of expertise on your website and social media.  Make sure they are consistent, credible, and connect you with the issues you have chosen to write and/or speak about.

Do not forget your profile photo(s).  Professional photography is key to conveying a high-end personal brand.  Your photo can certainly have personality—but it absolutely has to look great.  A cropped holiday shot or web cam portrait will not do.

4.  Create Your Own Signature Piece of Content

Most high-profile experts offer high-value content to amplify their expertise and reputation.  For many, their “signature pieces” are books—but there are other options as well.

For example, you could write an executive guide.  A typical guide is 20–30 pages long, and explains a technical subject to a non-technical audience.  White papers are another option; they are shorter and can be quite technical.  Yet another approach is to do research on your topic.  For example, you could offer a report with your research findings about valuations for anesthesiology practices along with your expert analysis.

5.  Write Regularly About Your Area of Expertise

Where should you publish your writing?  Two great venues are your firm’s blog or e-newsletter, but you can also look for external publications that your target audience reads.

Remember that your goal is to broaden your personal brand visibility among people who might otherwise never meet or hear of you.  To stay on track, try “reserving” a time every week for writing or, if that is not possible, do your writing during off hours.

6.  Make Your Voice Heard in Your Market

Most Visible Experts^® (the term my firm uses to describe professionals who have made their expertise well known within their markets) view public speaking as one of their most effective tools for reaching their target audience.  As an added value, after your presentation, you can meet individual audience members and make personal connections.

Presenting via webinars is another great option.  You can use webinars to attract qualified and engaged prospects—hundreds at a time.  Webinars also have a couple of advantages over in-person speaking engagements: they can require less of your time and effort and, if you record them, you can use the recordings again and again.

7.  Find Peers and Prospects Through Networking

Networking can be a powerful way to build your personal brand as an expert—and that starts by networking with peers, referral sources, and prospective clients.  Another networking target is not as obvious: other experts, especially those whose audiences are like yours (but who are not your direct competitors).  By associating yourself with respected authorities, you begin to operate in their league.

Face-to-face networking has some real advantages in building your brand, but its reach is limited by how much time you can spend on it.  Social media, in comparison, is faster and easier.  Keep it simple, and focus on using LinkedIn—it is the social platform used most often in the professional services field.

Get Started, and Stay Focused

Keep in mind: no one becomes a well-recognized industry expert overnight—even if they try to use all these personal branding strategies at once.  But, the more time you can dedicate to building your personal brand, the faster will be your climb to the status of Visible Expert.

Lee W. Frederiksen, PhD, is Managing Partner at Hinge, the leading branding and marketing firm for the professional services. Hinge conducts groundbreaking research into high-growth firms and offers a complete suite of services for firms that want to become more visible and grow.
Dr. Frederiksen can be reached at: (703) 391-8870 or by e-mail to: LFrederiksen@hingemarketing.com.