BD tips and insights

By Linda Julian

Expert status – being known v being known for something that matters

September 11, 2013 | Posted in: Business Development Skills

Too often, we observe time and effort of professionals being squandered on becoming widely known, rather than on becoming known for something that matters to a smaller group, and ideally to those who truly care about it.

Whether through personal networking, social media, business community engagement, conference presentations, seminars, publishing, or other channels, there’s only value in becoming well known to the masses if your expertise and services are what the masses want (or ought to want) to buy.

To measure the effectiveness of your marketing in terms of the numbers you reach people who recognise your name, size of your mailing list, organisations to which you belong, presentations you’ve given, number of likes on Facebook, followers on Twitter –  misses the point, unless your business development plan is based around reaching large numbers to promote a generalised mass market offering.

For most professionals – those who do not offer services directly of interest to the masses – energy and resources are better expended on becoming known within the target audience or market.  Better again to be pigeonholed as someone who knows an immense amount about something of importance and interest to them:  something they care about.  Best of all to be become known as the right expert on what really matters to them.

For a lawyer or other professional whose services are directed to business-to-business markets, not only is it difficult to attract wide following among the general public, but also it’s of little use anyway.  Becoming known by the masses might be categorised as populism or sensationalism by the business people you would like to attract.  Indeed, mass market appeal may well create a serious rift with the target audience for you.

Rather than aiming to generate a huge Twitter following, vast numbers of Facebook friends, and lots of fans among the public at large, focus on becoming known for something specific and being the “go to” expert for what really matters. That’s where you can build value.

For business development workshops, coaching, advice, and help, please get in touch.

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