January 13, 2018

Recognized expert

A tried and true way to stand out from the crowd - and to justify premium rates - is to become a recognized expert.

I have talked at length in the past about various types of specialization (e.g., horizontal, vertical, platform, demographic) but it all boils down to this:

You want your ideal buyers to see you as the “go-to” guy or gal for something they consider valuable.

People use lots of different words for “recognized experts.”

Here are some examples:

She’s an infosec security expert.
He’s a leading authority on Sanskrit poetry.
Get me the top political pundit in Washington!
She’s been a professional tennis player since age 17.
He’s a true connoisseur of Cuban cigars.
Please rise when the maestro enters the room.
We are going to need a virtuoso to perform the violin part.
You should probably talk to the club’s golf pro about your swing.
He’s a real WWII tank buff.
She’s a whiz with social media marketing.
We need a real hotshot to turn this sales team around.
You need to talk to my friend - she’s a matchmaking maven!

Note that all of these examples are from the perspective of an outsider.

Someone other than the expert.

This is intentional.

There are ways to measure expertise internally. In particular, an increasing sense of mastery over one’s craft.

But an internal feeling that you’re getting better at your craft is essentially meaningless in a business context.

Sure, it’s nice to have. But it’s not persuasive to buyers.

If you want to be paid like an expert, you have to be recognized as one by your clients.

Not recognized by yourself as an expert.

Not recognized by your peers as an expert.

Recognized by your buyers as an expert.

Yours,

—J