8 Keys to Becoming THE Authority in Your Industry

Today’s top celebrities aren’t movie stars and musicians – they are entrepreneurs and business owners. Social marketing and influence marketing have become the keys to success for media savvy marketers giving the opportunity for those with the attitude, expertise, and drive to become a celebrity in their industry.

“Celebrepreneurs,” as these professionals are known, have leveraged their expertise as authority figures and carefully crafted their personal brands to stand out from the competition and build a community of loyal followers. Once service professionals commit to becoming known as the authority in their industry, their competition is left in the dust, and they rise to a new level of success. This is a practice called Authority Marketing.

Because today’s media-driven consumers expect to do business with companies headed by high-profile leaders, this movement is impacting every type of business in the US, including legal services, medical services, business coaching, and media and entertainment.

There are 8 keys to becoming known as THE authority in your industry. Once the principles of the 8 keys are learned and developed into an action plan to reach a high level of accomplishment in each area, it is possible to quickly elevate one’s status and professional credibility and visibility, resulting in higher sales and less competition.

The 8 Keys To Becoming Known as THE Authority in Your Industry

1. Expert brand positioning – Create a personal, credible, and impressive personal brand as an industry authority. Your brand should express the original and genuine experiences your customers can expect from you. Not sure where to begin? Start by defining your values, unique point of view, and claim to fame. The key here is to be unique and authentic.
2. Content marketing – Generate and share content to draw new customers to you and build a following. Today’s leading marketing techniques go beyond imposing messages upon consumers. Creating interesting helpful and relevant content is key to building your audience and creating a legion of loyal supporters and fans. Publishing live videos is highly effective at building an audience while drawing them to you.
3. Lead generation – Incorporating lead magnets into your marketing is a vital component of becoming an authority in your industry. Lead magnets are pieces of content you develop and provide to your audience for free in exchange for their email addresses. Through this process, you will nurture your prospects over time and build your online sales funnel. Prospects aren’t always ready to buy on their first contact with your website; the lead magnet ensures that you can stay in contact and top of mind throughout the buying process. Ebook downloads are popular lead magnets, mostly because, for the marketer, they are fairly simple to create. All it takes is some decently written content and an email delivery system, and you’re in business.
4. Public speaking – Elevate expert status and monetize your expertise through relevant speaking engagements. In order to be seen as an authority, you need to have a unique point of view, proven approach, or compelling story that can lay the foundation for a successful career as a speaker. Business speakers or public speakers are elevated to expert status when they approach the opportunities with professionalism and a high standard of delivery that provides audience value.
5. Book authorship – Be seen as the go-to expert in your industry through book authorship. Advances in technology have made the self-publishing process quite simple for business owners and experts. You are no longer required to be signed to a large publishing house in order to become an author. Book authorship also offers a great complement to public speaking and can become the cornerstone to a successful authority marketing effort.
6. Referral marketing – Partner with current clients, influencers, and affiliates to promote referral business. As you rise up in your industry, never lose the human touch. Continue to build your circle of influence with key partners that can refer opportunities to you and you to them.
7. Publicity – Boost credibility through media placements and coverage. Leverage all publicity by showcasing it on your website, social media, ads, and other marketing collateral. Publicity and endorsements help your target audience recognize you as an authority and come to the decision that you are the better choice over your competition.
8. Event marketing – Capitalize on hosted events to reach new audiences and build credibility. If you’re not getting booked to speak at conferences or on someone else’s stage, build your own stage. Self-hosted workshops, retreats, and events are a very lucrative means of building one’s expert status.

If your competition is closing in on you, the best way to separate yourself from the pack is to establish yourself as the expert in your industry. By capitalizing on your expertise, you can gain an edge and build a loyal customer or client base. Someone in your industry must be the authority – why not you?

You can find more insights from Jen DeVore Richter on building a purpose-filled business, entrepreneurial life, and small business marketing atwww.jendevore.rocks

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