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Have you ever read a blog or website article authored by an “industry expert,” and wondered how they became an expert? While being a woman business leader and entrepreneur have certainly helped me in my networking and business connections, it wasn’t until I started my blog, became a speaker and joined several select and respected industry trade groups that my “expert” status started to take off.

While I achieved my status as an after-effect of my business activities, the tips below, from an article by Donald Todrin, will guide you toward becoming an expert using a methodical, step-by-step approach:

1. Learn about what’s important in your industry today and become current. Every commercial niche has one or more trade magazines. Obtain a few back copies, three at least, and read them cover to cover.
2. Note the advertisements. These will also tell you what’s new and important to the industry, as well as what the leading businesses are talking about and selling.
3. Write an article and submit it for publication in one of the industry magazines. This often isn’t as hard as it seems. Once done, you are a published writer in the industry.
4. Create a website and a blog. Begin to communicate with your market, discussing industry issues and creating an open forum with you as an expert.
5. Create podcasts (video or audio) based on your blog entries. Post the video on YouTube.
6. Offer to speak at a local college. Offer a professor or department head the opportunity to have you speak at a forum on a subject relevant to you and the educator’s interest group—at no charge, of course.
7. Offer a local club, association, or service organization the opportunity to have you speak on a relevant subject – at no charge.
8. Run your own seminar. This is a smart way to continue to build your credentials.
9. Become a corporate speaker. Being a public speaker at leading businesses and corporations adds to your credentials.
10. Send out media releases to the local press. Repeat your credentials and promote your speaking, writing, seminar or whatever you have to promote.
11. Join a national trade organization for your industry and offer to write a monthly column on interesting aspects of the industry for the organization’s newsletter or magazine.
12. If you can afford it, give a seminar at your industry’s national trade show. Or have a booth, or get on the board or any committee for the organization.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 27th, 2011 at 9:00 am and is filed under Advertising, Branding, Entrepreneurial, Leadership, Managing, Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.