As the old adage goes, “All other things being equal, people buy from people they know, like and trust.” This is where authority marketing comes into play.
Put simply, authority marketing is using your knowledge of the business world as a marketing technique to garner customers and sales.
As Dan S. Kennedy, known as he Godfather of direct marketing, succinctly put it: “If you aren't deliberately, systematically, methodically—or rapidly and dramatically—establishing yourself as a celebrity, at least to your clientele and target market, you’re asleep at the wheel, ignoring what is fueling the entire economy around you, neglecting development of a measurably valuable asset.”
By being considered a reputable, trustworthy expert within your industry, you can help simultaneously help bring awareness to your business – and hopefully more sales.
Here are five ways you can become a leader in your industry:
1. Be an educator & advocate
To position yourself as an expert in this field and thus increase your customer base, posting regular blogs on your company’s website that showcase your expertise is wise.
For example, if you wanted to position yourself as the leader in the lawn care world, you could blog about what types of plants should be introduced at what time of year or offer tips on how to naturally repel harmful bugs from shrubbery. This not only helps customers, but it also confirms your status as expert in your field – and potentially lead to more sales.
2. Give interviews
When possible, give interviews on local TV or radio stations. Or ask publications to reach out to you if they need someone to speak on a topic that you are an expert on. This will allow people who never knew you existed to have the chance to see what you are all about.
During your interview or talking point, share information pertaining to your business as this will make you seem helpful, knowledgeable and giving — all traits which will garner you more attention and respect.
3. Write a book
Just as you share tips and such with your customers on your blog, it is also a great idea to write a book, even if it’s short. You can even turn your existing blog posts into a Kindle book and publish on Amazon.
4. Speak at or hold a conference
Look for conferences that are in your field and reach out to see if you can be a panelist for one of the sessions. By getting in front of your peers or potential customers at a major event, you are positioning yourself as an authoritative figure in the industry.
If there is no way to garner a speaking spot at an already planned conference, consider hosting your own. By doing so, you also have the opportunity to advertise your business (through sponsorship and ads) while also being seen as a pro in your market.
5. Start a podcast
Podcasting is a wonderful tool to utilize in order to increase your outreach and confirm your position as an authority in your field. Use the podcast to share some useful tidbits about your business, along with advice that others can use. To do so, focus each episode on one specific problem you can solve for your target market.
This article was originally published by Brian Horn in his column at Entrepreneur Magazine.
