If you aren’t an expert yet, check out my blog post: How to Become an Expert in Your Field. If you haven’t read that post, please read it before you continue with this one. I outline the steps to quickly become an expert in your field.

This post isn’t for anyone just pretending to be an expert, this is for the people who have put in the work to gain massive knowledge and experience in their field, and truly are experts.

Now, how do you position yourself as an expert? How do you let people know you really know your stuff? It’s time to display it.

1) If you haven’t already, it’s time to create your website/blog.

This is simple to do and is really a requirement if you want to be taken seriously. If you followed my earlier advice and blogged about your journey to becoming an expert, it’s now time to shift the focus of your blog to sharing your expertise with your audience.

Through your research and study you’ve discovered what your target market really needs. You know their problems and their pain. You have the answers for them. Focus your blog on that.

Ask for comments and interact with your audience. Give them what they want.

2) Guest blog and guest podcast for other experts in your field.

Blogging and podcasting can become a chore after a while. Most bloggers/podcasters enjoy having guests give them free content. This is a true win-win. The other blogger/podcaster gets some free content, and you get to build your brand and your expertise by having your content appear on another expert’s site.

The best way to do this is to read/listen and comment on a few blogs/podcasts that you enjoy. After doing that for a few months, reach out to the blogger/podcaster and ask if she would be up for having you guest blog or be a guest on her show.

Tip: It’s great to go after the big bloggers and podcasters, but many of them don’t allow guests to post, or want big names for interviews. Aiming at some of the lesser known but good blogs/podcasts might be the better way to go at first.

3) Write articles for a trade magazine or professional publication.

This is similar to guest blogging. You will still be trading your free content for exposure to their audience. Once you’re published, you can display this in an “As Featured In” area of your website. It’s a great way to continue to build your expertise and your brand.

You’d be surprised how many publications are looking for good, free content. You might be able to turn it into a recurring gig. That could lead to paid gigs and more opportunities as an expert in your field.

4) Create “How to” videos for YouTube

“How to” videos are super popular and a great way to show what you know. If you can solve someone’s problem in a short video, they will see you as an expert.

• Make sure you tailor these to your target market.
• Keep them short and simple – three to five minutes at the most
• Let your personality shine through.
• People want to see the real you, not an overproduced video.

5) Write a “how to” book or ebook.

Nothing says “expert” louder than writing a book about your field. For many people this sounds impossible. I get it. It took me a long time to believe I could write a book. Now that I have, I’m looking at writing a book a year.

Here’s how you can do it. Self publish your book so you won’t have to wait around for a publisher to choose you. You can do it even quicker if you make an ebook

I used Createspace and Kindle Direct Publishing to write my first book and ebook. It was easy and free. There are plenty of other sites that will help you self publish. Find the one that you like best.

Use your blog to write your book. The average non-fiction book is about 50,000 words. If you blog a 500 word post each weekday, that’s 10,000 words a month. You’ll have a book written in just five months. Even if you only blog three times a week, your book will be done in 9 months!

Of course, you’ll have to edit your posts to make them into a coherent book, but it’s a great way to repurpose your content.

6) Teach people you know “how to.”

Beyond making videos, go help someone. Start with a friend or family member. Ask your network who you might be able to help. You’ll start to be seen as the go to guy in your area. Ask for referrals from the people you help and start charging for your expertise.

7) Speak

Repurpose part of your book, blog, or videos and turn it into a 20 minute speech. Make sure it solves a problem for your target market. Entertain, inform, and give a couple of useable takeaways and you will be a hot commodity.

There are all kinds of networking, service, and civic groups that need guest speakers. Connect with the meeting planners and offer to speak for free. If you can give them a compelling description of your talk, most will be more than happy to have you. You can sell your book after the talk. Just make sure your speech has great content and isn’t 20 minutes of you trying to sell them something.

Take a step back and look at all you’ve learned and done in your field and your niche. Guess what? You’re a pretty darn good expert. Congratulations.

(I now offer one to one coaching and an online coaching program for various budgets. Click here for more details.)