Would you seek advice on important matters from a random person you met on the street? Probably not. Instead, you’d go to someone you know and trust to help you make the right decision. That person could be a parent, sibling, friend, or fellow colleague. Whoever it is, you’ve probably learned you can trust them to provide exceptional advice.
As a business owner, you want to be in a position where others trust you so you can influence them. You don’t want people to discount the things you say because they don’t know or trust you. One of the best ways to earn others’ trust is to become an authority in your industry. Here are four techniques that will help you do just that.
1. Project the Right Image
You can claim to be something or someone until you’re blue in the face. But if your image projects something different, no one will believe you. That’s why projecting the right image is so critical for building authority in your industry. You need to look the part as well as act the part.
There are many things that make up your image. Your logo, website, products, packaging, communications, and marketing content all help shape the way others view you. The content you publish is especially important for helping you create an image that’s knowledgeable and respectable.
From your email campaigns to your blog posts, every piece of content you release should be credible, convincing, and engaging. If you don’t feel confident in your ability to create this type of content, don’t worry. You can hire someone else to do it for you. Growth marketing services can help you own your industry by building credibility, authority, and visibility through expertly-crafted content.
2. Be Active on Social Media
If you underutilize the power of social media to become a behemoth in your industry, you’re making a catastrophic mistake. Social media is composed of free marketing platforms that can help you reach a dizzying number of potential customers. Facebook alone has approximately 1.9 billion active users around the world. TikTok and Instagram follow closely behind with approximately one billion active users each.
Everybody who’s anybody knows how important it is to maintain an active presence on social media. If someone wants to learn more about your company, they’ll most likely investigate your website and your social media profiles. If you’re inactive on social media platforms, your audience may think you’re not serious, legitimate, or well-established.
To become an industry authority, maintain an active social media presence. Post frequently so people remember who you are. Make sure your posts are interesting, knowledgeable, and engaging too. Whenever you use images, ensure they’re of high quality and give the impression that you know what you’re doing.
3. Keep Learning
If you take a look at top industry experts, you’ll most likely notice that they’re perpetual students. They’re always keeping up with advances in their field and learning as much as they can about their craft. The moment you stop learning and growing is the moment you stop losing momentum and authority. Your own failures and successes are some of the best teachers. Analyzing and learning from them can help you recreate the results you want.
It also helps to learn from the failures and successes of your competition. Then, you can adopt some of their winning techniques to transform yourself into a formidable competitor. Remember — emulating is not the same as copying. You should never try to mold yourself into a cookie-cutter version of someone else.
From visiting trade shows to attending conferences, there are many things you can do to keep learning and adapting. If new technology emerges relating to your industry, you want to be one of the first to know about it. Once you do, be sure to publish a well-informed opinion on its industry impact. That way others will learn that you are the go-to source for trusted information on anything that’s new or cutting-edge.
4. Offer Something of Value
It’s possible to talk a lot without saying anything of value. Never release blog posts, social media posts, or any other type of content just to remain relevant. You want your audience to learn that everything you publish offers something of value to them. That way they’ll pay attention anytime they see a piece of content with your logo and brand voice.
To determine whether your content is valuable, you must analyze it with a critical eye. Ask yourself if it teaches your audience something new or inspires excitement for a service you offer. Maybe it takes a complicated topic and makes it easier for the average person to understand. It could even use humor to relieve your readers’ stress and help them feel happier. As long as your target audience can find something of value in your content, you’re on the right track.
If you want to be an industry leader, you have to start thinking like one. The most respected figures in your trade didn’t get there by accident. They worked hard to blaze trails, build trust, and communicate like leaders. The path to becoming an expert in your field requires patience and consistency, but it’s worth every mile you trudge. Follow these tried-and-true tips to earn your place as a respected authority in your industry.