The Expert Advantage - How to Attract Clients with Ease

The Expert Advantage - How to Attract Clients with Ease

By Caterina Rando, MA, MCC

Get that certificate framed, finish that article, get yourself on a panel. To make your image business soar position yourself as an expert. When your potential clients are deciding with whom they will do business, they are less concerned with price. As a business success coach working with a variety of image professionals, I tell my clients over and over 'everybody wants to do business with an expert.’ If you want to increase your business success, establish yourself as an expert.

There are several things you can do to position yourself as an expert. The first thing you have to do is...

See Yourself as an Expert
If you do not consider yourself an expert then you have two choices – become an expert fast or find a new profession. You know a lot more than you think you know. You may take your skills for granted. Why not? What you do is easy for you. No one else will see you as an expert until you first see yourself as an expert.

Public Speaking
Giving a speech is a very important way to gain exposure and potential clients. Put together a speaker sheet with up to three topics on which you can present, and send it out to the program chair of different organizations you identify as groups filled with your potential clients. Whenever you are speaking you can invite potential clients who you would like to hear you speak. Speaking gives people an opportunity to meet you and get to know you before they hire you.

Do Public Seminars
You will not make a lot of money on these seminars. In fact you may spend some money to put one together. However there are benefits to creating your own forum for presenting your work. You determine how long you will speak and what the format will be. You can target participation to people you know are potential clients for you. You can do press releases and event listings in publications and via email that lots of people will read even if they do not come. This will result in people saying to you the ever popular phase "I see your name everywhere." If you are not hearing that you have not yet established name recognition for yourself. That is a big part of positioning yourself as an expert.

Write Articles
Get articles published wherever you can. Any publication, from your alumni newsletter to your local daily paper or a national magazine, can be a good venue for you to get your message across. When writing articles always ask for a byline and a photo to be included. Reprint all articles you have written. Send them to current clients and potential clients. Your name in print spells expertise. Of course put articles on your website and on sites that your potential image clients visit.

Publish Your Own E-newsletter
In addition to information on a topic related to your business, you can also print a list of services, an announcement about a special event or any other self-promoting information you see fit. Make sure your newsletter is 90% value and 10% marketing.

Write a Book
Being the author of any book adds credibility to your message. If you cannot get a publisher to take your book, consider self-publishing. There are a lot of resources out there to assist people with self-publishing. Also there is a lot of software on the market that makes the formatting of your book easy.

Get Some Media Coverage
Produce a press kit discussing the topics on which you would like to speak. Send out news releases to your local papers, radio stations and TV shows when you are doing something newsworthy. When you are a guest on a show, always ask for a video or a tape so you can use it for other opportunities later.

Create Photo Recognition
Have a professional quality photograph on hand so you can seize any opportunity to use it. People that will not remember your name will remember your face. Then, when they recognize you as an expert, you will hear "I see your picture everywhere.”

Teach
If you are teaching others what you know you must surely know a lot. Community colleges, universities and community organizations are always looking for adjunct instructors and special guest speakers to share their expertise with students.

Whatever you decide to do to establish yourself as an image expert, recognize that you must regularly continue your professional development. Go to seminars, read image industry publications, consult with colleagues, and keep current on the use of new technologies in your industry. To establish yourself as an expert remember the most important part is to first be the expert you are capable of being. If anyone is going to be the expert - have it be you.

Caterina Rando, MA, MCC, shows image professionals how to build thriving, profitable and sustainable businesses by establishing themselves as experts in their fields. Caterina is the creator of the Image Business Breakthrough Program. Visit her website at www.imagebusinesscoach.com to download your free copy of her ebook “How to Create An Image Business Breakthrough.” She can be reached at (415) 668-4535 or via email at cat@imagebusinesscoach.com.