In today’s world of marketing and sales, you’re selling so much more than just your product or service on a daily basis. Consumers are paying attention to the experience that your brand gives them, the emotions that you invoke within them.
You’re selling yourself. Your image. Your reputation.
One of the most effective ways to grow your business and audience of potential customers is by becoming a respected authority in your industry. Become known for giving out compelling, useful, complementary advice that helps your target customers achieve their goals.
1) Use Your Story to Design a Strong Branded Message
How you tell your story will go on to define the manner in which you emotionally connect with your audience. Your goal is to relate to your target customers on a level that goes beyond just instilling confidence in the results you can deliver for them. Make sure your customers know you’ve been through their problems before, and that you have the answers they need.
You want to very intentionally design your brand story in a manner that reinforces confidence in your industry expertise. If you’re a digital marketing consultant, then you’ll likely want to build a lot of statistics and figures into your brand story, that serve to demonstrate the measurable, positive impact that your services have had on the businesses you’ve helped.
2) Decide Which Online Tools to Include in Your Platform
How do you speak to your audience? Do you use email? Facebook? LinkedIn? Once you know who your target customers are and get to know them, you can determine where your users spend their time online.
lf your customers are technologically savvy males, under the age of 30, then you’ll likely want to engage with them on Twitter. If they’re creative millennials, then Instagram might be the best platform.
3) Amplification Strategy for Blogging and Social Media
How do you ensure that your blog posts will be read and shared? You need to focus on creating a body of work that guides your audience back through each of your posts.
Include a link back to at least one previous post in every new post you write, as well as as an outbound link to a larger, reputable blog with more users within your same field. Reach out to the author whose post you’re linking into, and let them know that you’re promoting their piece. They’ll likely reciprocate if your content is aligned with their audience, and you’ll get your post in front of more new readers.
4) Use Your Website to Attract the Right Clients
How your website looks, feels, and makes visitors feel, needs to reflect the image that you want to portray to your audience. On my website, I feature myself front and center in a very confident pose, because I’m selling my own personal brand, advice, and services. I also have a section that displays logos of various publications my works have been featured in, and this serves to further build credibility within my domain.
5) Generate Leads with White Papers
Offer free (and meaningful) downloadable guides, resources, and relevant materials for your website visitors to download. This not only provides your target customers with free actionable advice, but qualifies them as potential customers for your business. It’s mutually beneficial, and if you give away content that’s powerful and builds a relationship with your potential customer, they’ll be much more inclined to pay for your services.
6) How to Get Free Media and Publicity Exposure
Be culturally aware of what is going on in your industry from a macro perspective. Always seek new ways to connect with your audience on a deep and meaningful level that is timely and relevant. If you are a fashion photographer, take a stand on the changing perspectives of beauty intentionally photograph women of all body styles. If you are a designer, create a series of infographics that call to attention an important social issue. Use your craft as a vehicle for good in the world and the free media will come.
The market for creative services has changed dramatically in the last decade and it is your responsibility to know how to reach clients and build lasting, deep relationships. You can no longer rely on your talent alone to build a business. It’s your job to tell your story and make a compelling case to your peers and clients for why you and your business are the best in class.
To get your copy of the Authority Platform Playbook, my 80 page step-by-step guide to building your reputation and growing your business, watch my course – Build Your Authority Platform today.
Create your personal roadmap to an engaging and fulfilling career. Watch for free on February 27. Learn more.
