Have you ever wondered why some people always appear in the press as an expert? Why they keep getting comment on whatever the issue of the day is?
It is usually a fact that when people appear in the press as experts, business and opportunities soon follow.
If you would like to tap into this for your practice, here’s how:
Decide on a topic you are an expert in. It could be a global issue like estate planning, or a niche topic such as tax planning for freelance workers. Whatever the topic or area is, know it, have an opinion on it and try to think of ways to articulate this view that you have not seen before.
Share your opinion with trade journalists, local newspapers and online forums. Trade publications are always in search of new contributors or commentators and this may lead way to you having a regular monthly column, blog or appear in daily news articles as a commentator. Always include any social media handles you may have (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and even your email address)
Follow up with the journalist – if they can’t print your thought piece this month, ask them to keep you in mind if they are looking for information on the subject. Also remember to send them an interesting thought, fact or statistic at least once a month.
Take the time to discover online forums to reinforce your expertise in an authentic way. LinkedIn groups are great to pose questions or to answer people’s questions firsthand.
Make sure your website is up to date – if people do read your views, they will want to find out more. Also be sure you have a current and (flattering!) photo. Be sure to post any thought pieces or press you do receive online, to reinforce your positioning as an expert in the field.
Now you are ready to go forth and grow your business profile, and client base. Good luck!
Vanessa Stoykov is the founder of No More Practice, and the founder of the parent company, evolution media group in 1999. She has over 20 years’ experience in financial services as both a journalist and business owner. She is an award winning chief executive who is passionate about creating education and communications to help the wealth industry and consumers fulfill their prosperity potential.
