Start being known as the expert of what you do

As a WordPress website designer, I used to be the person that thought that if my work is good it will speak for itself and I will be known as an expert. I was right to an extent BUT, it didn’t help people find me and know what I can do. It relied upon luck and that isn’t enough in order to be in business. I think being an expert in business it’s about being able to replicate a standard of work again and again and again.

Every customer coming to your business has an unvoiced question: can you help me overcome my problems?

Your website needs to show that you can and the best way to do that is to write blog posts. We have to actively share what we do, to be known as an expert.

I am a website designer, I’ve had a website for many years and for a lot of that time thought it was enough to have a portfolio website only with no active blog. It worked but mostly because of referrals and people then checked my website to ensure I am actually a WordPress designer and what has my previous work been. That was great for a while but once those networks of reach fizzled out that was that, I need to be found by new people as well as the referral network I’ve built. I need to be able to market outside of my normal sphere of influence .. blogging will enable me to do that because there is one thing that Google loves: valuable content delivered in a blog. Especially when there is a question posed and answered.

Let me put this in you mind. When you search for something on google, do you ask a question? If you do, then those results come from those who have answered it. Most are forum websites but a few are direct service websites and those people who did that and got indexed are the winners.

So now I am blogging, it takes effort to write content but long term it is worth it because your website is your marketing powerhouse if used well.

What can we share and do to be known as an expert?

It’s possible to do to show you are an expert in a few ways:

1. Have a gallery portfolio of your work, if you can show physically what you do

As I wrote above, a portfolio website is a great start to showing you are an expert in what you do, because you have a gallery of images to show that you are. Simply because you’ve already done the work for others.

You can see my portfolio page here. This is what I mean by a portfolio website, it must have an area that displays the work you do, either in a single page design or a separate page name gallery or portfolio. That way Google knows it is something important.

2. Write about what you do and share answers to commonly asked questions

If you think about it for a few minutes, whenever you tell people in your everyday life what you do in your business .. those people will ask you questions. Are you answering those questions on your website? If you’re not, you not being a resource and a proven expert for your potential customer to trust.

Can you solve a problem for me? Can you prove it by already answering a question, that I as your potential customer, may ask? If you do this you already, then you have raised your ‘trust’ levels because you’ve provided value by answering their question.

3. Write about questions your customer needs to think about but may not know to ask

I experienced this recently on LinkedIn a network contact of mine, a solicitor, wrote a question about power of attorney but in regards to business. Who will take power over my business accounts if I were to unexpectedly die? Something I’ve never thought about but will do now!

You have within your knowledge, an experience of things that your customers will not have thought about. Why not ask and answer the question as a blog post. Prove your expertise by asking questions on behalf of your clients that they would not think to ask.

4. Write about the things you want to be known for

Beyond being the person that offers a service, we are well-rounded people too .. hopefully! I build websites, branding and more but, I want to be known for raising people up to be able to do more for yourselves. To give you the skills to be great online, be found and stand out in the ways you wish to.

I want you to be able to say: “I designed a life I love” which comes from choosing how to do business that supports the way you wish to live. Your website will help enable you to do that with purpose and intent.

What do you wish to be known for? Tell people that.

5. Share a customer testimonial

Every happy customer of yours is a source of proof that you do good work and are an expert in what you do. Ask for that testimonial, don’t think (like I used to) that if they are happy they’ll write one from the goodness of their heart. People are busy, life moves on. Do you think oh I’ll take two minutes and write a testimonial for someone .. I’d bet that would happen rarely unless it was an unexpectedly great service and even then .. it’s a maybe.

Ask your customers for testimonials and then as and when you get them, sprinkle that goodness around as social proof that you’re good at what you do.

As a fellow Brit, its hard to break that conditioning of not stating out loud what we are good at .. I’m inviting you to join me in breaking that unwritten rule. If we don’t talk about what we are good at, how on earth will someone new to us ever know that?!

So get talking to others, get writing for google to find you, settle those shoulder down and help yourself be visible.