Establishing Yourself as An Authority

I’ve got some great news for you! If you’ve been thinking about ways to drive business and increase conversions by establishing yourself as an authority in your field, the bar doesn’t have to be incredibly high. That’s not to underscore the experience, knowledge, and training you have worked towards and earned to establish your current position. 

Not in the slightest. In fact, au contrair. If you read the letter I wrote last week, I let the cat out of the bag pertinent to this week’s topic. Establishing yourself as an authority in your field in addition to efficiency while doing so. 

Yes, I am an e-com consultant who provides copyrighting, among other services - but I won’t be yammering about my business in these letters. Writing is something I find enjoyable. Words can appear simple, yet paint complicated and intricate pictures within the mind of the reader. Carefully curated words can elicit strong emotions and compel action when aligned with a receptive audience. 

Even though I’ve extensively studied linguistics, the application of such is a more fulfilling learning experience than consuming books. While I’m on the topic of consumerism, I’ll share a quote from an artist that I found deeply impactful. 

“We are either the consumer or the creator.”  

This is true. If you were to contemplate this only in terms of screentime - where do you fit in? Browsing the web, shopping online, researching items to buy and hanging out in social media are all examples of consumerism. 

Creating content is the opposite. In order to accomplish this, you must shift your mindset from consumer to creator. Here’s a fun little exercise you can do that only requires thought. Next time you are scrolling through social media, observe how you are feeling inside. Pay attention to how certain posts, videos or memes cause you to feel internally. 

The algorithms know you well. Better than many people know themselves. While this may seem innocuous, it most certainly isn’t. We become addicted to our feelings. This isn’t just fafa. It’s literally right in front of our faces programming. The epitome of consumerism.

The neuropathways in our brains become addicted to the release of dopamine. This can easily be triggered through repetitive emotional, or substance stimuli. So yes, the political rhetoric that social media platforms pump out constantly is actually addictive. So are many other forms of content.  When dopamine is involved, emotions can become the doorways to addictions - despite many not thinking so, or being in a state of denial. 

How then, does this equate to becoming an authority on a topic, then monetizing it? 

That’s simple - It begins with a decision. Once you choose to become the creator instead of the consumer, you’re already more than half way there. Sure, I get it … You’re busy. Work can be both demanding and draining. You don’t have time … But yet, you still watch television and look at social media, right? It’s ok to be honest with yourself about this. 

That small conundrum explains why the bar is set pretty low when it comes to becoming an authority on a topic in your field, then monetizing from your efforts. Most people would rather be the consumer instead of the creator. Plain and simple. 

Granted, there are psychological barriers to overcome while you are shifting your mindset from consumer to creator. To give an example, early on in our e-com business we realized that about half of the phone calls we received were for product support. Not “my device is broken” support, but how-to support. 

Yes, all of our devices DID come with a user manual. As you may understand, reading and comprehension can be more challenging than we would like to admit. Telling customers “it’s in the manual” wasn’t going to cut it. 

So out of the desire for efficiency we (as in I had to be in front of the camera) started making “how to” videos for the products we sold. We then made a “Video Operating Manual” that went out to each person who ordered, prior to their device being received. 

Guess what? That greatly reduced the calls we received asking for “how-to” help. And you know what else? That boosted our sales. Quite substantially. Why? We answered key questions that our customers had, that may have prevented them from making a purchase in the first place. At the time, we were the only ones in our vertical doing this. 

While other “learded folk” aka our competition was busy making neatly polished videos with elevator music in the background - showcasing their products - we were making simple, real life videos addressing important decision making issues prior to the customer making the purchase. 

We became the creator for our consumers. Our consumers craved the type of content we created. Quickly, I learned it wasn’t about how I was dressed, or even the quality of the video (it most certainly does NOT need to be Hollywoodized). It was all about what was spoken of within the video. 

Yes, I am using the term video. If you are cringing inside thinking “I could never” then you are reaffirming my point about the bar to becoming an authority in your field being set rather low. 

While I may not trust a doctor with greasy hands, dirty fingernails, and bulbous distended stomach, with a cigarette hanging sideways from their mouth while bloviating about health and wellness, or an insurance person shown driving a 1990s rusted kia, touting saving a few bucks by changing policies -  that’s not to say I don’t trust doctors or insurance people. 

It really comes down to how the information is curated.  

I would feel more compelled to listen to and respect (as an authority) a Podiatrist that gives useful advice on walking in alignment and avoiding procedures than one who simply touts procedures. Of course, there’s a way to interweave both with one opening the door for another. A good consultant could most certainly help you embody those concepts. 

With insurance, the hassle of changing policies may not be worth the few bucks I may save. Who cares, right? If time is money, I’m more concerned about other things. Liability is far more compelling than up front savings. But how many insurance agents or agencies carve out their niche simplifying the importance of understanding liability and risk in lieu of saving a few bucks?   

I don’t think I’m alone in believing that paying someone who has established themselves as competent, knowledgeable and trustworthy is more valuable than saving a quick buck and potentially crying later when hidden risks rear come up and nip you in the behind.   

Words are powerful. Messages are compelling. Businesses need to be more compelling than their competitors to survive. They need to give their customers, patients and clients a reason to choose them instead of an alternative. This applies on a small to large scale. At the end of the day, if becoming a creator instead of a consumer is all you need to become an authority in your field, is it worth your time and effort? Would it be worth overcoming the internal obstacles that may be preventing you from doing so?

There is no wrong answer, just the truth, acceptance and action. 

Next week, I’ll touch on effectively disseminating compelling information - to those considering or who have already become the creator. Until then, please prosper and be kind to each other. 

Sincerely, 

Paul Bunting