The best tool to better monetize your reputation as an expert

Many times, people come to me and say: “What can I start doing to get more clients and better monetize my reputation as an Expert?” For me, the answer is simple.

Create a rock-solid elevator pitch or unique selling proposition.

Now, a unique selling proposition can be a term you’ve already heard of or are familiar with and if not, that’s fine too. I’ll just give you a brief explanation (at least as I define it).

Very simple, A Unique Selling Proposition tells people what you do in a way that makes them wonder how you do it.

Now when someone asks me what I do for a living, I say, “I help busy entrepreneurs grow and monetize their reputation as experts.”

So who do I work with? Well, busy businessmen.

And what do I help them do? Get more business from the reputation they already have.

So they can be coaches, consultants, speakers, or what I like to call Master Entrepreneurs…people who make a living off of what they know.

And regardless of the listener’s exact occupation, by presenting my business in the form of a unique selling proposition, people can decide whether or not they want to learn more. So if they’re interested, they can just ask, “Well, how do you do that?” And I’m talking about my business.

One of the main challenges I see holding back savvy entrepreneurs from better monetizing their rep is that they don’t position themselves in a way that will attract people and make them want to learn more.

They go out networking, they spend all this time at networking events, but when someone asks, “What do you do for a living?” what is your answer?

“Oh, I’m a coach” or “Oh, I’m a writer” or “Oh, I’m a CPA” or “Oh, I’m this or that.”

The problem with that approach is that the minute you tell people the category or business you’re in, that’s the EXACT second you’re put in a box, not of your own making, by the way.

In fact, this box is YOUR past experience working with someone like you. So, if they had a bad experience or didn’t like the person, or whatever happened, guess who now brushes (ugly)?

That’s right, you do.

However, when you have a unique selling proposition, you still tell people what you do, but you present it in a way that is MUCH more interesting and allows you to create your own “shared mind” if you want, with that person.

So if you’re looking to create your own unique selling proposition, but don’t know where to start, I always tell clients: Look at who you work with and see if some similarities don’t start to present themselves.

Maybe they are businesswomen, lawyers or entrepreneurs. It doesn’t matter much what it is, just that it is clear and specific, as that will be the target market that people will start to identify with.

From there, what you do is tell other people how you work with those people in the form of a benefit. So for me, “busy entrepreneurs” is my target market and “grow and monetize your reputation as an expert” is my benefit.

So if I’m talking to a coach or consultant or someone like that, they can very quickly identify the potential benefit for themselves. (I say “potential” because right now, all they know is my first sentence. To really find out if what I have to say can actually be useful to them, they need to ask me, “So how do you do what?”)

And now I’m off talking about my business and doing my “elevator pitch.” See how easy it was and how by doing so you will be well on your way to better monetizing your reputation as an expert.

So let’s get out there and make it happen!

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *