Become the Authority in Your Niche

#1. Specialize – Without question it is easier to become well-known if you are extremely good at something. But if you become really good at something specific? Now you’re pouring gasoline on the fire.

• Example, say you are a real estate agent in New York City. You don’t want to just be another of the 1,000’s of realtors grinding those same low-end MLS listings. You want to be the realtor that specializes in high-end New York City properties. Maybe you specialize in brownstone buildings, or upper-east side. Find your sweet spot and own that market segment. The neighborhood will, over time, recognize you as an authority of the area if you keep that specialization going.
  

#2. Identify your target audience – Who are you trying to serve? What does your ideal customer look like? Develop a composite of the people that you want to know you. Are they a certain age? Male, female, or both? What income level do they have? What profession are they in? What hobbies do they have?

• Be as detailed as necessary. It is important to know who you’re trying to reach.
• Avoid wasting your time with those who are not in your niche. Focus your time and efforts on that micro-niche you have identified for yourself.
• Do you have a specific target audience (schools, birthday parties, whatever) you can make sure you have a landing page to market them individually and directly.

#3. Rise above the noise – What does your audience need? What is the common problem they all have that you can help them identify from a position of authority? Center your message around this need and your ability to solve it.

• Noise is simply non-meaningful messaging. Be meaningful to your audience.
• Identify their need/problem/issue. Whether you are that real estate agent or a balloon artist the approach is exactly the same. You are filling a need / solving a problem by opening up the conversation first.

#4. Become the authority in your niche – When people want to solve a problem, they don’t want another expert, they want an authority. But how does the average person spot an authority? They’re certainly not authorities themselves, or they wouldn’t need you.

Consider these ideas to make sure you are being positioned as the authority in your niche:

• Put content in front of ready-made audiences. There are others who already have the attention of those you want to reach. Target their audiences with your advertising and content.
• Becomes an amazing podcast host or guest. Don’t be fooled. Podcasts (and now many have moved over to video and zoomcasts) are still generally a great way to break into new audiences. Can’t decide if you should be a host or guest? No worries. I wrote an article to help you take a few moments for self-reflection to figure out if you want to be a podcast host or guest.
• Offer Digital Learning. Create a free course offered through your website. Put together niche-specific webinars that appeal to your micro audience (weeding out the macro). Giving back value will always put you in a position of authority.
• Put content on social media and on your own website regularly. It’s important to be consistent with your postings, so stick to a schedule. Remember to repurpose content. Record a 1-3 minute video, transcribe it and turn it into an article, pull article bits for social media content, etc.. Take each bit of content down the rabbit hole so you start developing really specific content for your audience.
• Write a book. It’s not as daunting as it seems. It would only take a few pages a day to write a book in a couple of months. NOT AN E-BOOK. Everyone and their mother have done one of those already. A real book, you can market to your niche as a complimentary offer, and then bring them into your marketing sequence.

#5. Network your ass off! You can gain traction and authority by association. Interview the experts in your field of work. Whether it’s for a podcast or just an interview series on your website. It’s a great way to get your name out and start elevating it with the talent around you.

• Example. Back to that New York City Realtor – Interview people in the mortgage business, assessors, surveyors, builders, etc.
• Another Example: You have a local puppet guild and do shows at the library and parties. Connect with other people in either the edutainment space (like a reptile wrangler) and share leads and opportunities or try to create a group package for larger events.