You’re an Expert – Oh Yes, You Are! Part 2

Yesterday, we talked about the fact that everyone is an expert at something.  You have an area that you either know a ton about or that you’re passionate about, or (better yet) both.  If you’re still not convinced you’re an expert at something, it might help to drop the word “expert.”  For some, that word has a specific meaning that they just can’t seem to equate with who they are.  So if that’s the case for you, don’t get hung up on the word.  The bottom line is that if you love to do something, and/or you know how to do something really well, you can turn that into a business.

So let’s get down to the business of business.  How do you take what you know and love, and make money at it?  There are some specific steps anyone can take to go from nothing more than an idea to an information empire.  It takes time to build, it takes patience to see it though, and more than anything it takes consistent action, so if you’re up for that, here’s what to do:

1.   Start blogging!  If you’re going to establish yourself as an expert, you’ve got to give people reason to believe you in fact know what you’re talking about.  There’s no better way to do that than with a blog.  Blogging allows you to share your thoughts and knowledge on any topic, without having to spend a lot of money or convince a publisher or literary agent to take you on.  There are many sites and books on how to set up a blog and get started blogging, so we won’t go into that here, but just know that you need a blog to begin to assert yourself as an expert.

2.   Market your blog.  Again, there is a ton of information out there telling you how to effectively market your blog and get traffic to your site.  Find the best stuff (here’s a good list to start), and absorb as much as you can.  Be a sponge!  But don’t let this step keep you from starting the first step.  Get your blog up, and start writing.  You won’t get much (or any) traffic to begin with, and that’s fine.  It’s no reason to wait – after all, once you learn how to get traffic, you want to send people to a site with some content on it!

3.   Speaking of content, write some great content.  You might not be a great writer, and that’s fine.  Look around at some of the most successful blogs out there, and you’ll see that most of the experts on various topics cannot consider themselves expert writers.  The idea is to write content that gets your blood pumping.  If you’re passionate about your topic, your passion will come across in your writing, and that’s the most important thing.  If you’re really bad at grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. consider having someone edit your stuff.  You can get a friend who’s good at it, or pay a few bucks to a virtual assistant.  At first though, just concentrate on writing as much good content as you can.

4.   While you’re blogging, begin creating content (in the form of e-books, videos, audios, etc.) that people will pay for.  The “gurus” differ on whether to monetize your blog right away or wait until you have a following, and you’ll have to decide what’s right for you.  But if you don’t already have content created that you can offer for sale, don’t make the mistake of waiting to start until you have something to sell.  Get started and create your paid content as you go.  As your following grows, you’ll get questions and comments from people that will give you ideas as to what people want to know, and that will help direct your paid content.  Again, how to create this content is available all over the Internet.  Research which mediums are right for you, and how to create it.  It’s not hard.  It just takes learning the ins and outs.

5.   The sky’s the limit.  Over time, you’ll become known as the expert you didn’t even know you were several months earlier.  As this persona grows, there are innumerable ways to capitalize on it.  Think books, CD programs, speaking engagements, workshops, seminars… the list is endless.   Look at anyone you consider to be an expert, and whatever they’re doing in their field, you can do in yours.  Is it your dream to be on the Today Show, or Oprah?  You can be there!

You are an expert.  And as an expert, you owe it to the world to share your expertise with those who want to learn from you.  Is it harder than I make it sound?  Probably.  Will you run into unexpected challenges and obstacles?  Absolutely.  Welcome to the entrepreneurial world.  But remember this: There isn’t a success story in the history of the world that doesn’t include tales of hard work and overcoming challenges.  If anyone has done it, so can you.  So don’t make excuses – make it happen!

John Holling is a serial entrepreneur, a writer, and a blogger with a long history of entrepreneurial ventures in a wide range of industries.  View his full profile here.