These days, you are who Google says you are. Therefore, as a small business owner, it’s crucial that you establish yourself as an expert in your industry. 

Why? Because most people turn to Google when they are looking for a solution to their problem. Due to the information age we are living in, we tend to research everything before buying anything.

So, what can you do to better establish yourself as an expert?

Write Articles.

When you are passionate about a subject, you probably have a lot to say about it. Writing articles are a good way to share your knowledge. You can either publish these articles on a blog or share them on various platforms such as Medium, LinkedIn or Connected Women. What this does is allow people to get to know you through the articles you write. It helps Google find and identify you as an expert on the topic, and if you play your cards correctly, allow your target market to locate you when they need help. Remember to always have a link to your website or have a call-to-action (CTA) with every article. This makes it easy for anyone who comes across your articles to find you.

Speak at Events.

Another way of becoming known as an expert is to speak at events. The easiest way is to start small. Look for events that are well attended by your target market. Approach the organisers to find out if you can speak at their next event. For example, if you are a business coach, look for events for business owners. Remember to speak on a topic that is relevant to your audience and make sure you practise before going to speak. Be well prepared with good slides or handouts for the audience and be sure to do research on any statistics or case studies you are presenting. There is nothing worse than a speaker who is not confident about their topic and hems/haws when presented with questions. Share your presentation or key points with your audience after the event and you may publish a simplified version on the internet as well. It helps you to build credibility as an expert.

Participate in Discussions.

There are loads of forums and communities online that are formed around various topics. Look for the ones relevant to you and start participating in them. Don’t charge in and become a know-it-all. Instead, contribute by providing valuable advice and insights on what you know based on your wealth of experience. Participate with the intention of sharing your knowledge instead of selling. People like genuine helpfulness and you will find them reaching out to you when they need more information.

Start becoming an expert by doing the above and you can look forward to more people reaching out to you for solutions to their problems.

Visit UnBusy Entrepreneur to find out more about Olivia's work.

_{This post was first published on www.olivia.thechiongs.com and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.
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