When I chat with people about personal branding tips a common theme surfaces in most young new graduates, students, and entrepreneurs – not enough experience. More importantly than not having enough experience is not having a way to stand out in the crowd – or the industry in which they are or wish to be working in.
So here is a 5-step process that will allow you to be deemed an expert in any field within 6 months.
Start a business.
Pick a name and register a business. A sole proprietorship will do the trick, you won’t need anything too expensive or over the top – for under $100 you can register your own business online. Register a domain name to go along with it and put up a static company website with contact information for the time being.
This gives you the professional aura that you’ll need and instantly gives you some credibility. You aren’t just another freelancer in the industry that’s there one day and gone the next. This will give your clients some peace of mind.
Lots of reading and blogging.
After you have your business registered and a website on the go get very familiar with the industry and start your own blog. Become comfortable critiquing current events and giving your opinions and recommendations on things. Keep your blog semi-professional and avoid any negative posts unless they are constructive – don’t complain for the sake of complaining unless you can suggest how to fix it. Some things to write about may include current events and trends in the industry, your take and perception on certain things, or some personal tips and tricks.
Remember not to over-do it, but don’t under-do it either. Don’t let your blog go stagnant, but a new blog post every day can be exhausting. Try for one every 5 days, or once a week.
This gives clients the perception that you are confident and you know what you are talking about – and hopefully by this time it’s the truth.
Freebee or discounted work.
Now that you seem to have the aura and the knowledge to tackle some work go out and find some. You may initially need to offer your services for free or at a discounted rate until you’ve proven yourself.
Let me reiterate that – until you’ve proven yourself. I’m not recommending you undercut the industry and charge prices that you can barely live off of. I mean for the first one or two projects you do offer a highly discounted rate or work for free but explain that this isn’t your typical rate. Your objective after all is to be able to charge a premium as being an industry expert.
This gives you a bit of experience and a portfolio to show off to future clients and on your website.
Present to whoever will listen
Where and how you present will depend on what you’re doing, but now that you have written some short articles, and done some work in the industry, contact some local colleges, universities, high schools, industry groups, media, etc. and offer to present [insert your topic on your industry here]. Create a 15-20 minutes presentation on something you feel is important to learn or know in your industry and ask to present it to students, the media, etc.
This will add to your experiences and credibility in the eyes of both future clients as well as others in the industry. By this time you are beginning to look like an industry expert.
Volunteer and Mentor
Now that you have that expert aura, people will likely start contacting you for advice and help. Take on a couple volunteer roles in your industry – help out with others starting their own business or partner with complimentary services. Mentor students in training in the same industry.
These students won’t forget the help you’ve given them. Your reputation in the industry will reflect the fact that you’ve helped out.
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You are now branded as an expert. This process can typically be done in 6 months if given proper attention. If you are a student, you can start the process while still in school in order to hit the ground running after graduation. Note I haven’t mentioned anything about formal education in this process. Of course a formal university or college education helps but if you can prove yourself in the industry without it, your reputation and experiences will ultimately be worth the most.
As always, I encourage any thoughts or feedback you may have.
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