Quick question: If you needed surgery, would you rather have a world class specialist, or a generalist that barely passed medical school? I’m guessing you would choose the specialist. But this decision doesn’t just occur with life or death situations – the same applies to most products and services. Buyers want to work with experts, so by convincing your prospects that you are an expert, you will naturally create more demand and close more deals.
“But Tom, I’m not an expert!” Ok, let me ask you a couple more questions.
Do you feel that you and/or your company have more experience in finding, attracting, and selecting talent than your prospect does? I would guess that in the vast majority of cases if your in the staffing and recruiting industry that answer is an emphatic yes.
Next question. Do you feel that you and/or your company is more qualified than most of your competitors? Or to put it another way, do you believe that you do a better job than others in your industry? I’m guessing that again the answer is a confident yes.
Ok, last question. If you answered yes to both of the above questions, NOW do you believe that you are an expert? You should, because you’ve essentially defined what expertise is. Most people don’t consider themselves or their company experts, but the reality is that you have likely developed a higher level of expertise than you give yourself credit for.
There are many ways to establish yourself and your company as experts. Some are simple, and some are pretty difficult. Here are 7 ways to reinforce your expertise:
1. Create a strong, modern website and keep it up to date. Have a clear message of what makes you an expert (your differentiators and credentials) and why that provides value to your client (your value proposition).
2. Complete your LinkedIn profile with a professional headshot, strong summary, certifications and awards, organizations, recommendations, and as many relevant groups as possible. Your profile should read like a marketing piece, not a resume.
3. Make sure your LinkedIn company page is updated, professional, and all employee profiles are linked to it.
4. Write blogs. Don’t like writing? Then get someone in your organization that does, or outsource to a marketing firm.
5. Get interviewed. Reach out to your local media outlets and let them know you are an expert in talent acquisition and management, and that you are always available if they need someone to interview.
6. Speak. Talk to groups about topics you know about, such as effective interviewing, sourcing, employee retention, etc.
7. Network. Get out and meet the people you are selling to. Get involved by volunteering and show people your work ethic and expertise.
Being an expert is one thing, but letting your prospects know you are is how you create demand for your service. By continuously reinforcing your expertise, prospects will be more likely to want to work with you, thereby creating demand, differentiation, and ultimately resulting in more sales.
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