credibility how to showcase your expertise

CREDIBILITY: HOW TO SHOWCASE YOUR EXPERTISE

WHAT IS CREDIBILITY?

• Believable

• You deliver believable goods

• You connect & communicate with your ideal clients

• Customers KNOW you are the go-to person in your field

STEP 1:PUT THE PAST INTO

PERSPECTIVE• It takes time to build up credibility• Think about others who gained your trust

• What caught your attention?• What did you feel?• What did that person offer?• What did you buy & why?• How well did the product deliver?• How hard did you have to work to maintain the

relationship?• Was the connection instant?

STEP 2: WHAT CREDENTIALS DO YOU NEED TO

SUCCEED?• This will depend on your niche

• Degrees• Certifications• Accreditations• Personal experience• Practical, working experience

• Are credentials necessary?• Again, it depends on your niche

ARE CREDENTIALS NECESSARY?

• Do your successful competitors have certificates or accreditations?

• Do they display their degrees after their names?• Do they show accreditation stamps or professional

organization logos on their website?• If yes, then accreditation is important so join the same

professional organizations• Check your local laws!

DISPLAYING YOUR CREDENTIALS

• Show your potential clients that your professional membership is beneficial to them

• Always pay attention to new laws regarding certification

• Show what is legally required for your field• Show what your client or customer most urgently needs• Focus on proven results

STEP 3:MINING YOUR COMPETITION

• How do your competitors position their own credibility?

– What do they sell?– What do they present that you don’t have?– What advantages do you have that they don’t?– What are their clients praising or complaining about?

STEP 4: STORYTELLING

• Think of your website as your ‘story’• Live your story in social networks, guest blog posts,

YouTube videos, media & live venues

• Your story should mirror your ideal clients• Show that you understand their challenges & can

provide solutions

HOW TO TELL A GREAT STORY

• The best way to build credibility is to be real• Tell it ‘like it is’ then edit out anything that doesn’t relate

to your ideal client

• Tip 1: find out their biggest problem, desire or need– Tap into that hidden fear, desire or frustration & build

loyalty & credibility

HOW TO TELL A GREAT STORY

• Tip 2: be yourself

– Speak with your own voice– Avoid pretend images– When reading your blog posts or articles, people should

hear the same voice as if they were speaking to you on the phone

HOW TO TELL A GREAT STORY

• Tip 3: be ruthless with your storytelling– Cut out adjectives & adverbs– Keep sentences short– Avoid self-indulgence– Avoid venting or sharing anecdotes; then it becomes

about YOU instead of your audience– Reveal just enough to connect emotionally– Focus on your client or customer– Stay focused!

HOW TO TELL A GREAT STORY

• Tip 4: be repetitive– Communicate in the manner your audience has come

to expect– Use templates to achieve repetitive consistency– Create regular, recurring features people will recognize

& remember– Repetition equals structure; structure equals safety– Safety equals credibility

HOW TO TELL A GREAT STORY

• Tip 5: be real– If you appear to live a perfect life, your customers won’t

relate to you– If your audience knows you’ve had the same struggles &

frustrations, they will admire your ability to overcome– It’s not about YOU– It’s about your customers & their particular journeys

STEP 5:YOUR AUDIENCE

• Totally understand your particular, unique audience & those who search for you

• Consumers will require more proof of your credibility & talents

• The more thoroughly you can understand & anticipate problems, the better you can prevent misunderstandings & dissatisfaction

• Happy clients = better recommendations = stronger credibility

STEP 6:PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

• Thoroughly understand what you are sharing, selling & teaching

• Understand that what you share is valuable & valid• Provide well-researched information that your clients

can use successfully• Genuinely focus on serving your clients• Care about their problems• Find real solutions

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

• When you value yourself & value your customer, it’s easier to find the perfect solutions

• The more practical experience you have, the more confident you’ll feel

• The more practical experience you have, the more people will recommend you to others

• Promote yourself in the right places

PROMOTE YOURSELF

• Show, don’t tell• Create a video series to showcase your talents• Let each video build upon the previous information • Work up to showcasing your product• Publicize each video episode• Ask other people to share your links• Make sure each episode demonstrates the most

common people have • Make sure each episode offers a simple & logical solution

PROMOTE YOURSELF

• Show, don’t tell• Don’t overwhelm with industry jargon• Focus on your customer & helping them master this

particular need• Write teaser blog posts about your videos & embed the

video on the same page• Include screenshots from your video • When people see your face & hear your tone of voice, it

builds instant credibility & relationship

PROMOTE YOURSELF

• Ask & share• Always include a call to action on all your blog posts,

podcasts, social posts, webinars & videos• You’re not limited to only 1 call to action

• There 4 listed on the next slide• 1 link to the product the author wants you to buy• 1 link to share the knowledge on social media• 1 incentive in the optin form• 1 personalized optin button

PROMOTE YOURSELF

• Stay up to date on changes in your field• New developments/changes• News• New products• New ways of doing things• Deliver this news before others

STEP 7: AUTHENTICITY

1. Be transparent• Admit when you don’t know the answer to something• Find a suitable answer

1. Build your reputation• People should know what you stand for; what you can

provide; what you can help them with; what you won’t do

AUTHENTICITY

3. Learn to listen• Your clients want to know you care about them• Don’t worry about saying the perfect thing• Even if YOU have heard this question before, it’s new to

your client or customer• Real listening involves:

• Acknowledging• Mirroring back• Re-stating the main point• Wait until your questioner has finished before

offering solutions

AUTHENTICITY

4. Use current & professional photographs on your site

5. Know your mission

6. Know your values

7. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know but let me find out.”

STEP 8: REASSURANCE

1. Delivery• Deliver what you promised• Does it do what you said it would?• Upsells should be presented for people who want

more, NOT as a missing piece of the solution• Providing more than the customer asked for is optional• Avoid offering extra bonuses if they are not

• Related to the product they bought• Do not add or enhance your product• Require sign ups for each one

REASSURANCE

2. Testimonials, Referrals, Recommendations• Make it easy for customers to recommend you• Use calls to action• Ask for referrals

• Make it a habit• Make it part of your contract or sales agreement• Make it easy to do with sharing social media buttons• Make it part of your printed materials• Make it part of your website

TESTIMONIAL EXAMPLES

TESTIMONIAL EXAMPLES

REASSURANCE

3. Customer Service• After the sale, focus on follow up & customer service• Provide customers with easy customer service options

• Easy access to your site• Find information quickly• Multiple ways to contact you• Understand how you will respond & in what time frame

• Consider outsourcing customer service tasks

STEP 9: FOLLOW UP

• Nurture, nourish & continue to build your relationships with your fans & followers; visitors & subscribers; customers & clients

• Maintain multiple platforms: social media, forums, guest speaking & events

• Plan well so there are no gaps in your web visibility• Treat these as REAL relationships• Be there & care about these relationships

FOLLOW UP TIPS

• Don’t bombard people with constant new offers• Give them time to check out, use & think about your last

offer

• Don’t disappear for weeks or months at a time & expect them to remember you

• Provide tips, FAQs & answers to questions

• Keep them up to date on changes or products new to your field

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