Every small business owner wants to be thought of as an expert in his or her field. But do you have what it takes to be a celebrity expert–in other words, gain national exposure? It’s easier than you think. In today’s guest post, PR guru Marsha Friedman tells you what it takes to be a celebrity expert.
We live in a world where the popular media is plugged in and turned on 24/7, 365 days a year. Being an industry expert is easier than ever these days, but perhaps you feel a little “industry envy” when it comes to your field. The reality? No field is too big or too small to brand yourself as the go-to expert.
Think New Hudson, Michigan, is too isolated to be a hot spot for experts and celebrities? Think gardening is too insignificant a subject to own as the go-to expert? Jerry Baker disagrees. Known as “The Flower Expert,” Jerry has carved out an enviable niche for himself that stretches far beyond the Finger Lakes. His radio show, On the Garden Line, is syndicated nationwide, and his gardening specials have been televised on PBS.
So how did Jerry—and other celebrity experts like dog whisperer Cesar Millan, Emeril Lagasse and Bill Nye “The Science Guy” do it???Simple – they answered the following eight quick questions to determine whether or not their expertise could support the kind of career that celebrity is made of:
- Does what I do have value? We all like to think what we do is valuable, not just to us, but to the world at large. Every job has value; we just have to determine exactly what ours is.
- Do I love what I do? Celebrities, experts, pundits, gurus (call them what you will)– the go-to people in ANY field absolutely love what they do. Chances are if you’re reading this article, you do too.
- Do I love talking to people about what I do? Celebrities are natural talkers, not because they like to hear themselves speak, but because they just can’t help but share their enthusiasm for what they do with other people.
- Do I wish more people could do what I do? Experts in every field naturally believe their field is THE field; they want everyone to share their love of gardening, dogs, accounting, flying, etc.
- Do I have an intense desire to reach a bigger audience? We all want to go a little farther, reach a little more and do it a little faster, but experts in their fields really do enjoy dominating a larger playing field each year they’re in the game.
- Do I know my passion inside and out? One thing that always amazes me about my clients is how well they know their business. Experts aren’t called that because they “kinda, sorta” know what they’re talking about. When you know your field backward and forward, you are ready, willing and most importantly able to Celebritize Yourself.
- Do I want more credibility through books, CDs, interviews and more? Modern experts recognize that they must become “celebrities” to get the recognition and credibility they deserve; they see this as a natural progression of their industry expertise.
- Do I want to learn more by teaching more? Lastly, every expert I’ve ever met, written about, helped publicize or interviewed for my radio show has been a natural-born teacher. People with expertise want to share that expertise and do so willingly; in teaching others about what it is they do (dog training, bounty hunting, science, flowers), they learn even more – about themselves, their audience and their industry.
So you see, becoming a world-recognized expert in your field – any field – doesn’t require a Ph.D., a 90210 ZIP code or a nationally-televised talk show. All you need to dominate your field, any field, is the confidence to “Celebritize Yourself” and the right answers to all of the above questions.
Marsha Friedman is a 21-year veteran of the public relations industry and a sought after national public speaker on the power of publicity. She is the founder and CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.GuaranteedNationalPR.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy, promotion and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is also the author of the book Celebritize Yourself: The 3-Step Method to Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business. When she is not running her business, she has Cherish the Children, a nonprofit foundation that helps under-privileged local foster children.
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