What Makes You An Expert?
One of the purposes of blogging is to exhibit your expertise on a subject related to your business.
But how do you know you are an expert?
Do you need a PhD? Twenty years experience? Your name on a book?
Many of the entrepreneurs that I work with are reluctant to label themselves an expert because they think it implies that they know everything.
Some of the most knowledgeable and experienced are also the most reluctant to call themselves an “expert”.
They are keenly aware of how much they don’t know and don’t want to present themselves as someone “who knows everything.”
When you know a lot about something, it’s easy to forget how much the average person knows.
If you spend 8 hours a day working on your passion - real estate, cooking, programming, writing, illustrating, etc. - you have knowledge and perspective that the average person doesn’t have - and doesn’t have the time to develop.
They want someone - you! - to give them the benefit of the time and energy you’ve put into gaining that knowledge.
The key to establishing your expertise and using it to develop loyalty with your customers is:
1) tell them what you know
2) admit what you don’t know
Your customers don’t expect you to know everything. And they would be skeptical if you claimed that you did.
If you’re honest, you will build trust. When people trust you, they will do business with you.
A blog is a great way to demonstrate to your customers (and to yourself) what you know.
There is no test, degree or certification that can make you feel like an expert.
Sometimes you just have to dig deep, look inside and ask yourself - am I ready?
And then - take the plunge!!
How about you? Do you think of yourself an expert? Why or why not?
photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Blogging, motivation
12 opinions for What Makes You An Expert?
Alina Popescu
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:47 am
Hi Liz! I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, I’d say I have relevant expertise in some fields :)
But I know quite a few people that I’d recommend as experts in their field, although they wouldn’t call themselves that. So I would say those one shares expertise with define him/her as an expert.
Julius
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:56 am
I have to agree with what you say. Working with events sometimes it is much better to say “we didn’t think of that” instead of coming up with silly excuses.
We can always demonstrate we are indeed experts by saying: “But you may want to consider this and that”.
I always got great feedback when telling the truth about what I don’t know.
The Baldchemist
Mar 17, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Calling yourself an expert is a bit self indulgent.
The World is full of experts who were mis-understood.
The only time you can call yourself an expert is on your own what you create or invent.
Just take a look at The World and see how often experts contradict each other and how we all suffer because the expertise was at fault.
Classic examples; the war in Irak; the experts who told us that global warming isn’t a problem.
Experts ( and religion ) told Copernicus, Darwin, Crick & Watson they were wrong.
By the way expertise is not the same as being an expert.
Thanks for the thoughts. The Baldchemist
Liz Fuller
Mar 17, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hi Alina
The word “expert” sounds so static - as though it is something that is achieved once and then maintained - when in reality I think we are all working toward developing our own areas of expertise - and it is a continual process.
So I agree - saying that you have expertise in a certain field is probably more accurate - and still enables you to share your knowledge.
Liz Fuller
Mar 17, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Julius
I think it adds to your credibility to admit when you don’t know something - and it increases your expertise because it gives you something else to find out and learn. People enjoy it when you’re comfortable enough to admit what you don’t know and are open to learning new things. I’m sure your audiences enjoy that about your presentations.
Liz
Liz Fuller
Mar 17, 2008 at 6:28 pm
The Baldchemist,
Anything taken to the extreme can be dangerous. That’s why I think it is essential to be aware of your limitations. It’s difficult and risky to be an expert on something as important and complex as military initiatives and global warming. It is dangerous to have people with large egos who are not in touch with their own biases making those decisions.
However, most entrepreneurs I know err on the side of being too humble and too lacking in self-confidence. They are hesitant to own the expertise they have in their own businesses. I do believe that a person can develop expertise - and even be an expert in something more narrow and focused.
While they may not always be right, if they share their views in a non-dogmatic way, then I think they can add value to people who otherwise haven’t had the opportunity to develop that level of expertise.
And in the end we all have to remember that an expert’s opinion, is still only an opinion, and we need to think for ourselves.
Liz
The Baldchemist
Mar 18, 2008 at 3:10 am
Hello again Liz.
yes your right an experts opinion is only an opinion but supposedly a well informed opinion; often backed up with ego and dogma. All the arguments that show one cannot be wrong and they will fight to the end to prove themselves.
The decision maker on the other hand often doesn’t have an opinion and relies and the “informed” and often the source of expertise later to be proven wrong by other”experts”. hence the sticky predicament we find urselves in now.
Thanks for your words and narrative though. Nice to comment and to be allowed to do that. Thanks again .
Take good care and get all the joy you can everyday
The Baldchemist
Mar 18, 2008 at 3:12 am
Just a short note; why be aware of limitations?
Don’t place limits. Knowledge is cheap these days.
BC
Liz Fuller
Mar 19, 2008 at 5:06 am
To the Baldchemist
Re: experts
I think we’re looking at two ends of a continuum - those who are so confident and dogmatic that never doubt their own ability as experts and can influence the uninformed masses and those who lack confidence in their expertise and don’t realize that they have knowledge that it is important to share.
My post was really intended toward the latter group who might be inhibited about sharing their expertise in a blog. Perhaps there is another post in there about cautioning overzealous “experts” from coming across too strong - and another in reminding advice-seekers not to take the word of experts without applying their own reasoning and common sense.
re: limitations
I think there is a difference between actual limitations and limiting beliefs. We should be aware of our own limitations - I wouldn’t go so far as to advise someone on medical, law or tax issues, for example. That’s a real limitation about which I am not qualified to speak.
A limiting belief however is a perception I have about reality that may not be true - ex. Nobody will read my blog, nobody cares what I have to say, etc. It’s also important to be able to recognize limiting beliefs that are getting in the way of doing things I want to do.
Thanks for your thought provoking comments!
Liz
Coffee Break
Mar 23, 2008 at 7:41 am
[…] this week I wrote about claiming your identity as an expert. This post from Chris Baggott at Chiefmarketer expands on that […]
Sunday Brunch - March 23rd | Words of a Broken Mirror
Mar 23, 2008 at 12:13 pm
[…] and Blogging featured two very interesting pieces this week. One trying to explain what makes someone an expert. The second one sharing a six questions method to keeping blogs fresh and preventing blogging […]
What’s For Dinner?– Are Blog Reviews The New Key To Success For Your Industry?
Mar 26, 2008 at 10:12 am
[…] recently explained how a blog can highlight the blogger’s expertise. It’s important to remember that the principle of using a blog to exhibit authority applies […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: