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It was only yesterday that I was reading a broker's post online where he was complaining about how many new people had entered his industry over the last five years in his geographic location.
The more he delved deeply into his tale of woe, the more I wanted to challenge him on what he was doing to stay ahead of the pack. It is easy to look at everything as a problem rather than focus on a solution. Hey, most of us have done so at some time in our lives, so I could see his justification story rolling along nicely.
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There are industries that can be very lucrative where high amounts of trust and even higher amounts of money can be put on the line. By its very design, the broking and wealth professional industries can almost get a young man as excited as he does about his football.
I have used a broker many times, and when I was first in need of one I found that I was bombarded with choice. Each had a professional website. Many had an online presence with great client testimonials and a smart professional photo, yet the more I looked, the more it seemed they were morphing into one identity. And in case you didn't know, that is the worst thing that can happen to you in your industry.
Everything seemed 'vanilla' until I came across a website where the broker had a great little video on the home screen. He made himself real and unique. He was confident, assured and personable. Have one guess who I called for my broking needs?
I wanted to share with you how you can stand out in a crowded industry and become the 'go-to' provider as, after all, we could all use a competitive advantage.
1. Look at your message
As I mentioned earlier, when you are in a highly saturated market, you need to be unique to attract those people who, like me, saw rows upon rows of red Porsches when all I wanted to see was a black Lamborghini.
Make sure that your copy is clear, concise and, above all, appealing to the type of person you want to work with. Make your message magnetic by clearly identifying your market, stating how you can solve your prospect's problem and what results in advance they would get if they decided to work with you.
2. Go where your ideal clients are
Most of us have heard the saying 'shooting fish in a barrel'. The description alone makes it sound easy to hit your target rather than fishing in a large lake with the wrong bait. Spend some time identifying and researching where your ideal clients spend their time.
As a general rule they will be on LinkedIn, yet don't discount other places like Facebook or online wealth creating information blogs and the like. When you enter into their space, make sure that you respect it and interact in a professional manner and add as much value as you can.
Become the authority figure and expert within your prospect's space. If done the right way, you will start to get results. The results might be a visit to your website (yes they will go online to check you out!), an email or a message.
3. Write a book
My number one way to stand out and become the go-to expert in a saturated niche is to write a book on your experience and knowledge. Nothing instantly establishes your credibility more than becoming a published author. There is a high level of trust and respect attached with someone who has had the courage and foresight to write a book and share their story with the world.
Electronic books, white papers and special reports are now a dime a dozen and any website worth their salt has one as an opt-in or value add.
There are so many ways that having a published book will expand your reach and build your profile within the industry.
Firstly, being able to write on your website or social media pages 'Author of [insert book title]' immediately arouses the prospect's curiosity. You become a person of interest.
Secondly, your opportunity for media coverage goes through the roof, whether it be contributing to various industry publications or interviews on local radio. I have contributed to over 50 publications and been interviewed on local and national radio since publishing my fourth book earlier this year.
Thirdly, you quickly become an industry leader and authority figure by your peers and your visibility can go from invisible to larger than life. Your referrals will increase, especially when your or raving fans have the opportunity to give a potential client a copy of your book. It is your business card on steroids.
Business today is competitive, so everyone should be looking for a competitive advantage. So rather than looking at your industry as saturated and all the reasons why you aren't growing your business as you hoped, have a look at how you can stand out from the crowd and generate new business with ease.
Natasa Denman, founder, Ultimate 48 Hour Author
Natasa Denman is a skilled business coach and mentor, author of five best-selling books, and founder of Ultimate 48 Hour Author.
Within her mentoring program, she guides time-poor entrepreneurs and business owners through the publishing process so that they can have their own story in print.
For more information visit www.natasadenman.org.
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