Apr 3, 2017
When we were thinking through the significant elements of why people trust others for how we would approach Advisors Prep, one word kept creeping into the conversation. Authority. I’m constantly amazed at how many people re-post or tweet stories or articles as fact when they’re written by amateurs or worse yet, plain ol’ hacks. Clearly they are not well defined or authoritative in any way. How does that reflect on the sender?
One of the things we set out to do with Advisors Prep is provide valuable content to save an Advisor time when developing a unique product to help him or her market themselves through a variety of channels. Helping you become the authority, not act authoritatively, is what makes the difference. Just look at the way you consume media and gather information yourself. I’ll bet you see through so many “authors” that it’s clear they have no clue what they’re talking about. Everything you do is a reflection of your way of operating. How you represent your business is, ultimately, how you’ll represent your clients as well.
If you’re playing in the social media space, and you should be, what is it that people glean from you? Is it what you want them to see? Does it convey authority in your niche in the financial world? If not, you’re likely not to be promoting yourself favorably and may be getting negative feedback from potential clients before they ever get to see/read/hear what it is you have to offer! You need to fix the problem quickly or suffer the consequences of good intentions gone bad.
Not being seen with authority is preventable from what I’ve seen in so many business categories. Be the authority. Find your niche. Be specific in only a couple of categories and be great in your knowledge of those specialized areas. Earn trust with your process of communication in every medium you use. It’s not going to happen overnight, but over time you’ll see yourself as you intended and others will see you as… the authority they can trust. People do business with people they like and trust. Authority builds trust and is a foundation of any business wanting to lead in their category or niche. Be that person and you’ll see the value of that investment returned in greater lead volume but more importantly, referrals. You’re the trusted source and it’s your authority others will seek out.
I know it sounds a whole lot easier than it is but I’m reminded of it every time I read a business related story and look to the salient content. Somewhere in the best stories there is an association with an authority. If only it were that simple. But like anything, working on it and staying with it always seem to pay off in time. I know I’m sure as heck giving authority a run for its money in my efforts!