Business and Marketing Authorities, Experts and Masters

Last week's editorial asked the query "Would you hire yourself?" from the standpoint of, are you qualified to do all the things your net site (or promo emails) state you can.and they received several comments in response & in particular inspired today's editorial around how they define "authorities", "experts" & "masters". After all, I call myself a "Small Business Growth & Promotion Expert" & it got me to wondering if I have earned the title.



Out came the dictionary:

  An "authority" is defined as "an accepted source of knowledge, advice" while
  An "expert" is defined as "a who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field" &
  A "master" is defined as "a person eminently expert in something, as an occupation or science.

We'd be remiss without mentioning those titles which indicate how much revenue someone's made from their clients: "millionaire this" or "multimillionaire that".

& I thought about all the entrepreneurs who avoid the query altogether by selecting titles such as "maven", "goddess", "coach", "mentor", etc. Titles which either have no standard definition when it comes to business or which cover all ranges of a skill set.

Nothing wrong with it... food for thought.

Let's look at it from the business owner's standpoint...

  How to pick a title which & exactly represents our expertise/focus & yet also stands out from a branding standpoint?
  & if you are new in business, what are you able to say about that?
  & from a potential client's point of view...
  Who to trust? If titles mean nothing (& given that someone can declare themselves anything, they don't mean much), whom do you trust?
  Read testimonials, check out credentials, review experience, speak with potential seller to see in case you click, etc.

MY REQUEST TO YOU

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Are you happy together with your "title"?
  Does it represent who you are, what you focus on or what your level of expertise is?
  Do/Will your clients "get it" or do you require to report your business?
  If you are calling yourself an "expert" or a "master", are you able to back it up? For example, while I can basically back up calling myself a "small business & promotion expert", I am not comfortable calling myself a "master" (yet)

Ask yourself the following:

& if you are not happy or comfortable together with your title, now's the time to change it and/or plan what you require to do in 2012 to upgrade your skill set (or select another field).


Articles was adapted from :
Sandra Martini is the founder of SandraMartini.com, a boutique consulting services company helping small business owners around the globe accomplish their missions without sacrificing their lives. As an inspiring & in-demand mentor, trainer & speaker, Sandy has helped hundreds of small business owners across the globe generate sustainable businesses which make a positive impact. Sandy is also the founder of Escalator Promotion, generating client engagement & raving fans by design. Sandy's Done four You services, programs, products & presentations on Escalator Promotion & generating lifetime clients through Extreme Client Care have made her an in-demand & innovative professional.

& if you are not happy or comfortable together with your title, now's the time to change it and/or plan what you require to do in 2012 to upgrade your skill set (or select another field).