“Expertise Marketing” – the ability to be perceived as the expert in your industry.
The important word is perceived. While you need to be somewhat of an expert, you don’t need to know everything. But, you need to know where to get information and understand how to use it. You want people to come to you for answers about anything related to your industry – even the things you don’t do or sell. Because if they come to you for the things you don’t do, surely they will come to you for the goods and services you can provide.
For example, my financial advisor is really a stockbroker. He sells stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. He doesn’t sell insurance, mortgages, tax advice, estate planning and many other things associated with financial services. However when I have a question about any of the things just listed, the products and services he doesn’t sell, I still call him. Yes, I know he doesn’t sell them, but I still value his advice. He searches out information for me and tells me where to go or who to see for the services he does not provide. I see him as my source for anything financial.
Think about this. How would you like your customers calling you for anything even remotely related to what you do or sell – anything! Even for what you don’t sell! What that tells me is that your customers think of you first, always. You want your customers and clients to call you. You want to be their single source of information about anything related to what you do. You are the experts and they will not make a move without you.
“Expertise Marketing” helps to develop loyalty that insures your customers and clients will call you and not your competition. The bottom line is they trust your abilities, they trust your expertise and they trust you.
Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692- 2200. Email: shep@hyken.com Web: www.hyken.com