| It's safe to say that I was good at my job. | | | | the whims of the financial marketplace. |
| Actually, very good at my job. I loved | | | | |
| working in public relations, and invested | | | | More importantly, I didn't want my personal |
| time, energy and money into my career. It | | | | success to be contingent on the success of |
| showed, too -- my clients were pleased, my | | | | the people I worked for. Change was |
| supervisors was pleased, and I was pleased | | | | definitely necessary and it was time for me |
| with the work I did. | | | | to take charge of my own destiny. |
| | | | |
| For ten years, that was enough. I spent a | | | | I made a promise to myself: If my ship was |
| decade in the industry -- ten years that gave | | | | going to sink, it was going to sink with me |
| me all kinds of skills, valuable industry | | | | standing at the helm. If no one was looking |
| insights, heaps of practical experience, and | | | | out for my best interests, it was up to me to |
| a vast network of contacts. | | | | do so. |
| | | | |
| How much of this helped when the economy took | | | | At this point, I decided to take a good hard |
| a downturn and my employers were forced to | | | | look at the people who were successful -- |
| downsize? None. Not one little teeny-weeny | | | | industry leaders, gurus, speakers, teachers |
| bit. I was out on the street with many of my | | | | and masters in their professions. These |
| contemporaries. | | | | highly visible, very successful entrepreneurs |
| | | | had three traits in common: |
| Believe it or not, the same thing happened at | | | | |
| the next job. | | | | - They were all considered experts in their |
| | | | fields. |
| And the next. | | | | |
| | | | - They all made substantial and on-going |
| Why was this happening? | | | | efforts to promote their expert identity. |
| | | | |
| It was happening because I'd made the classic | | | | - They all achieved their position through |
| professional mistake. I'd become invisible. | | | | hard work and smart marketing. |
| | | | |
| I don't mean that I'd become transparent. | | | | I quickly realized that none of them was born |
| Physically, of course, nothing had changed. | | | | an expert. Experts aren't born, they're made. |
| But in a marketplace filled with a glut of | | | | Analyzing the process of how some |
| public relations professionals, nothing made | | | | professionals achieve high profile success |
| me stand out from the crowd. I was one of a | | | | revealed some surprising secrets: there are |
| million -- the proverbial tree in the forest. | | | | seven integral steps service professionals |
| Then, when it came time to thin that forest, | | | | can take to position themselves as the |
| I was one of the first to go. | | | | Expert. |
| | | | |
| Does this sound familiar? Chances are it | | | | Being the Expert is the most lucrative, |
| might. Some of you may well recognize my | | | | prominent place in any niche market. Having |
| situation since it certainly was not unusual, | | | | realized that, I had to find my own niche. If |
| nor unique to the public relations arena. | | | | these other professionals could position |
| Accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, | | | | themselves as Experts, so could I. |
| marketing directors, advertising | | | | |
| professionals, you name it -- service | | | | But in what niche? I looked at my career. I |
| professionals of every stripe face the same | | | | focused my attention on what areas my |
| issue. The marketplace is overflowing with | | | | experience gave me the most pleasure. I had |
| highly skilled professionals who offer top | | | | spent countless hours helping exhibitors be |
| quality services, yet the consumer would be | | | | more effective at tradeshows. Much of this |
| hard pressed to recognize one provider from | | | | work included training and coaching staff |
| the next. | | | | members who worked the show on behalf of |
| | | | their company. I felt confident advising |
| Nothing differentiates one advisor from the | | | | clients about what did and didn't work on the |
| next. Can your clients tell which of a dozen | | | | trade show floor. |
| advertising executives has the insight to | | | | |
| handle their account? There's a real problem | | | | The path was clear: For the past twenty |
| of sameness. The public not only views the | | | | years, I've enjoyed a very comfortable |
| services offered as commodities, but the | | | | existence as the Trade Show Coach. It's been |
| service providers are also well on the way to | | | | wonderful: world wide travel, lucrative |
| destruction - becoming commodities as well. | | | | speaking engagements, work I enjoy. Who could |
| | | | ask for more? |
| I don't know about you, but personally, the | | | | |
| thought of becoming a commodity doesn't | | | | Combining my professional skills with my |
| appeal. I don't view myself in those terms. I | | | | personal passions led to the career of my |
| don't believe my expertise and my passion can | | | | dreams: one in which my success wasn't |
| be interchanged for that of any of my | | | | dependent on anyone else. Being a |
| colleagues and no one would be the wiser. I | | | | Nichepreneur worked for me, and it can work |
| especially didn't want the label "commodity" | | | | for you! |
| when it meant my livelihood was subject to | | | | |