Global business has never been so easy. With high speed internet, social media and the power of cloud based technology, your office can be located in any city of the world without interruption to your business. You can easily do business with anyone, regardless of location. This has led, in many industries, to an over supply of service providers competing for business. So how do you stand out from your competitors to become number one in your industry?
Believe it or nor there are proven steps to becoming number one. It's true that every successful person has their own story of how they reached the top, yet talk to them, read their biographies, the steps taken are so similar if not the same.
Know Your Stuff Inside Out
Many experts claim to know the ins and outs of their industry when in fact they are incredibly adept at the art of imitation. Do not simply copy what others are doing. Be unique. Keep updated with industry changes, subscribe to as many industry publications and emails as you can. Be the first to announce industry developments and become known for being the 'go-to' person. Of course a credible reputation will not develop overnight, but remaining persistent and consistent with your knowledge sharing and unique view points will soon have others following you.
Put Yourself Out There
Any person at the top of their game will tell you the same thing, success did not come by following the crowd or being meek and mild. As a leader in your industry you must be confident to speak your mind, to launch ideas and comments that not everyone will agree with. You will always get resistance from those who disagree with you, so you must be resilient enough to stand your ground and believe in your ideals.
Always Think Diligence and Ethics
You have two choices in business. You can become friends with your customers and give in to discounts and doing things the easy (sometimes not so official) way, or you set very clear boundaries between your business persona and friend persona. Does this mean you cannot become friends with a client? No. But you must always remember to charge your worth and value your abilities highly. Make this clear from the commencement of any business relationship and stick to it. In addition, if your industry is one with official standards, you must comply with these standards at all times and never compromise your ethics. If a customer does not appreciate this then ditch them. Your integrity is too valuable to sacrifice for any price. Remaining ethical and diligent will also deliver a reputation of respect.
Do Not Base Your Pricing on Competitors
Let's use the travel industry as a classic example. Flight Centre in Australia under quoted every travel agent in town. A 100% guarantee to beat any other price. Flight Centre are still in business, over 3000 travel agencies in Australia since 2009 have gone bust. Reason? They could not compete price wise. Obviously Flight Centre is not the single reason for the demise of the travel industry, but panic and price matching is a major factor. Rather than constantly monitoring your competitors activities and trying to price match, focus on your business. Focus on why your services far exceed those of your competitors and promote these value adds. I know of over 100 corporate companies who never accept the cheapest quote. It's not all about the money, it's about the level of your service. Offer the best, you can then charge more and people will pay it. Of course this may take time but concentrate on being the best, not the cheapest.
Offer to Speak at Industry Conferences
80% of conference organisers look for speakers. Click on websites for upcoming conferences and you will almost always find an area for speakers and a contact to whom you can offer your services. Practice your speaking and offer your expertise. This is one of the most effective ways to become a renowned leader in your industry.
Be Online Be Visible
No-one becomes number one by being difficult to find. In this day and age that means having a professional online brand and profile. If someone types your name into Google make sure you dominate the first few pages and have the words 'expert', 'leader' or 'influencer' in the first line of your online bio regardless of whether it is your social media bio, blog bio or forum bio. Your identity and brand must be visible so that your image is the one that sticks in peoples minds.
Network
Sure, networking can be a pain. However, it is a necessary pain if your plan is to become number one. If you aim to be number one in your local area then attend local meet ups (found on meetup.com), join business clubs such as BNI (see bni.com.au) or look into joining Rotary (not so much for the oldies anymore). Create your business personality so that others remember you as the expert when seeking advice.
For those aiming for a global reputation, get on to Linkedin and start connecting with as many people in your industry as possible. Then join groups and start commenting on discussions from your expert point of view.
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What steps can you take today to start your journey to becoming number one in your industry?
- Review and update your online profile. Ensure it is consistent across all platforms.
- Research online publications and news channels for your industry and subscribe to as many as possible.
- Start connecting with others online and make your voice heard.
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