00:00 - Sylvia (Host)
I get this question asked a lot. I'm a professional who has great skills, experience and expertise that I've invested in substantially over the years and I work really hard, but I'm one among many. How do I rise above the noise? How do I become the go to authority in my field? Now I want you to think about the professionals that you admire. What sets them apart? It's not just their skills, it's actually their magnetic presence, their ability to captivate and inspire, and so they've actually mastered the art of micro celebrity within their own niche. And that's what I want to focus on in this episode and how you can do this as well. So I want to share the lessons learned by highly visible and well known professionals and how they achieve this level of success and how to distill it into simple steps so you can build this into your practice very easily. So if you're unsure about how to become highly visible and maybe have some hesitations or fears about becoming visible, then I recommend you listen to episode one of this podcast, and I'll actually put a link for that in the show notes.
03:14
But let's get real for a moment. What I'm talking about here, it's not about chasing fame. It's about creating impact. It's about the person your audience turns to for guidance, for insights and for advice, and so this episode is really for any professional in the legal or financial spaces that are ready to become highly visible in their niche, but they're just not sure about where to start or how to get there. So I'm going to actually be sharing insights that will transform the way you approach not only your profession but your online presence. So let's dive in and get started.
03:55
Being recognized as a thought leader is about more than just expertise. It's about visibility. Achieving micro fame in your industry can significantly impact your practice, and this is truly why I'm so passionate about sharing this information with you. It's taken some time to really understand this, to apply it, and I've seen it with my clients, I've seen it with our own practice, and I'm super excited to share with you how you can do this as well. So let me start off by defining, or what I really mean by the word micro famous or becoming a micro celebrity, and it's really just about establishing a strong presence and recognition within a specific niche or community. So the best way to think about it is about being a well known authority in a smaller targeted space, rather than seeking this broad recognition, and so I think many professionals don't spend enough time thinking about this, and I believe it's super important for a couple of reasons.
05:05
In working with many professionals over the years, what I've come to learn is that, as legal or financial professionals, the demand for your services are really quite unpredictable. They're really quite unpredictable, so you need to be visible and top of mind when opportunities arise, when your prospects realize they actually need your help. You can't clearly identify these folks on social media, and so you have to be there for when they need you, so I hope that makes sense. The industries are unpredictable, and so it makes the argument as to why you need to be even more present online in other spaces, so that when folks need your help, you're actually there for them to learn from you and to find out about your services. It's also important that building trust begins with credibility, and so consistency in showcasing your expertise, your reliability and your depth of knowledge. This process, over time, helps to establish a reputation that your audience can come to rely on.
06:20
So gaining trust and micro fame are really related, they're connected, and it really requires repeated demonstrations of expertise, and truly it's an ongoing process of consistently delivering valuable insights and content to your niche. It's not about posting on social media today and then not posting again for another month, or maybe another six months from now, and it's not about delivering a talk to a group of prospects today and then doing another one eight months from now. There's got to be consistency, and that's the point I'm trying to stress here. You've got to create that consistency. The other clear thing about this is that clients are seeking experts who demonstrate a deep understanding of their needs, and so by establishing this authority within a niche, you're going to be attracting prospects who need specialized services, like the specialized services that you offer with your practice, and so the reason being is because what we find is that people are more likely to entrust their needs to an expert rather than a generalist, and I'm sure you've heard this before. There's a lot of truth behind that.
07:34
The other reason why I think it's so important for professionals to really consider becoming a micro celebrity in their niche is because it also offers speaking engagements and partnerships. So what do I mean by that? As a micro celebrity, professionals are sought out after for speaking engagements at industry events, conferences, webinars, et cetera. So, additionally, they're more likely to attract collaboration opportunities and partnerships with other influential figures within their niche. Okay, if you want more details on how to find and collaborate with partners, then you're going to want to download and listen to episode three of the podcast, and I'll include a link to that in the show notes.
08:19
So the other reason why I think it's super important to build this micro celebrity process into your practice is because it commands higher fees. So an authority status often allows professionals to command higher fees for their services, and we see this all the time. So clients are willing to pay a premium for the expertise and specialized knowledge that an authority figure brings to the table. It also creates a competitive advantage. You're in a crowded market and standing out is critical. So being recognized as an authority leader sets professionals apart from competitors and it makes it easier to win business and remain resilient against all the different economic conditions that we're facing. And I think it's also important to note that crafting that micro celebrity status very often leads to increased revenue, because there really isn't any vetting involved at this stage. They've already heard about you, they've learned from you and they're ready to buy, so I think that's also a very important consideration is how it impacts your revenue when you create this micro celebrity. Okay, so I really hope that some of these reasons have convinced you why you need to develop your celebrity status and the urgency around doing it now. Alright, so I want to be upfront with this.
09:48
Becoming a microcelebrity isn't just about lack or overnight success. It's about dedication, it's about consistency and it's about real planning. Any well-known industry expert out there that maybe you've been admiring for a while, they didn't just stumble into the spotlight, okay. They put in the hard work behind the scenes, and that's really where the magic happens. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a thriving personal brand. It's all about the accumulation of consistent effort over time that leads to recognition and influence.
10:24
Alright, so where's the first place you need to start? If you're ready to build your microcelebrity status, where do you begin? And so the very first place is a plan. You need a plan that acts as the backbone of this journey to a microcelebrity status. You can't wing this. Let me repeat this you cannot wing this. And so we know that most of these well-known industry leaders weren't just lucky. They had a plan, and it was a plan that they've implemented consistently and that they continue to implement. That plan may evolve, but there's always a plan involved in creating that consistency. So that's where I really want to start is with that plan, and so I've worked with so many professionals who were just winging their marketing invisibility before they started working with us.
11:16
So I want to take a minute here to share with you what I would include in this plan. And this plan doesn't need to be complicated or fancy I want to stress that but it really does need to contain a couple of important elements, and the first is you need to set some clear objectives, define specific, achievable goals. What do you want to accomplish, who is your target audience and how do you intend to provide value to them? The second part of the plan is really just understanding your audience. It's always quite surprising that some professionals just don't really understand their audience. They haven't done enough research on their audience. So you need to research your audience extensively, understand their pain points, their interests, their preferences and tailor your content and your engagement strategies so that it resonates with the people who you get the best results for. The third part of this plan is your content strategy, and that's really just having a content plan determining the types of content you want to create blogs, videos, podcasts and the platforms that you're going to use to get there and really focus in on providing valuable and engaging content consistently.
12:37
And the fourth part of this plan is the execution part, and that's where the rubber hits the road. You need to lay out a realistic schedule for content creation and engagement, and you have to stick to this schedule. Well, I want you to think about can you implement this on your own and answer that honestly or do you need support? And if you do, where can you find this? And so I know that our busy professional clients really love our Done For you social media and they share what they want to talk about or what they want to be known for, and we also provide them with content ideas because we know the industry well, and so this is where we start with our clients to help them create that celebrity status, and so it's super, super important to have that in place, and so what our clients have told us is that so many of them have received excellent feedback about their content and how it gets the attention of prospects and referral partners. So please remember this Becoming a micro celebrity starts by rolling up your sleeves, putting in the hours and crafting a well thought out plan.
13:46
This doesn't happen overnight. So now that you have a high level plan in place, you need to develop your content strategy. What are you going to talk about and how will you convey this message? So I want to now spend some time and really provide you with some important tips and strategies that I think you need to incorporate into your practice when you want to build the celebrity status, so I'm going to share them with you. Feel free to take notes and see how you can apply this to your practice.
14:16
So the very first place you're going to want to start is to be authentic and genuine in your content, and so you need to speak in your own voice, share personal experiences and opinions, and authenticity really helps in building trust and relatability with your audience. So what I would stress here is don't try to be your competitor. Don't try to be your competitor. Be you and share your unique experiences and your unique perspective on how to help your clients. So let me give you a quick example. If you're a divorce mediator, you could authentically share your personal story with divorce, emphasizing your unique perspective and empathetic approach to mediation, and so, by integrating your personal experience into your professional identity, you're actually connecting with clients on a deeper and more relatable level. So I hope that's making sense.
15:12
Another important tip is valuable and educational content. So what do I mean by that? As a professional, you need to provide immense value through your content, and so you can educate your audience by sharing valuable insights, tips, how to's and actionable advice relevant to your niche, and really think about offering solutions to the problems that you know your audience faces. And what I would suggest is be very generous here. Don't be afraid to give out information. We see this all the time. Well-known experts, they don't hold this information to themselves. Why? Because they recognize that those who learn from them will ultimately buy from them when they have a need. Let me repeat that again Well-known experts don't hold this information to themselves because they recognize that those who learn from it will ultimately buy from them. Okay, and to better organize this, you should have a content marketing calendar and so a schedule that outlines what you'll create, when you'll create it and where and when it will be published meaning on which platforms and this will really help you to deliver consistent and quality content that resonates with your audience. All right, so I love giving examples. Here's another example. Let's assume you're a financial expert. You can actually break down complex financial concepts into simple, relatable terms, and so, by using everyday analogies and practical advice, you can provide highly valuable and educational content that's easily understandable and actionable for your audience.
17:01
Okay, so professionals often hesitate to share behind the scenes content, and this is another great example of the type of content that you wanna build into your practice. It's what we call behind the scenes content, and this can be incredibly valuable, so it shows the process behind your work, behind your team and your daily life, and how it can humanize your brand and helps your audience to connect with you on a deeper level. So it provides a really unique perspective on your industry and it can be super engaging. And, just to give you some examples, it could include a day in the life stories where you share a typical day in your professional life that highlights challenges, wins and maybe the human side of your work. You can include case study walkthroughs. Maybe you include some team introductions Don't forget those client testimonials and success stories. Those are super important. And you can also think about talking about the culture and events happening in your office, such as team building celebrations. These are all things that really are what we call behind the scenes content that can resonate with your audience and can humanize the work that you do.
18:19
Another important tip here is consistency in posting. Consistency in posting I'm gonna put a lot of stress on this one, because this is where most professionals fail. They fail in consistency of posting. Maintaining a regular posting schedule across your chosen platforms is gonna be an important commitment that you need to make if you want this to work. Whether it's daily, weekly or bi-weekly, just be consistent and that's gonna keep you top of mind with your audience. And what I wanna say about consistency is it isn't just a buzzword. It's not a buzzword. It's not a word that you hear professionals like myself repeat over and over again. It really is the heartbeat of your content strategy. It's the heartbeat of your content strategy because building credibility and trust with your audience. It doesn't happen overnight. It's a result of showing up day in and day out, delivering value consistently.
19:19
So I want you to imagine this you stumble upon a store that's only opens sporadically. So think about it. Would you trust it enough to become a loyal customer? Probably not. Similarly, your audience needs to know when and where to find your content. Consistency builds reliability. It establishes you as a reliable source within your niche, and so it's super important to have that schedule of consistency.
19:48
Now, postings sporadically, sure it might get you noticed, but it's regular engagement that keeps you remembered. So having a posting schedule across platforms sets expectations for your audience, and they'll know when to expect your content, and that anticipation actually breeds engagement, and I think that's what a lot of people don't quite get. There is an anticipation that is created when you post consistently. Now I say posting, but it could be. You could be delivering a live video, you could be dropping an episode, a podcast episode, so, whatever it is, think about how you can create that consistency amongst your content. So maintaining consistency doesn't mean sacrificing quality, right, it's about finding that sweet spot where quantity meets quality. So I encourage you to develop a content creation workflow that allows you to really produce high quality content that resonates with your audience, and so that could mean batching content creation, setting aside dedicated times for engagement meaning you go into your social media feeds and you create engagement or utilizing content calendars to stay organized and I know that content calendars are super important to do.
21:07
So let me address the elephant in the room, and that is burnout. So consistency shouldn't come at the cost of your mental health or creativity. It's about finding a rhythm that works for you, and so if daily posting feels overwhelming, dial it back. It's about being consistent. So if you need to post less to be consistent, then that's what I encourage you to do, and so maintain that quality so that you don't feel overwhelmed and you don't feel like you're compromising the value that you're delivering. So I would rather you stick to a schedule where maybe you post once a week consistently or maybe for some of you, that may even be tough to do then consider posting once every two weeks and create a rhythm, and then build up to doing a weekly post and or a weekly post of some kind, whether it's a live video or an audio. Stick to something that is easy for you to maintain and, once again, look for the support. If you know this isn't in your real house. We help so many of our clients with this, so look for the options that you have out there.
22:11
And, once again, consistency in marketing is super important, because the long term benefits of consistency are huge. It's not just about short term visibility. It's about building a lasting presence and relationship with your audience, and so we know that consistency breeds familiarity and it also breeds trust. So, over time, your audience will recognize your dedication and they'll reward it with loyalty and engagement. I hope this is resonating with you. So what I really want to leave you with in this section is that you need to be in it for the long haul. Consistency is your best friend. It's the secret sauce that nurtures credibility, builds trust and lays the foundation for long term success in your content journey.
22:58
Okay, so you've probably also heard me talk about storytelling and so sharing compelling narratives, anecdotes and stories that resonate with your audience. This is something else you need to build into your practice in order to help create that micro celebrity status, and so the reason being is because it creates emotional connections through relatable content. So here's a quick example If you're a divorce financial analyst, you can actually use storytelling to humanize the financial matters, to showcase your empathy and to understand, while addressing the emotional challenges clients face during divorce. So the relatable narrative it actually creates a connection with your audience, and so it makes the financial guidance more approachable and relatable for individuals going through similar situations. So that's just another example of how you can use it.
23:55
Another important area for you to focus in on is the variety in content formats, so you need to diversify your content formats so you can experiment with videos, blogs, infographics, podcasts, live streams, speaking on live or virtual stages, and so the list goes on. There's so many different formats that appeal to different audience preferences, so you might have to experiment a little bit to see which one resonates, or which ones resonate most with your audience, and so having a variety is going to be key. Another important element of this is microcontent, okay, and microcontent is short, concise content that can be quickly consumed, so it's really perfect for today's fast-paced attention deficit world that we live in. As I'm sure you can all relate. You know. It includes things like short video clips, memes, infographics, and so the best part of this is that it's easy to share on social media, making it a powerful tool to increase your reach, and so it's super important to make sure that you're creating some microcontent as well.
25:04
So the next big tip I want to talk about is engaging and interacting with your audience. And so when you create engagement and let me define engagement first off so engagement really is, you know, responding to comments, messages, giving feedback, initiating discussions, asking questions and participating in conversations with your audience. That's what engagement is. And so what could this engagement look like? I guess is the next question If you're ready to use this strategy, what would it look like? So some simple ways to do this is to express gratitude, to encourage interaction with your posts, asking for feedback, wanting to foster a sense of community. These are all ways that you can actually create engagement, and so the focus is on creating a genuine connection and ensuring that your audience feels heard and valued, and you can do this through social media content or when you're speaking to an audience, you may be delivering a live presentation. So those are just a couple of ways that you can do that.
26:09
Another important tip here is repurposing your content. So repurposing content across different platforms can be very, very time efficient. So, for instance, you could turn a video into a blog post, into snippets for social media or even a podcast episode. So you need to maximize the reach of your content by leveraging these different platforms when you are repurposing your content. So what I want to stress here is you don't need to reinvent the wheel. Leverage content and repurpose it. You don't need to fear repeating yourself, because the reality is, from a marketing perspective, what we've seen is that you need to repeat concepts, you need to repeat ideas, you need to repeat advice through different marketing channels, because your audience doesn't retain most of the information that they read in a day. Okay, so I hope that encourages you to think about how you can leverage your content to repurpose it so that you're not reinventing the wheel and you are saving time. So very, very important strategy tip there for helping you build your celebrity status.
27:23
All right, another way to build your celebrity status is to leverage micro influencers. So micro influencers are individuals with a small but really highly engaged following, so they're trusted by their audience and they can really amplify your content, reaching the right people at the right time. So by partnering with micro influencers, you can boost your brand's visibility, credibility and reach, helping you become micro famous in your niche. So here's an example let's assume you're a family mediator and you want to align with other influencers who have a strong connection to your target audience of families going through conflict. So let's say, this is a family therapist or a social worker. You could actually collaborate with a family therapist to create content that resonates with their audience, and this could involve the family therapist sharing their personal experiences with mediation, providing tips and advice or discussing the benefits of mediation. So that's a great way to leverage micro influencers to help you build your status, your celebrity status.
28:31
So the next thing I want to talk about here is leveraging your personal brand consistency. So maintaining consistency in your personal brand is key, and you can do this by ensuring your brand message, your visual identity and your tone remain consistent across all the different platforms and all the different pieces of content. So super, super important is to make sure that you've got some brand consistency. So I've dived into the essential steps needed to elevate your professional presence and become a micro celebrity in your niche. Now you might be thinking how can I implement all of this? Is it feasible to achieve the status on my own? And the truth is, while it requires dedication and consistent effort, support can make all the difference.
29:17
Remember, this is not about reaching fame. You've heard me say this before it's about making a lasting impact. It's about becoming the go-to authority in your field, being the expert your audience turns to for guidance and solutions. So you've got to roll up your sleeves, put in the time and craft a well-thought-out plan, and so developing the strategic plan is really the cornerstone of this process. So define clear objectives, understand your audience, craft that compelling content strategy and commit. Commit to consistent execution.
29:51
But if this seems daunting, know that support is available, whether it's seeking guidance from experts, leveraging done for you services or partnering with professionals experienced in creating visibility. Assistance can really propel your journey. So please remember, when diving into content creation, authenticity, value and consistency are going to be key. Don't be afraid to share your unique perspective, offer those valuable insights and maintain a regular posting schedule across various content platforms and formats, and engage with your audience genuinely. Create that genuine interaction. And, of course, don't overlook the power of partnerships with micro influencers. You know collaborating with like-minded professionals can amplify your reach and create credibility within your niche.
30:44
So building that personal brand does take time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and a thriving professional practice won't be either. But with dedication, consistency and a strategic plan, you'll get there. So remember to start with a plan, build in authenticity and loads of value and consistently engage with your audience. And, of course, if you need support along the way, don't hesitate to reach out to us. I've included a link in the show notes to my calendar and we can set up some time to chat if this is you and you think you need some assistance in this area. There you have it. The journey to micro celebrity status is yours for the taking, so I do hope you found this episode valuable. If you did, please subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review and share it, of course. Appreciate you taking the time to tune in and until next time. Always remember there's no better time to start than today. Дело 2.