The Problem With Experts

We can all agree that it’s important to distinguish between real experts and those posing to be experts. People look to experts for advice on any number of subjects.

I remember sitting in class at the University of Texas where I majored in Government, and looked over one of my professor’s accomplishments. He was a Harvard grad, wrote dozens of articles which had been published, and even co-authored a book on a subject he was expert on. The one thing missing from this list of accomplishments was any actual experience in politics, government, or international relations. He was a student ALL of his life. His ideas and points of views were all molded by other people’s experiences. He may have known more than most people about politics and how government technically works, but does he really have the authority to call himself an expert if he’s never spent any time in the field? Is he familiar with the nuances that goes into every day decision making, or is he going off a hunch?

In my field today where my company sits at the bleeding edge of the intersection between social and commerce, I am surrounded by so called experts. They are experts of web 2.0, social media, and any other term you can think of that’ll make a Twitter lover salivate. Yet you ask one of these experts how to effectively create a program that will drive sales through social applications, and you will get answers that are far more chimerical than actionable.

I’m sure everybody has had experience with these types, but we’ve also all been fooled by them. Next time you talk to somebody who mentions they’re an expert, dig beneath the surface; you never know what you might find. Remember that false expertise is usually hidden behind the cloak of broad generalizations and limited experiences.

Sean Hannity, so-called Economics expert, who never graduated college and has been in radio his entire career

Your Personal Branding Business Model

One of the most important aspects of creating a personal brand, is first attempting to determine what your goals are. Are you trying to become the President of the United States, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a serial entrepreneur, a social activist? This will certainly help you understand how to frame your brand, how to develop it, and how to continually move you towards your end goals.

In order to do this systematically, you should think of your personal brand just as a company does of it’s own brand; like a business.

It starts with the product

That’s right, it starts with the person. After all, it is a personal brand, and you ARE the product. Write down how you want to be defined. What are the attributes of your product. Are you innovative? Are you a trendsetter? What are your specialties? If you were sitting on a shelf at a store, why would someone choose you over the competition?

Make sure you can deliver

Great customer service defines companies. It also defines you. Great customer service means you are servicing people who have already given you a chance. That means creating deep, meaningful relationships. It involves listening as much as it involves talking and responding.

Personal service involves great follow-ups with great communication.

You have to remember that your customers have immense power, and if you service your following correctly, they should be creating word of mouth for you. If they’re not, then you need to either re-vamp your product or your customer service.

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Convenience, The Core of Every Business

Every business succeeds because of convenience.  There are countless examples.

Before supermarkets, people would go to the market for fruits and vegetables, to the butcher for meat, and to the general store for toiletries.  Today, restaurants allow people to forget about the hassle of cooking and cleaning.

Another example is Netflix.  Netflix allowed customers to forget about leaving the home to rent a movie or worry about late fees.  In fact, Blockbuster’s market share was taken almost overnight when Netflix came in and figured out how they could be more convenient to the customer.  It’s a good thing Blockbuster’s CEO, Jim Keyes recognized this fact when he left his post at 7-Eleven.

Instances of Inconvenience

For the most part, when a consumer encounters inconveniences, they complain, they choose to shop at different places, or they choose to create businesses that solve those inconveniences.

However, there are businesses out there that make money on inconvenience.  As funny as that may sound, luxury brands have created entire experiences around inconvenience.  Their whole business revolves around being as inaccessible as possible.   They reduce accessibility through their extravagant prices and exclusive locations, mostly.  Just recently, LVMH even cut the cord on eLuxury.com, removing e-commerce from the site in favor of a pre-1999 online catalog.

It’s comical to see brands try so hard to be so inaccessible.  The ironic part is, that these brands are essentially selling an experience. They are selling the experience of inaccessibility, which for the most part, was something only movie-stars got to experience.

So are luxury brands actually making money on the convenience of the “movie star” experience?

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking to start your own business or innovate in your current industry, the real money to be made is in making products and services that aim to be more convenient.  Convenience is a competitive differentiator;  it’s a way to not only stay ahead of the competition, but it’s also the way to uncover new untapped business models.

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Coming to a Blog Near You

When I started to look at the people around me who have built successful personal brands, one thing is apparent.  They are great at building personal relationships.

Online personal branding is a bit more tricky.  It’s harder to build a personal relationship online.   Relationships online take more repetition, more pinging, and cultivating.  Joining Twitter was a good start for me as it gives those on the web a way to get to know me as a person rather than some distant blogger.

I’m looking for ideas that help build those connections.  Videos might be a good start as they give you a visual and audio representation of who I am.  Done right, and they can help build a brand and connection.  Anyone else have ideas?

The Art of Preparation

My football coach in High School used to preach that the way we practiced was the way we’d play in games. Football taught me a great deal about discipline and work ethic, and it certainly taught me about preparation. While I don’t play football anymore, I do give presentations, speak at meetings, meet new people, etc. The main thing I’ve learned about preparation is that Preparation=Confidence.

I wanted to share a few lessons my football coaches taught me that can help you prepare as well. They all boost your confidence and help you succeed when you need to most.

1. Know your plays: Know what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it. If you’re giving a speech, know what you’re going to say and how you’re going to deliver it.

2. Learn the big picture: In football, things constantly change. If you stick too close to what you prepared for, you might get burned. Get used to the unpredictable.

3. Know your opponent: Who’s attending your meeting? What questions do you think you’ll be asked in your presentation? Know what’s going to happen before it does, and you will succeed.

4. Relax…but keep focused: The best athletes and speakers are relaxed. Notice how the best athletes always have a sense of composure. Their bodies are almost limp because they are relaxed, focused, and confident.

5. Don’t be afraid to win: If you stay too rigid, you won’t be able to do anything amazing. Don’t be afraid of your audience or your opponent. Be flexible and allow yourself to make a game changing play.

Follow the coach’s advice and we can get you to deliver better than you could have ever expected. Know what you’re going to do and be confident doing it.