Are You An Unknown Expert? 5 Reasons to Claim Your Expertise

What is your passion about reflexology that you could talk about for hours?

What do you educate clients about the most when they come in for your service?

What skills have you honed or in what areas does your confidence shine?

I coach reflexologists every week who are limiting their potential by not claiming themselves as an expert in their business. They are hidden experts or waiting to become an expert.

As a unique individual, you have special training, experiential knowledge and life experience that give you an edge. You ARE an expert who has a specialty to offer like no one else. Your expertise will change and improve with time, but now is the time to focus on what you do best and be confident of your role and purpose.

Want to impact your business and your bank account? Show and tell your expertise out loud! Make a conscious decision to define, claim, speak and promote what you do best. Five reasons to establish your signature as an expert:

1. People prefer experts to enthusiasts
2. In times of need, people turn to and hire experts
3. Claiming your expertise helps you get clear on your niche – that unique promise of value that is your signature service
4. Experts attract beneficial client relationships, are more in demand and their service is perceived as having more value
5. Experts and specialists can set higher fees and maintain a solid practice

Starting to like this idea of being an expert? Now that you see the value in claiming your uniqueness, what’s keeping you from it?

The big three common fears I hear are:
…if I specialize, I will limit myself from working with more clients
…I don’t know enough to be considered an expert yet, maybe in 5 years
…if I’m an expert, I’m expected to have all the answers and I don’t

Here’s five ways to overcoming these and other fears that block you and others from your own greatness.

Acknowledge that it is good to be seen as an expert in your field or calling. Let clients know your specific edge and how your expertise can benefit them. YOU deserve to project the image of being good at what you do.

Look closely at what you do well and better than others. Do you meet people and instantly help them feel better or give them support in a certain way? Do you have a natural ability to educate and inform others on useful topics? What is it you offer that keeps clients coming back? You have true expertise and are proficient and skilled in the personalized way in which you provide service.

Define these traits and know that you, as all, are a work in progress. One definition of an expert is one who is knowing and ready from much practice. No one defines an expert as having achieved perfection.

Eliminate the fear of boldly saying, “I’m an expert”! Believing that you aren’t enough or holding on to the idea that you lack Faith, Education, Answers or Resources (FEAR) will keep you, the expert, in hiding.

Override the big three fears with these thoughts: your expertise is your calling card but you get to choose if you work with other clients; you don’t have to go on Oprah, just be the expert you are; experts know they don’t have all the answers but rise above their limitations; experts know what they know well in their craft and field, they honor their investments of time, money and energy; experts are always advancing, gaining new answers and resources.

With 5 reasons to BE an expert and 5 ways to fizzle the fears of BEING an expert, how do you establish yourself as an expert? Create a compelling message of your unique promise of value that tells clients about your specific solutions to their needs. Get out there and get known as an expert. Tools to help promote yourself include newsletters, brochures, articles, interviews, social media, speaking, teaching, networking and profiling your expertise in all marketing strategies.

Bottom line: reach the people who need your specialized service AND who are looking for YOU, the expert!