How to Use Authority Positioning to Give Your Competitors Nightmares

authority positioning

The Smart Way to Find Quality Clients Who Pay You More Money (and Put the Fun Back Into Your Business)

Sick of deadbeat clients, small margins, and poor cash flow?

Or perhaps youโ€™re fed up with working long hours without much to show for it.

It doesnโ€™t have to be that way.

If you can create the perception that you are a cut above the rest, people will seek you out.

More than this:

You will attract better quality customers/clients who pay you more money.

More money per client gives you lots of options.

Perhaps you can scale back on work a bit.

Or keep working at the same level and use the surplus income for investments โ€“ more passive income for you.

Like that idea?

So how can you do it?ย  Well, you do it with an authority positioning strategy.ย  Done correctly it really will give you a huge advantage in your marketplace.

Like that idea too?

Good, so dive into this post โ€“ I want you to lap it up.

Who Will Gain Most From This Post?

This post is for you if you run a business that offers expertise in one form or another.ย  You could be a one man band, or maybe you run an office and employ staff.

It doesnโ€™t matter.ย  What does matter is that you and your team (if you employ people) have skills that deliver tangible benefits for customers and clients.

So if you run a professional practice (e.g., legal, accounting, dental, etc. absolutely ), or are an expert on other topics, this is for you.ย  Even if you primarily sell products rather than services, if there is an expertise element in the buying process, you should also read this post.

So letโ€™s get started.

What Is Authority Positioning?

Accountantsย 

Short Definition: You as a leader in your niche

ย Authority Positioningย is about creating the perception that you are the trusted and valued expert in your business niche. Your positioning determines how your clients โ€˜seeโ€™ you.

Notice I used the word โ€˜perceptionโ€™. ย It suggests you have to be โ€˜the bestโ€™ or even a guru.ย  Far from it.ย  All you need to do is create an impression that you know what youโ€™re talking about, and can help people solve a problem and improve their lives or their businesses.

At the end of the day thatโ€™s all people are looking for, right?

A big name in the direct marketing industry is Dan Kennedy.ย  You could say he is a living legend.ย  This is what he said about the topic:

ย โ€œThe simple truth is, if you arenโ€™t deliberately, systematically, methodically โ€” or rapidly and dramatically โ€” establishing yourself as a celebrity, at least to your clientele and target market, youโ€™re asleep at the wheel, ignoring what is fueling the entire economy around you, neglecting development of a measurably valuable asset.โ€

Ouch!ย  Strong stuff but I think heโ€™s โ€˜on the money.’ย  The world is fast changing, and unless we lift our game, weโ€™ll be left behind like an old maid at a wedding.

Another big name in the internet marketing industry is Frank Kern.ย  Perhaps youโ€™ve heard of him. Heโ€™s sold $100 million worth of products so knows a thing or two about marketing.ย  This is what he said:

โ€œPositioning, most importantly positioning yourself as an authority, is the single most important thing you can do to increase your perceived value to the marketplace.โ€

If you incorporate some authority building activities into your customer acquisition process, sooner or later youโ€™ll gain authority status.ย  So, youโ€™ll be leveraging the knowledge you have now into a โ€˜brandโ€™ which bestows an aura of respect and competence onto the recipient.

Do you think you can handle that?ย  Good.

The bottom line is that your new brand will attract a new audience and convert some of them into higher paying customers and clients.

Why You Should Embrace An Authority Positioning Strategy

dog and cat embrace

Finding customers and clients is a time consuming and sometimes frustrating activity, particularly when a business is in launch mode.

Some of the typical activities business owners engage in are attending networking events, calling existing contacts and new leads, cultivating referral sources and of course, advertising.

However, things are different when you position yourself as an authority.

People will seek you out.ย  They will recognize that you and your business will be their first choice.

So thatโ€™s the first benefit.ย  The second one is pricing.ย  People instinctively know that niche leaders always charge more.ย  So it will be no problem for you to up your rates.

More moolah for you

Another benefit is the love of work.ย  I donโ€™t know about you, but when Iโ€™m working with interesting clients my work satisfaction skyrockets.ย  One thing I hate is dealing with deadbeat customers โ€“ thatโ€™s why I always try and screen them out beforehand.ย  So by positioning yourself as an authority, youโ€™ll tend to attract better quality people.ย  And itโ€™s likely theyโ€™ll pay you more money, and are easier to deal with.

Extending the idea of work happiness further, Iโ€™ve found that I enjoy my work, even more, when clients and customers do what I ask them to do.

They tend to have a bias for action, and because they automatically respect you (thanks to your authority positioning), they will be much more likely to act on your recommendations, which might include purchasing more products or services from you.

Respect is imperative.ย  You want customers to respect you โ€“ you donโ€™t want them to be always questioning the wisdom and value of your advice and recommendations.

Another benefit is this:

If you currently spend money on ads, you may find that you no longer need to spend as much – or any. ย And dollars saved will, of course, go straight to your bottom line.

Finally, because of your higher profile, more doors will likely open for you.

Youโ€™ll make new connections with influencers and multipliers.ย  A virtuous circle, for sure.

Donโ€™t Even Think About Authority Positioning Till You Do This

stop

There are two foundational things you MUST do before embarking on an authority positioning program:

  1. Understand the Pain Points and Hot Buttons Of Your Audience.

Think of your ideal client.ย  What are the defining characteristics? ย  What keeps them awake at night?ย  What itch do they have that needs to be scratched?ย  Can you identify problems they donโ€™t even know they have (this last one might be a game changer)?

  1. Articulate How You Can Make Their Lives Better

So what makes you unique?ย  Sure youโ€™ve got skills and knowledge.ย  And yes youโ€™ve probably got a university degree or three.ย  But most of your competitors have the same thing.ย  And your audience knows it.

So how do you stand apart?ย  How are you going to set the cat amongst the pigeons and create the perception that potential clients should hand their hard earned money to you (or your business)?

Read on.ย 

Positioning Strategies – The Secret Sauce

secret sauce

The key to authority positioning is education.ย  You must educate your audience about your points of difference โ€“ your unique selling proposition (USP).ย  Even if your points of difference are minimal, if you articulate them well, you will create a perception of uniqueness that your audience will find attractive.

Jack Mize, is a host ofย Authority Alchemy.ย  His take on the topic is as follows:

โ€œYou begin to position yourself as an authority by consistently providing useful information to your audience โ€” information which solves problems, offers solutions and addresses needs. Your audience finds you, in great part, simply as a result of you positioning yourself as an educator and advocate for their success.โ€

That is one heck of an observation.ย  I thought of repeating it, but I will resist the temptation, except to highlight the last sentence:

ย โ€œYour audience finds you, in great part, simply as a result of you positioning yourself as an educator and advocate for their success.โ€

ย So thatโ€™s it.ย  You must become an educator and an ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SUCCESS.

This is powerful stuff and if you โ€˜get itโ€™ the keys to the ‘Prosperity Kingdom’ have now been handed to you.

So how do you educate?ย  Here are some ideas:

Offline Strategies:

Examples of various positioning tools are as follows:

  • Newsletter
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Interviews
  • PR

You can extend the concept further.ย  Some people have even written a book and had it published.

Keep in mind that a tool such as a newsletter is only useful if the messaging is spot on. Messaging is not only about the subject matter but also about good writing. ย When you write, you should write with posture and confidence. ย People will pick up on that and give the writer more respect, which is the essence of authority positioning. By the way, check my blog post on the topic of posture:

How to Play the Posture Game and Crush Your Competitors

About subject matter. ย Consider including case histories and customer stories. ย These should include examples of how you (or other team members) helped customers solve a problem and produce a better result.

Online Strategies:

The same thinking that applies to the offline strategies also applies to the online way of doing things. ย Examples include:

  • Webinars
  • Article Marketing
  • Guest Blogging
  • Interviews
  • Video Marketing
  • Your Blog
  • Free Report

Because messaging is such an important topic I wrote a full-on blog post on the subject. Check it here:

How to Use Effective Messaging to Attract Your Best Customers

Why You Need a Blog

blog 700X

If you donโ€™t have a blog for your business, you need to get one โ€“ like yesterday.

If you want more credibility and have decided to use the internet to help give it to you, a blog is the best way to do it.

Not only can a blog give you more authority it can ultimately help position you as an authority in your niche.

Whilst other platforms (such as social media sites such as Facebook, and video platforms like YouTube can help, the blog is your property โ€“ you own it, you control it. ย It is your digital asset.

Think of your blog as the center of your online marketing universe.ย  In my opinion, it is the premier online way to boost credibility and authority positioning.

Posting regular content on your blog will educate readers about your expertise, and your ability to solve problems and improve outcomes. You can also use it as a relationship building tool.ย  (Building relationships is another prerequisite for a successful client attraction strategy.)

People often ask me about the perceived traffic getting benefits of a blog. ย My answer is always the same โ€“ a blog can be an excellent way to get traffic, but it is not always a quick strategy. ย But certainly from an SEO point of view, a blog is a superb way to get ranked for keywords that are relevant to your niche.

Your Turn โ€“ Time to Comment!

What was your biggest takeout from this post?

After reading this post are there any ideas that you will now embrace?

Make a comment below!

Your Turn โ€“ Time to Comment!

What was your biggest takeout from this post?

After reading this post are there any ideas that you will now embrace?

Make a comment below!

ย ****Special Free Offer****

I will give you 30 minutes of my time (by phone or Skype) for brainstorming, including specific strategies on your USP, customer messaging, and narrative development.ย  Thatโ€™s a $300 value. Iโ€™ll always focus on skyrocketing your income by showing you how to attract clients who pay you top dollar.

All at no cost to you.ย  All I ask for in return is a testimonial and the opportunity to build a valuable relationship.

Results matter, so that will be my focus for you โ€“ to give you useful ideas you can use straight away.

Schedule a Time HERE

24 thoughts on “How to Use Authority Positioning to Give Your Competitors Nightmares”

  1. Hello,

    I totally agree with all the points you made in this article. Indeed no matter what business you might be into, a blog for your business would only do you more good than harm. The opportunities that comes with creating a blog for your business is so enormous and i hoep more people begin to see the need for this.

    I enjoyed reading through this piece.

    Have a lovely weekend!

  2. Thanks for sharing another extremely detailed post Kim!

    I really like your positioning advice, with regards to using
    webinars as a powerful positioning/proactive marketing tool.

    I’d bet, there isn’t a week that goes by, that both of us aren’t
    contacted by at least a few marketers promoting their latest webinar
    event.

    For sure they’re making a bundle with that one proven strategy alone.

    And I definitely echo your thoughts, with regards to effective positioning
    allowing us to work with a much higher level of clientele.Far less hassles and
    usually, a much higher quality of clientele as well!

    Excellent post, stacked full of extremely practical value Kim!

    Greatly appreciated!

    1. Hi Mark

      Thanks for your kind comments.

      Yes, for sure – the more marketplace respect we have the easier it is to attract better quality clients who pay us more money. Can’t be bad!

      Webinars, though not mandatory, can catapult a business forward if used correctly.

      Kim

  3. Hey Kim,
    I love what you say about getting a blog. Definitely a website or blog becomes our real estate and we own it. A lot of the other stuff life Facebook, Periscope, Twitter etc is great but yes we don’t own. I love having a platform for people to go to and visit.

    I love sharing what I know and helping those people who are looking for it.

    I love also the idea of becoming an authority more and more in my niche. I see it as sharing information to those who will really need it. It’s fun playing Santa Claus. I just love being the giver of gifts.

    Awesome post and looking forward to the next one….definitely though people need to assert themselves with their authority in what they know best if they want to stand out. My forte is video. I love connecting with people in that way- Talk to ya soon-Jen

    1. Hi Jennifer

      Yes, you’re right – people need to assert their authority. They can’t be blushing violets just because they have a fear of promoting themselves (no doubt caused by a lack of belief in their value and worth).

      I’ve seen your videos – you’re a natural. So keep doing them. The more the merrier. It’s a great way for you to carve out your own authority and build your audience.

      Kim

  4. A blog sounds like a great idea and you’ve indicated why and how it can be so useful. However i’ve seen a number of courses where people join, are advised to start a blog straight away and to start blogging. When I visit these blogs months later the vast majority have been abandoned.

    While I agree a blog can be a great asset I think the approach should be different. Get ahead of the posting schedule before you start blogging and make sure you focus on building your business and growing your reputation through products or services before attending to the blog.

    1. Hi David, up to a point I agree with you

      If someone has no skills or expertise and no track record they probably shouldn’t start a blog. Best thing for them to do is to get some run on the board which might include generating leads, making sales and building their competence.

      On the other hand, if someone has a skill-set and they want to create an income stream from it, starting a blog makes sense to me. In fact, that’s exactly what I did with this blog.

      Thanks for dropping by

      Kim

  5. Hi Kim

    I appreciate the way you explained the concept of authority positioning in a very layman language otherwise most of the people take it as a part of personal branding and attach a lot of difficult terms hard to understand it properly.

    It is not sufficient to just display a list of past achievements to impress the would-be clients. It is must to first prove where one is standing and how the whole market is viewing him. A series of testimonials even can’t work well for this purpose and one has to devise a strategy to show people where he is and how towering his professional stature is.

    Many thanks for sharing this very helpful post for those especially who want to do direct marketing and professional counselling.

    Have a great rest of the week.

    1. Hi Mi Muba

      Possibly the best way to do it is with case histories and customer stories. They will capture the imagination of prospective customers better than anything else. Authority will automatically be established.

      Thanks for your comment

      Kim

  6. Hi Kim,

    The best I got from this is if you have a business and don’t have a blog…you need to get one yesterday! I’m in agreement with that. Even if a person doesn’t want to be a pro blogger per se, a blog is your home base. It is a place where you can show others what you know by giving good information. That my friend gains authority on whatever niche one is in.

    So indeed…a blog is imperative these days. I deem it necessary as a huge part of a business plan. There is always that marketing edge and getting our business in front of peepers. But what better way than having a blog.

    Sometimes I tell my offline clients that their blog is a huge business card. One retailer has gotten so excited, she now writes about a new top that came in and where it was made – etc.

    Great information as always

    -Donna

    1. You got it, Donna!

      A blog is like a giant business card. It’s an incredible tool that can change the game completely for businesses, especially offline businesses. There is much scope for offline businesses to increase their site’s traffic and convert more of it into paying customers. The blog is the key – the search engines will pick up strategically created blog content, and send traffic (visitors) directly to the blog post. The content will then educate, inform, provoke and motivate visitors to take action. Execution is the key – the best ideas in the world will die on the vine if the execution is poor.

      Thanks for your valuable contribution, Donna

      Kim

  7. This is a great article. Building authority or gaining subject matter expert one need to very much dedicated and being through a learning process. And once you reach there, entire market will run after you only. Thanks for sharing this useful content.

  8. Hi Kim,

    Good points all of them. I don’t want to appear too mercenary (although let’s be honest – profit is why a lot of us are here) but I liked the bit about being able to charge more ๐Ÿ™‚

    I mean, let’s face it, if you were having a major operation and one surgeon charged $1000 an hour and another one charged $100 an hour, you’d be asking yourself some questions about their credibility before going with the low end priced offer.

    At one time I was a bit of nervous of asking clients for higher rates for my services, but it’s easier to ask high and drop a little than to start low and put your prices up.

    Like the advert says…. “You’re worth it” ๐Ÿ™‚

    Joy – Blogging After Dark

    1. Yes, you’re right Joy

      It’s better to go a little higher and if that doesn’t work you can always drop the price.

      Of course, as the article made clear – it’s much easier to charge more if you’ve successfully positioned yourself as an authority.

      Thanks for dropping by, Joy

      Kim

  9. I really liked the post and it’s overall content, especially the Why You Need a blog section. I will add something to it; Today if your business doesn’t have a blog in it’s website then it won’t get much authority over it’s Business and overall products, having a blog is a must these days for all business ๐Ÿ™‚

    BTW, awesome article ๐Ÿ™‚

    Keep Going ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Yes, you’re right. A blog will give any website a big boost in authority. This, of course this is on the assumption that the content is good and is relevant to it audience.

      Thanks for dropping by

      Kim

  10. Best post for the day. I enjoyed this nice write up from you sir – making money is portraying authority.

    Online biz is all about your leading power – ranging from search engine to offering free offers.

    Have a nice day!!

  11. Definitely a great post, one of the best way I believe to build a better authority would writing longer posts.

    Definitely agreed that writing a longer piece of content can 10x the traffic to blog.

    and everybody should definitely try it out, start up small reach from 500 words article and slowly add extra great content to it and slowly boost from 500 to 1000 or more.

    But it’s not about word count it’s the value in the post.

    Thanks for sharing this great post,
    Have a great day,
    Louis

    1. Thanks, Louis,

      The number of words is not the real issue. As you say, it’s about quality. Let’s uphold a quality content standard.

      Kim

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *