You’ve probably heard that old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I’ve always thought that was a bunch of poppycock. It presumes that if you know the “right” people they’ll somehow help you to be more successful.
Chances are, though, the “right” people are already more successful than you and no smart business person does anything for anybody without getting something out of the deal. So unless you have something to offer…
Last week I had one of those daytime talk shows on in the background. Robert Herjavec, one of the bajillionaire investors from “Shark Tank” was the guest and he said something really interesting.
Mr. Herjavec said that one of the secrets to his success was this:
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know, but I wanted to be the person people wanted to know.”
Let me tell you why this is one statement had such a profound effect on me that day…
You know you’re the expert when you become the person everyone wants to know
We’re told every day that it’s important to present ourselves as the expert in our niche if we want to attract readers and turn them into loyal followers who will eventually turn into buyers. Your blog may have thousands of followers but how many of them want to get to know you beyond the content you publish?
Every day you publish content that answers questions. But, does it generate more questions? Does it encourage dialogue? When people read your posts do they say to themselves, “Wow! That’s interesting, but what do you think about…?” Those people want to get to know you because they believe you’re an expert.
You know you’re influential when you become the person everyone wants to know
Having the respect of your readers is important for your immediate goal which is to sell whatever it is you’re promoting. But your readers will come and go, that’s only natural. Once you solve their problem or the problem disappears they’re going to move on and new readers will take their place.
But you also want to attract people who think you’re influential. Which would you rather be – the person asking for help or the person everyone comes to for help?
Affiliate marketing is a good example. New bloggers join affiliate networks every day. They choose a product, get their affiliate link and earn a 10 percent commission if and when they make a sale. But there are some affiliates out there who make 50 or 60 percent commissions promoting the exact same product. Why? Because they’re influential.
Because these bloggers are so influential in their marketplaces, the affiliate networks and advertisers contact these bloggers and ask them to promote their products and in exchange they offer them a higher commission.
Blog sponsors are also looking for influential bloggers. If you’ve tried to sell advertising space on your blog you know how hard it is. You have to contact dozens of advertisers before you find one who might take you up on your offer. But if you’re an influencer, advertisers contact you, begging for space in your sidebar.
Guest blogging is another good example. You’re killing yourself trying to write five or six guest posts a week and find some influential A-list blogger who’s willing to post them on his blog. You’re doing all the work and he gets all the traffic and comments, and in the end most readers don’t even realize you were the author. Wouldn’t you rather be the influential blogger everyone submits their guest posts to? Wouldn’t you rather be the blogger every wants to know?
It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who Wants To Know You
The reason Robert Herjavec’s message resonated with me is because over the last few weeks I’ve received three emails from people who want my help promoting their causes. I’m a freelance writer and for years I’ve been on the asking end, trying to track down sources and get quotes and verify information.
But these people view me as an expert in my niche. They also view me as someone who knows how to publish content online and get the maximum exposure. And they view me as a writer who’s able to influence others. I don’t need to try to impress these people so they’ll help me. Now, they’re trying to impress me so I’ll help them.
This puts me in a powerful position – for the immediate future and for my long-term goals. By helping these people right now I’ll be able to sell something – my writing. I’ll also be further showcasing my writing abilities and increasing my online reach when these articles are published.
But more important is what this will do for my position in the future. These three people all have their own networks of peers and business contacts who also have causes they need help promoting and once they see how I can help they’ll be contacting me, too, which will lead to even more high-profile sales and more contacts.
How do you position yourself as someone everyone wants to know?
This article is already long enough. If you’re still here then that means I did some pretty good writing this morning, especially considering the fact I’ve only had two cups of coffee so far. Briefly, I’ve done a lot of writing across more websites and blogging platforms than I care to mention until I get a few more cups of coffee.
The message that I really wanted to get across to you is this:
I think we spend too much time and energy trying to “build a blogging network” and “connect with other bloggers.” A little of that is fine because it’s always nice to have peers you can go to for advice and support, and occasionally these other bloggers might even help promote your blog.
But we should spend even more time promoting ourselves as experts and increasing our sphere of influence so the people who can help us achieve our short-term and long-term goals can find us and come to us. As Robert Herjavec said, you should strive to become the person people want to know. And in most cases those people will be readers – not other bloggers.
