Become A Top National Expert For Outstanding Career Success | The Communication Blog

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Become A Top National Expert For Outstanding Career Success

By Annie Jennings

Being seen as an expert in your field will create a competitive advantage for you and your business. One of the ways to create expert status is to appear in the media as an expert in your field. Here's how! Make a list of all of the topics you can discuss as an expert or analyst and include sub-categories for each one. For example, a Workplace Expert can create a topic list that includes how to deal with gossip in the workplace, the dos and don'ts of asking for a raise, workplace etiquette, tips for traveling with the boss, harassment, climbing the corporate ladder, handling burn-out. Create five talking points for each of your expert topics you listed. Talking points are statements in sentence format that present a concept or commentary. Example of talking points on the topic of "tips for traveling with the boss" are: "Do not drink alcohol and if you do, never become intoxicated" or "Being on the road with the boss is not a time to ask for a raise" and so forth. Under each talking point create several lines of discussion or commentary.

Create a well-developed author or expert BIO that stacks your most impressive accomplishments from the top down to support your expert status. The media will read just enough to convince them that you are their perfect expert. Lead with your credentials and education, special areas of expertise, and follow with accomplishments or companies you have worked for and any impressive media you have obtained. Develop your media contact database in advance. Know who you are going to contact in advance. Don't wait until a breaking news event happens where they need an expert to start to figure out who to contact. You'll want to make connections in advance.

You contacts that you make in advance will help you when there is an issue or development in your area of expertise. Let's say you are a Workplace Expert or Career Expert and there is an unemployment report that comes out indicating even more workers have been laid off. Enter YOU, the career expert, who can give pointers on how these workers can prepare for their future when hiring begins again down the road. Make sure your media contacts have your contact info so they can connect with you quickly. Stay well informed, well read so you have the history of knowledge to back up your commentary. Send your points on the issue or news event at hand to the media and you 'll be in good shape to be chosen as the expert or analyst they call for commentary.

Keep your eye on the news. Anytime there is breaking news that you can comment on as the expert contact your media database immediately and stand by for their call. If you are immediately available for an interview or be willing to drop everything and head to a local TV affiliate for a segment, let them know this and include your closest major city. Watch your target shows and subscribe to your target print media to learn the types of experts they have on the show or use in the article. You should also familiarize yourself with the interviewer's style or the journalist's work in your area. You always want to be pitching "next level" ideas, not something they just covered.

Be sure to invest in media training so you know how to talk to the media. They want clear concise commentary without meandering or long-winded answers. Quick and accurate analysis is key. You want to work out certain trouble spots in advance of your TV appearance such as talking with your hands, blinking your eyes too much or talking slow with a lot of distracting and annoying "ummmm's".

About the Author:

The Communication Blog
Bookmark and Share

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

The Communication Blog Copyright © 2009