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Guest post by: JW Dicks Become an Author

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One of the most important building blocks of creating and cultivating your personal brand is to have credibility in the eyes of your clients and prospective clients. Over the years, I have found that the most common reason that entrepreneurs and small businesspeople are reluctant to shine the spotlight on themselves is their own perceived lack of credibility.

A common misconception is that one must have as many degrees and years of formal education as possible to build credibility. This simply isn’t true. As my business partner Nick Nanton and I point out in our book “Celebrity Branding You!” some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have had little or no formal education. What they had was an idea and the skills to make that idea valuable to the masses.

In the book, we point out three ways that you can build credibility as a celebrity expert in your field. These three things are just a few of the things you can do to showcase your knowledge and personality – and strengthen your personal branding strategy.

Write A Book

On the surface, this seems like an overwhelming task for most people, but when you break it down, writing a book related to your specific area of expertise is really one of the most effective ways to build your personal brand and increase your credibility in your field.

Providing your customers and others within your field a tangible, lasting imprint of your knowledge is a great way to become a reference to others when looking for information about your field of expertise. If you know you’re stuff (and I assume you do!) then write it down for others to see what you have to offer.

If sitting down to write a book seems daunting, then start with special reports, blogs and articles on your website. After a while, you’ll see that you have many pieces to the puzzle already in place. Tie it all together, and you’ve got yourself a book!

Testimonials

I’ve always said that there’s nothing better than a great testimonial from a client to build your personal brand. It’s one thing to tell everyone that you will do this for them and do that for them – but when you can point to others who have come to you for a service and have been more than satisfied, your credibility is instantly increased. Not only have you proven that you will do what you say you’ll do for someone, but that your service is valuable enough for someone to recommend you.

Building a database of testimonials is also fairly simple to do. If you are providing a quality product, then your customers will, in most cases, be more than willing to give you a testimonial if you ask. Keep a list of quotes from your clients on your website or newsletter for others to easily access. I suggest using video and audio testimonials when possible, especially for your website. These testimonials help create a personal connection between your current clients and your prospective clients.

Publish A Newsletter

Publishing a weekly or monthly newsletter or e-zine (an online version) is a great way to stay connected with your client base and reinforce your personal brand with them. A successful personal branding strategy allows your customers to stay involved with you on a regular basis – much like a friend. Whether they need your services right away or in several months, keeping you and your brand in their mind is key to having repeat business.

If possible, I suggest sending a monthly e-zine and a printed version of your newsletter. People tend to process information differently. Some respond better to a something tangible in their hands, while others prefer to do everything online. Cover your bases!

These are just a few ways to help build your personal brand and credibility in your field of expertise. Try to engage your clients as much as possible. Show them why you should be their first choice when they need your services – and then deliver!

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