“Show Notes”
This show is about how to be seen as an expert in a particular topic without being seen as a poser and a know-it-all. How do we get that balance?
The relevance of building a position of authority is linked to the type of
photography you do.
How can you build authority?
Posting authoritative content on LinkedIn. Use your knowledge and experience to help people rather than explain things to them. And in helping them, you are
building your authority. Engaging and commenting on other people’s content also helps build your authority and give you a good reputation, as you are helping others get their content found too.
Blogging
This is again helping people, and people will realize you are an expert by reading your blogs. Having your blogs focused on one area, linked to your area of expertise and focusing your blogs on this area
Webinars
These are a great way to show people you are an expert
Podcasts
Being a guest on a podcast can show you to be an expert in your area. Our guest Toby Lee (listen to our interview with him here) is an expert at this. Another guest, Martin Hobby (listen to our interview with him here), is very good at building his authority
Offline
Speaking events: Speak at networking events or bigger events. This shows you to be an expert. People presume you are an expert as you are on that stage.
Testimonials These are other people saying what an expert you are.
Avoid self-deprecation in the UK, we often self-deprecate rather than promote ourselves. You can come across as an expert without being pushy or showy.
“Show Transcription”
Marcus: Well, hello there, Sam. Another episode, another series, another year. How are you doing?
Sam: Very good, Marcus. Yes, yes. Another one. It’s, is this our third year of doing podcasts? We haven’t been going for three years, but we did start in 23, didn’t we?
Marcus: I know, Sam. It’s unbelievable, really. We managed to keep it going. It’s quite incredible. It’s our third year.
Sam: What am I going to talk about today, Marcus? Because I think it’s me, isn’t it?
Marcus: Yeah, what are you going to talk about today, Sam?
Sam: So what I’m going to talk about today is position of authority marketing. So basically, you know, putting yourself in that position of authority.
Marcus: Hold on. It’s not poser.
Sam: Poser. So that’s what to avoid. So that’s what we’re talking about. How to, yes, be that position of authority without being the poser. Yes. How do you get there without being that annoying? There’s quite a balance there, isn’t there? But yes, like you say, not being seen as a poser and a know-it-all. And so there’s a balance there, isn’t there, between letting people know that you actually know your stuff and that coming across, but it coming across in the right way. So yeah. So what sort of things are we talking about doing? So this is really useful for all sorts of areas of photography. Some may be more than others. I suspect areas like a branding photography, it can be really useful in a local business community. Lots of people know each other. If you’re known as the person to go to, you know, in that business community, you can build, you know, you can build that reputation. For something like weddings where people come once and they leave again, it’s probably less relevant because, you know, you’re not going to be building a reputation for tomorrow’s brides that easily because they’re not going to be engaging at the right time. That’s more people coming and going. So I think it’s, I mean, you could probably do it more for a family photographer because there’s a lot of people connected in there. But yeah, there’s some areas where I think this works much better for and some less so. If you’re teaching photography again, it’s a really great way to build that authority among photographers. So what can you be doing to build authority and what’s good ways to do it? I mean, so there’s lots of simple things like posting on LinkedIn, authoritative content. And what we mean by authoritative content, it’s talking about, you know, you’re explaining things, you know, your help. I think the key is helping people rather than explaining things to people in a rather patronizing way. Yeah, trying to think about how you can use your knowledge and your experience to help people rather than just tell them, you know, I’m an expert. I’m today going to tell you about this, you know, not that helpful. While it’s more, I’ve seen some comments inked in and people are really asking questions about what I should do with my brand photograph. So I’ve got three ideas. And then you’re kind of using your expertise, but you’re helping people rather than just kind of coming across as a bit of an irritating know-it-all.
Marcus: It’s a fine line, Sam. I mean, I think LinkedIn is pretty good as compared to most platforms. But you do see it on Facebook, don’t you, when somebody comes across and they might do a bit of delicate, manic, mansplaining.
Sam: That’s on my notes. I think you get that on LinkedIn quite a lot as well. There’s quite a lot of people who like to big themselves up. But I think the key way is, yeah, that helping people, you’re using your knowledge and authority, helping people. I think another good thing to think about, though, isn’t just, it could be any social as well, not just posting or something like that, but lots of commenting. So it’s not just like you’re pushing your content and ignoring everything. You’re engaging with lots of other people’s content, you know, making that more interesting, helping to promote them. And that’s much more, you’re going to gain much more of a better reputation if you’re building yourself in the local business community, if you’re helping lots of your fellow business people nearby, you know, commenting on their posts and helping it get seen, sharing their posts, you know, tagging them into posts and things rather than just kind of promoting yourself. You’re building everybody with you and you’re going to be given, get a much better reputation and be seen in a much more positive light than just like pushing out lots of posts about you.
Marcus: That’s a great point, Sam. What’s that saying? Is it like a rising tide?
Sam: Yeah, rises or boats, that’s it. And it’s you’re helping to do that rising. So definitely, I think, yeah, with posting and stuff like we say, helping people, but getting into other people’s posts, sharing, liking, commenting, all that stuff. Blogging is, of course, a great way of sharing your authority. And again, it’s helping people. But you are, if people are reading your blogs and reading lots of your blogs, they’re realizing you’re an expert in that area. And I think the key is, as well as a big picture, if you work out what you are, decide what you are an expert in. If you’re a brand photographer, are you going to be the go-to expert in what you do with those brand photographs? Or, you know, maybe if you’re going to teach more brand photographers, you’re going to be the photography expert. So even within your area, there might be a particular area. And then make sure that most of your posts are in that area where the expert, your blogs are in that area. So you’re building your expertise in one area rather than your blogs go off on kind of random tangents. You know, if you’re building yourself for somebody who really knows what they’re doing with getting images really usefully used on social media, don’t then do a post about F-stops on cameras. You know, not relevant. Stick on. You vary a bit, but really focus on where you’ve decided you’re an expert, or you probably are an expert, but you kind of focus it a bit.
Marcus: Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
Sam: Cool. Webinars, of course, are amazing. There’s lots of people who have come to listen to you. They can ask you questions. And again, you are helping people. You’re using your knowledge to help people, and they can ask you direct, and they will start to realise you’re an expert because you’re giving webinars, because you’re able to answer all their questions, because you’re helping them. Becoming guests on podcasts. I mean, lots of people come on the podcast and share their expertise. I think probably one of the guests that we’ve had who does this, one of the best is probably Toby Lee, who does headshot photography.
Marcus: Yes, I remember Toby.
Sam: So we’ll put a link to his show and his website. But he really comes across as the expert in headshot photography in the area. If you think of headshots, you know, he’s the one who comes up.
Marcus: And he’s brilliant at marketing it. He has his own magazines. He does a podcast now. And it’s all, as you say, focused around one specific area, really.
Sam: Yeah, that’s it. His position of authority marketing. Yes, he’s not got that position by accident. He’s done it. I know he has because he’s worked bloody hard at it.
Marcus: Well, I’ll mention another name as well, just while we’re at it. It’s another guy, so I apologise. But it’s Martin Hobbie.
Sam: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he’s always online, always discussing stuff. Yeah, you see, he pops up a lot.
Marcus: He’s got his Facebook group where he’s very active, but for commercial photographers. He’s teaching now, headshot. So, yeah, he’s basically, yeah, he’s big. And his brand is very much himself as well, isn’t it? He’s based on his humour, you know, his quirk, you know.
Sam: Yeah, the Facebook posts get quite special at times. Yes, they’re definitely him. They’re always quite bizarre. Yes, yes. But yes, you remember him. So, yes, and then obviously there’s offline stuff you can do. Events, speaking at events, speaking at network events, speaking at bigger events. So, for example, we interviewed Gillian Devine a couple of weeks ago, and then, you know, she was straight after the show, she was off to a photographer’s event, and she was running workshop because she’s an expert in her, and she’s showing people she’s an expert in her, because she’s, you know, and she’s running live events. And that’s really showing people, look, I’m an expert at this event, want me to speak. And that speaks volumes before you’ve opened your mouth. So, yeah.
Marcus: I definitely agree with you there. And, you know, this might all seem very daunting to some people, you know, starting off or whatever, but I think here in the UK, you know, there’s a lot of photographers, we know that, but yet again, you can get your reputation built fairly quickly in this country, I think. You know, the word gets around.
Sam: Yeah, that’s it. And obviously you’re helping to do it as well. So, yeah, you’re talking about that testimonials are great, you know, your position authority grows because you’ve got other people saying what a great job you’ve done. So testimonials get them to do little videos, stuff like that. The other thing which we do have a problem with in the UK, we tend to self-deprecate, don’t we? So you might be aiming to be, you know, the best commercial photographer in Glasgow, but, you know, our automatic thing in Britain is to go, yeah, you know, I’m not too bad at it, you know, rather than going, I am the best commercial photographer in Glasgow, bang, you know, put it on your strap line, whatever, just do it. You don’t need the stats to back it. I remember, you know, years ago I was in 4N, the guy who run that Brad Burton, he was like, I am the UK’s number one motivational speaker.
No, this was, you know, he just decided he was. And put it out there, you know, you don’t need to, literally, that was it. There was nothing backing it up. And yeah, you don’t want to do that if you’ve actually never picked up a camera before. But, you know, if you’ve got the skills and experience, yeah, push, you know, don’t do that self-deprecate, oh, well, I’m not too bad, but, you know, the person down the road’s quite, you know, don’t do that traditional put yourself down. You’ve got to come across without the pat, like you said, without the mansplaining and the patronising, but you’ve got, don’t put yourself down.
There’s a balance, isn’t there? There’s like a dial, isn’t there? Don’t do the put yourself down.
Macus: Oh, mate.
Sam: Don’t do the I’m amazing you go for the middle where you come across calm, you come across helpful, but you’re not patronising people and you’re not putting yourself down. You’ve got it in the middle there.
Marcus: I mean, I think what you’re talking about here, Sam, is just coming from a place of abundance, isn’t it, that they talk about that? Which is really, I think, is quite a new thing. Back in the olden days, you know, you wouldn’t say anything, oh, here’s no photographer, I’m not going to even talk to them. You know, they might get my secrets. But that’s rubbish, isn’t it? I mean, these days, people are much more open and this building abundance, giving lots of information away free or whatever it might be, is a great way of building your brand.
Sam: It is. You’re talking about giving it away to photographers. You probably only would be talking to photographers a lot if you’re trying to help other photographers. You know, if you’re out there in the commercial world, if you’re out there as a brand photographer, you’re more, the abundance you’re showing is more with fellow business owners because you’re trying to build there your customers. You’re trying to build it with your customers, whoever they are. Yes, they’re sharing your knowledge, sharing your understanding with that group of people. And yeah, we’ve got shows on know who your target audience is because you’ve really got to know that. So you’re kind of speaking to them.
Marcus: Yes.
Sam: That’s really, really important as part of this. And yeah, and then as part of this, knowing what your area of expertise is effectively and then going out there and making sure you are the, you know, number one person in your… Well, that’s the other thing in geographical area. Number one person, what in the country, in the world, in your area, you’ve got to think again about what are you aiming at? Where are you aiming at? And then, you know, once you’ve got that target, what are you the expert in? What area are you going for? Who’s your target audience? And then you go in for it.
Marcus: Yeah. And also, being British or whatever, European in a subtle way as well, you know. Nobody likes to know it all.
Sam: That’s it. You’ve got to, like I said, helping people rather than patronising them. You know, answering questions people have, giving them help. Yes, it’s about getting your knowledge across and helping people, not just telling people you’re wonderful.
Marcus: And if I may say, Sam, just adding to your list, and I’m bound to say this, I know, but also being a good photographer…
Sam: Well, yes.
Marcus: Or being a really good photographer, let’s just say, is really important as well. Let’s not think about that.
Sam: Well, yeah, no. Whatever you are saying you’re the expert in, you do need to be the expert in. And there is some we have, we all have our self-doubts and things, am I really?
And yes, I’m sure you are, but yeah, not just I’ve sat down on my desk and I’m going to be an expert in hedgehog rescue and you don’t know which way up a hedgehog goes, or even if you can spot a hedgehog from a porcupine. Yeah.
Marcus: Where did that come from? Where did hedgehog rescue come from? God take that. Yeah. So, as well as spending time marketing, which we all know is very important, always to spend time becoming a good, good at whatever you do.
Sam: I think at the stage where they’re doing this position of authority marketing, I’m presuming you’re already at that stage. You know, this probably isn’t the approach you do literally fresh out of photography school. This is you as an expert. But yes, we’d obviously be still developing ourselves as always.
Marcus: I get my work because people say, you’re a good photographer. That’s why people give me work. It’s another reason, really. It’s not because I’m a nice guy because I’m bloody not.
Sam: Excellent. I’ve also got to find you, Marcus. So yeah, I think that’s most things for that topic, Marcus. Do you have any more questions before we kind of wrap it up?
Marcus: No, I think you’ve covered up really well there. I think just getting out there, being good at what you do, letting people know about it, but in a nice way.
Sam: That’s it. Perfect. Right. Excellent, Marcus. Thank you very much. It’d been lovely to speak to you, and I’ll speak to you next week.
Marcus: See you next week, Sam.
Sam: Bye.
