9 Tips on Becoming an Influencer in Your Industry

Posted by Ashleigh Everston

Do you want to become an influencer in your industry?

Influencers have a presence in almost any industry – Internet, Showbiz, Health & Fitness, Media. All well-known influencers have certain traits that set them apart from the rest. Apart from having in-depth knowledge of their industry, they possess a charisma that appeals to the audience.

Seeing you are on this page, I assume that you have a fascination with becoming the next icon in your industry. Becoming an expert in your industry takes years of struggle and sacrifices that will test your patience. It is after going through consistent hard work that you are able to garner people’s attention. Things won’t come easy.

The first step is always about knowing your forte. What specific area drives you in your field? Once you get the answer, you then need to set a course and specify targets that you want to achieve with your ambitions of becoming an influencer in your industry.

In spite of all the hurdles, you can be the next influencer in your industry if you follow these 9 expert tips:

1. Identify Your Audience

So, you want to be the next big name in your industry but you’re not sure where to start?

Begin by identifying your audience and knowing their specific preferences. When you successfully do this, you win half the battle.

An analysis of these questions will provide you with a good understanding of your potential followers:

• What are the common beliefs of your target audience?
• What are the life choices of your audience?
• What other influencers do they follow?
• How do they practice their jobs?

2. Find An Influencer To Become An Influencer

Read stories of famous influencers and you will find inspiration behind their success. The most influential industry experts were once inspired by an icon in their industry. Similarly, you need to first find that one person who can give you inspiration to be like them.

You are lucky if you have already found one. But if you are still struggling, then LinkedIn and Twitter can help you find one with ease. Find that one person that can enrich you with their knowledge and bowl you over with their charm.

3. Increase Your Knowledge Vault

For influencers, knowledge is the most powerful weapon they can use to make an impact on their followers. Unless you are exceptionally knowledgeable about your niche industry, you cannot convince your followers that you are the best in the business. To give your knowledge a rapid boost, you need to find the best books that provide deep insights on your industry.

Let’s say if you are an aspiring entrepreneur, then “The Five Starter Session” is a book you could be reading to get up to speed. This excellent book by Danielle La Porte explains in detail the complexities of entrepreneurship and how you can start a business with success.

4. Keep Busy With Your Followers

Your inquisitive followers are always in search of valuable knowledge. Naturally, they look for your expert advice to get answers on certain topics. By giving them the right explanation for their questions, you can convince them about your command over the subject and they will be happy to turn to you for help.

Brian Solis aptly demonstrates how you can build credibility and trust by engaging your audience. A big part of his success is related to his knack of engaging his audience using several platforms. Being an active public speaker, blogger, social media commentator and TV personality, he provides his audience various channels of communication to start a discussion.

5. Leverage Technology

Technology enables you to share time-sensitive knowledge with your audience and rapidly get their attention. New media platforms, such as blogging and social media power you to utilise your knowledge and make an influence by timely participating in the information-sharing process.

Barrack Obama is a good example of how you can use technology to influence people. His success in the 2008 presidential election owes a great deal to his presence on new media. It was reported that a ten percent of his budget was spent on promoting his political agenda on social media platforms.

6. Find Opportunities to Attend Social Events

Social events are a hub of learning opportunities for your followers. Attending events like seminars and professional workshops, allow you to impart valuable knowledge and insights to your niche audience and gain their trust in return. These events also let you speak your mind on hot topics and influence opinions of your loyal fan base.

Rand Fishkin is a digital marketing guru who is known for his speeches and interviews on educational seminars and workshops. His official website mentions his email address so that his followers can meet him at upcoming events.

7. Pitch Yourself

No matter how talented and skilled you are, your audience wouldn’t know unless you make deliberate efforts to get their attention. Look for opportunities that would serve as a tool to sell your skills and force your followers to know more about you.

YouTube is one of the best tools you can use to showcase your forte in any field and earn rapid following. Take for example the case of Justin Bieber. It is known that his early music videos on You Tube helped him gain rapid popularity and turned him into an overnight music idol.

8. Grow Your Network

Networking is a big part of growing your influence as an expert. With strategic networking, you can quickly join the league of industry experts and connect with your followers. Regular interactions on networking websites helps you retain the interest of your fans as you exchange opinions on industry-specific subjects.

Thanks to networking websites, for example Twitter and LinkedIn, you have your followers at your fingertips. The good thing about these websites is that they link you to a diverse audience belonging to different countries. So, you have a chance to become a global icon in your industry.

9. Respond to Your Audience

Your followers are always looking for quality information. More often than not, they will want to hear from you for getting insights on various facets of your industry.

As an influencer, it is your responsibility to be available to your audience whenever they need help on a topic. To build a deeper and stronger camaraderie, you need to reinforce in your followers feeling that you will be available to them every time they need advice. Therefore, you should make it a point to respond to their queries, provide them timely feedback and even appreciate their valued opinions.

Cheryl K Burgess is an apt example of how you can build a reciprocal relationship with your followers by keeping a consistent communication with them. She actively participates in conversations with her Twitter following and guides them with the right information on industry-specific topics.

Wrap

Influencers are known for their profound understanding of their specific industry. With their knowledge and experience, they are able to draw the attention of people, establish authority and become a source of inspiration.

So, if you want to earn a reputation as an influencer, make sure you follow the above-mentioned 9 tips with diligence.

About Ashleigh

Ashleigh Everston is a social media trend analyst for a start-up that offers peakdissertation.co.uk. She has a pure love for sweet tweets, interesting pins and more. When not roaming around in social channels, she spends her free time with her favorite books and novels.

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• 9 Tips on Becoming an Influencer in Your Industry - Mar 11, 2016