How to Build a Reputation and Become an Expert in Your Niche

Hello again my friend, today I thought we’d talk about how to build a reputation and become an expert even if nobody knows who you are.

Reddit is one of the most popular sites for…well everything.

You can find conversations on every conceivable subject. It’s a great place to ask questions and get feedback on whatever you’re struggling with.

It’s also a great place to build your reputation as an expert in your niche.

How to Get Recognized for the Baller You Are

Yesterday I set up my first Reddit account as part of a new program I’ll be teaching called “Niche Famous”. (Join my mailing list for updates on this program) It’s all about how to build a following by establishing yourself as a major player in your industry.

After 10 minutes of reading through questions I came across one I thought would showcase my skills as a bonafide marketing genius.

It was from another marketer who owns an advertising agency.

His agency is working for a small law firm specializing in DUI cases. The law firm has an advertising agreement with a local bar but the ad agency is having a hard time getting the messaging right.

As you can imagine, the two parties involved have competing concerns. Those concerns can make it difficult to keep everyone happy.

The Bar Owners Concerns

Naturally the bar owner doesn’t want his patrons being reminded about the risk of a DUI every time they turn around. Even if the ads don’t deter drinking, at the very least they will sour the mood.

People go to a bar to have fun and blow off steam. If you litter your bar with PSA’s about the risk of dinking you’ll drive all your customers to the watering hole next door.

But the Pub owner also doesn’t want a drunk driving death on his conscience.

The Law Firms Concerns

In contrast the law firm wants people to call them when they screw up and need a quality defense attorney. They want to be top of mind when you need them the most.

But if the plaster the bar with DUI ads they risk getting labeled as “Those greedy lawyers preying on peoples misfortune.”

So what do you do? How do you manage these competing needs and create a win/win for both the bar owner and the law firm?

It’s tricky. One things for sure. We’re gonna have to science the shit outta this problem. Behavioral Science that is.

The Solution

After giving it some thought the answer was clear.

The law firm doesn’t need anyone to respond to their ad immediately. There doesn’t need to be a traditional call-to-action like you’d see in a direct response ad.

But the firm does need to be the first and only name you remember when you’re sobering up in the drunk tank.

So what makes something memorable? One is repetition. The more we see or hear something the more memorable it is.

Another is novelty. If something is new, unique, or unexpected we tend to remember it.

Lastly is humor. We love to laugh. If you make it funny people will remember you. Even if they don’t know why, humor will leave a positive impression in the minds of your customers.

So I came up with a few headlines I thought would play well.

Headline Ideas

“Toss the bar tender your keys and order another round!”

“Ready to make some bad decisions? We support you! Just leave your keys at the bar so you don’t end up supporting us.”

“My kid jus got into Harvard! Who’s gonna pay his tuition? Cuz it’s not gonna be me.”

Tell me that wouldn’t make you laugh if you saw it hanging over the urinal when you go to take a leak.

Now, if I was being paid I’d spend a lot more time on this and come up with some memorable one-liners. Then I’d follow it up with some killer body copy. But you get the idea.

The best way for you to build authority and notoriety in your industry is to demonstrate you can help people buy actually helping them. You may feel like you’re giving away the milk for free but you’re not.

Nobody can be you as good as you can. Your clients can’t get where they want to go without you or they would already be there. Never forget that. Your job is to prove you’re the right person to help them get what they want.

Talk soon,

Jason

P.S. If you’re struggling to find the right hook for your business then I’d love to help. Just fill out the contact form here.