Marketing the expert within
On most occasions when I give out my business card to people I meet, I get a look of intrigue from them. Sometimes because of my rather unpronounceable Chinese name (don’t ask), but mostly because I have two titles: “Senior Associate” and “New Media Specialist”.
The first is a regular PR consultant’s title that denotes my “rank” within the organisation, while the other is represents an additional expertise. In this case, an expert on the new/social media. Just in case you’re wondering, this was not a title I gave myself.
I dare not claim to be Mr know-it-all about the social media, but I am passionate about the space and dare say I know enough about it for Hill & Knowlton to position me this way in front of our clients.
This brings me to a theory I conceptualised years back that I often call “Plus 1″. It came to me when I happened to see a doctor, that I used to visit when I was a kid, on the evening news. He’s a general practitioner (GP) based in a neighbourhood that’s now too far away for me to visit. What is interesting is that he’s taken it upon himself to be an “expert” in family issues and family health so much so that when the caption on the news program was displayed, it said “Family health expert” instead of general practitioner as it should. As a marketing move, I thought that was amazing. First he got to be the one interviewed, and secondly he’s now publicly seen as an expert. That’s got to be something that will drive business. So now he’s doctor + 1, while the rest of the GPs are just doctors.
This got me thinking about myself (a journalist at the time), how I could position myself to be better. It doesn’t mean needing two professional expertise like doctor + engineer, but just that little Plus 1 to give you that edge above the rest. It could be the smallest hobby or passion such as photography or organising parties. What I tried for was journalist + technologist because most of the other technology journalists I met could write, but most of them couldn’t install Linux, for example, to save their lives. I could do that among other geeky things, so I figured that was my advantage: a real technology journalist.
What I believe is that everyone has that addition skill/passion. Everyone has a Plus 1 that sets them apart from the rest, it’s just a matter of making it known and acting on it.
Earlier this week I was talking to Melvin my good friend and co-founder of Scoopasia, and he brought up a similar topic asking me why we in Singapore are so afraid to call ourselves “entrepreneurs” or “business men”. It is somehow in our culture to not call ourselves what we’re not when in fact we are.
A couple of weeks back I met an Australian architect (designs houses) who also designed a concept computer for a competition. That was such an awesome thing to do, positioning and proving that he was architect + 1. So how does this help his profession? Immediately I think of smart homes where design of integrated computing systems and buildings are critical.
The examples I could give are endless, but enough already from me. I’d like to encourage you to think about that Plus 1 I know you have and begin to apply it to your profession. I’m not a HR expert, but if you want ideas on marketing and positioning your Plus 1, I’d love to hear from you.
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Interesting idea and one worth thinking about. I think you are definitely more than just the usual PR suit, going by your credentials and understanding of the 2.0 universe. For me, I see myself as a marketer, communicator and also an entrepreneur (of sorts) within the public sector. I never take things at face value and always try to challenge the status quo.
Ben,
The sad truth is – we readily allow others to “label” us, “define” us and validate our sense of identity. But we dare not do it ourselves.
Yet there’s something deep in the heart of Man that wants to be “labeled right”, to have our identities validated by a greater entity than us. And to many, that “greater entity” is the rest of the world - our bosses, our friends…
But we know that the world around us can be very wrong sometimes, and often cannot see the whole person and true potential that lies within.
As a result, we live lives of endless pursuit for significance, unsatisfied by the world’s stamp of approval. We move from job to job, and relationship to relationship… in pursuit of an “external validation”. And we are never satisfied.
But you know that I believe there is a God, and that He created us. In knowing Him, I know who I am, and what I can be. And so I need not wait for Man’s approval for what I know myself to be.
With that confidence, I “tag” myself - thinker, philosopher, poet, writer, teacher, entrepreneur, visionary, communicator… and all that other nice stuff
What really lies within you? Believe there is more than just Plus 1
And when we finally understand the person within, “marketing the expert” will come naturally.
And who knows… maybe it won’t even be necessary.
haha..I thought of saying something like “The problem with me is that I’m a 1/2 engineer + 1/2 musician + 1/2 technologist + 1/2 traveler + 1/5 real estate developer.” until I saw Melvin’s comment. Indeed, I’m just a man with many different “tags”. “Marketing” this man should hopefully come naturally after the realization of that.
Thanks for the comments guys. Melvin, that’s for the reminder of who we truly are. =)
I’m making this point because too often I hear of people’s claim to fame (in work) is years of experience. Sure that’s something, but everyone will get experience one way or another. What really sets you apart is when you can do a bit more.
It’s like being an intrapreneur.