[BLOG] Douglas Kruger Column: It Takes More Than Knowledge to Become Iconic
Why you Should Play the Game of Perceptions
All across the world, the middle classes are taught that a university degree is the be-all and end-all. Yet true industry experts know that a degree is merely a nicety. Sure, it can help individuals to move from poor to middle-class. But the gradient from middle-class to wealthy requires a different skill-set. A degree will not make you iconic, it will not make you wealthy, and it doesn’t cause business to migrate in your direction.
So what does?
True experts understand that beyond mere knowledge and functional competence lies a whole new type of strategic game; a game that you must master if you want to make it to the top: The game of perceptions.
I like to express it this way: Appearance is everything… So appear!
I don’t believe that it is critical what brand of clothing you wear, what car you drive, or where you live. But I do believe that it is critical that they see your face and hear your voice. You have to be a human being that the market and the industry knows, not a name on a piece of paper, or a signature on an email.
With that in mind, here’s a good idea: Call the editor of the magazine that handles your industry and introduce yourself. And now, here’s an even better idea: Go around and meet the editor. Similarly, it’s a good idea to send an email to key players in the industry. It’s a much better idea to take them to coffee and chat face to face.
Sales people call it ‘face time’ and it’s invaluable. It’s one thing to be an expert on a piece of paper, but it’s an entirely different proposition to become a known entity: A real human being with a personality in the minds of the key players.
When I started writing for a certain sales magazine, I made a point of dropping by their offices to introduce myself. There was no need, my articles were already accepted for publication, but I went ahead and did it anyway. This was the beginning of a relationship that:
A: Grew my presence within the publication itself.
B: Culminated in the staff recommending my services when people asked about professional speakers.
C: Turned me into the preferred specialist when they had a publishing requirement relating to my field.
These sorts of encounters – simple in nature; you just drop by and say ‘hi’ – can mean the difference between being an obscure name on a list and being seen as the go-to person. It’s fairly logical. If you were a representative of experts, be it the editor of a publication who publishes their work, or an agent with a pool of performers, you’d be much more inclined to recommend someone if you knew who they were. While you remain a name on a piece of paper, you are not a recommendable entity, because, in the right minds, you barely even exist.
We often remark that it’s a good career move to know all the key people in an industry. And it is. But it is exponentially more valuable to ensure that all the key people know you. This begins to create a snowball effect. It generates that invaluable phrase, “You know who you should talk to…?”, to which you name is the answer.
In order to be an expert, you have to be recommended. To get recommended, you have to be a face. Go and meet the key people in your industry. Approach them with good manners, and don’t be overbearing, but go out there and get known.
Question: What is your plan to go from a name on a piece of paper, to a living person in the forefront of important players’ minds?
Douglas Kruger is a professional speaker and author of three books, including ‘50 Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert.’ See him in action at www.douglaskruger.co.za, connect with him on Linked In or Twitter @douglaskruger. Email kruger@compute.co.za
