Reinventing Professional Services E-Book

Ari Kaplan

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 373

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

How engaging technology and relationships can help you stand out, attract business and achieve a more dynamic professional life The technological landscape has reshaped the way white collar workers cultivate and promote their businesses. The Transformation of Professional Services is an engaging look at how licensed experts are adapting to today's dynamic economic environment. From Ari Kaplan--a recognized advisor on business and career development-- Reinventing Professional Services: Building Your Business in the Digital Marketplaceoffers insights on taking advantage of enterprising techniques to stand out and position one's self as an insightful chameleon rather than as an isolated purveyor of facts and figures. * Details the importance of offering resources instead of simply selling * Reveals strategies for increasing one's searchability and distinguishing one's self in an economic downturn or recovery * Offers advice readers can immediately use to strengthen client relationships Written in a straightforward and accessible style, this book provides engaging guidance for anyone in the professional services field--from business consultants, financial advisers, and lawyers to accountants, real estate brokers, and appraisers.

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction: The Rise of the White Collar Hustler and Your Path to Practical Innovation

Chapter 1: Finding Your Way in a More Informal, Instant World

Create Opportunity by Becoming a Visible Enthusiastic Expert

Increase Your Visibility and Realize Your Potential

Enthusiasm Is the Hallmark of the Modern Hustler

Expertise Is Easier to Convey Than Ever Before

Chapter 2: Innovators Adapt, and You Should Too

Set Goals for Social Media

Begin Cultivating Offline Relationships Online

Embrace Transparency Because Everybody Knows Everything Anyway

Grass Roots Medicine

Chapter 3: Recognize the Resiliency Revolution and Join It to Grow Your Practice

Seize Opportunity Whenever Possible

Flexible Fees Make Cost Conversations More Cheerful

Alignment Is the Answer to Better Client Relationships

Technology Offers Better Communication All Around

Chapter 4: Students Have Everything to Gain from the White Collar Hustle

Busting Myths About Networking

Be Disciplined and Accountable

Share Your Successes and Your Failures

Be Prolific and Fast

Be a Resource, Focus on Others

Follow Up

Chapter 5: Know Your Clients and Patients Because They Expect You To

Accountants and Technology Are a Good Match

Leverage a Variety of Tools to Promote Your Practice

Answer the Question the Client Should Have Asked

Merge Talents Wherever Possible

Chapter 6: Putting Your Practice through a Wind Tunnel Will Blow You Away

Even Small Elements of Inefficiency Can Have a Large Impact on the Bottom Line

Define Your Value Proposition to Focus Your Future

Finding True Worth Is Wiser Than You Realize

Become a Chameleon to Kick Start Your Initiatives

Chapter 7: It’s a Small Street, So Befriend Your Neighbors

Know Yourself to Better Understand Others

From SWOT to Sales Is a Path to Prosperity

Change But Don’t Change Who You Are

Tie Profits to Success to Build Trust and Motivate

Trust and Respect Now Matter More Than Ever

Chapter 8: Networking Is Dead; Long Live Networking

Go Where Your Audience Goes

Use Tools that Your Audience Uses

Find a Geek to Help You Get LinkedIn

Integrate Your Efforts to Save Time and Sanity

Explore Facebook for Fun and Professional Potential

How to Decide Whether You Should Blog

Spend Time with Your Audience and the Members Will Spend Time with You

Chapter 9: Proactive Professionals Pay Attention to Progress

Sales and Marketing Have Evolved So You Should Too

Medical Records Are Right on the Money

Chapter 10: When You’re Allergic to Wool, Wear Cotton or Suffer for Your Entire Career

Passion, Time, and Luck—Plus Relationships

The “Yes” Business

Make Every Client a Secret Shopper

Global Roots in Virtual Spaces

Set Expectations

The Art of the Referral

Chapter 11: Meet Your Clients and Patients Directly

An Accelerant of Change

Displacement Anxiety

Chapter 12: Mailing Lists, the Media, and Making Mistakes

Become an Umbrella Salesman

Benefits, Business Development, and Beyond

Meeting the Media

Make Mini Muffins with the Media

Being the Media

You, Too, Can YouTube

Chapter 13: Forget Technology, Remember Others to Build True Relationships

Use Technology to Say Thanks and More

Pay Attention to the Pitfalls of Participation

Confidentiality Is Critical, So Know When to Keep Quiet

Be Careful Creating Professional Relationships Online

Advantages of the Cautious Approach

Chapter 14: The Foundation for Follow-Up Is Easy to Establish

Timing Your Tidings to Connect with Colleagues

Hosting Events Is for Everyone

Thoughtful Follow-Up Is Favorable

Writing and Its Spinoffs as Marketing Are Remarkably Effective

Conclusion: Cultivating Community

Resources

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

Copyright © 2011 by Ari Kaplan. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Kaplan, Ari, 1973-

Reinventing professional services : building your business in the digital marketplace / Ari Kaplan.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-00190-5 (hardback); 978-1-118-09750-2 (ebk); 978-1-118-09751-9 (ebk); 978-1-118-09752-6 (ebk)

1. Professions—Marketing. 2. Information technology—Management. 3. Technological innovations-—Management. I. Title.

HD8038.A1K35 2011

658.4’063—dc22

2011011001

For Lauren, for inspiring me and always having my back. And, of course, for Emory & Hannah

Introduction

The Rise of the White Collar Hustler and Your Path to Practical Innovation

Between my college graduation and my first semester of law school, I spent a year living in Kobe, Japan, working for the Japanese government through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. During one of my vacations, I made a last-minute decision to visit Nepal and flew into Kathmandu late one spring evening in 1994. I was alone, with only a backpack and a Lonely Planet guidebook. I recall a single telephone in the airport and I waited in what seemed like a very long line for an opportunity to call a few guesthouses in the city.

As I waited, I paid little attention to the travelers around me or to their systematic usage of the phone. I periodically looked up from my book and noticed that each subsequent person on the line lifted the receiver, dialed, and waited for almost the exact same amount of time as the preceding individual. As one walked away, another stepped forward, lifted the receiver, and executed the routine. It was very mechanical and efficient.

There was, however, one problem that went unsaid until I had an opportunity to play the game.

The phone was broken!

Each person took the same steps and realized the same result—failure. They thought those steps worked for their predecessor and simply followed his or her lead. They were unaware of the earlier results so they left in confusion without saying a word to their fellow travelers.

Upon realizing the trouble, like a courteous Eagle Scout, I turned to the person behind me and informed him that the handset did not work. He smiled and waved as I walked away to either find another pay phone or some other type of travel assistance. When I looked back, I was surprised to see him holding the receiver attempting to make a call. Even more startling was that despite my advisory to him and a few others within earshot in the line, not a single person left. Not one.

Today, providers of a broad range of professional services find themselves waiting in a proverbial line to use tools and techniques that are of waning utility. It is harder for them to build relationships with the same longevity and, therefore, they face greater challenges in developing business. Although most had been following a similar path for years with a fair amount of success, the recession and the impact of technology on information-oriented advisory careers are forcing them to become more entrepreneurial. A well-respected education, industry experience, and a book of contacts are no longer enough. There is a renewed focus on practical innovation.

The trends have, in a word, forced each professional to become a hustler.

This book is designed to provide readers with authentic insights on charting an accessible course for making small changes that have the potential to achieve identifiable results. It offers concrete ideas for engaging more fully with clients and prospects, raising your profile and that of your practice by contributing to the growth of your professional community, and creating additional opportunities to interact with your core audience.

Each chapter features an overall message, for example, Chapter 5 is about profiling and understanding your customers, clients, patients, and so on. Commentary from experts in various industries supports that message and there are often references to online resources that will help you execute this idea.

Ultimately, that is my goal. I want you to read this book, select a single idea that you believe can work in your practice, and act. Period.

To that end, I make you two promises. First, you are likely to fail at some point. Second, you are unlikely to succeed if you are not willing to fail, even in some small way. Of course, every step forward involves some risk. As professionals, we abhor risk. It is antithetical to our training. In fact, we seek out advanced education and licensed skills to eliminate as much risk as possible.

The reality is, however, that success in today’s highly populated professional communities requires both skill and style. Technology can help you hone both. New tools allow you to showcase your talent to a much broader audience. They empower you to interact with that audience in a more organic fashion. And, they create meaningful opportunities to follow up in a seamless and effective manner.

Everyone has a story about his or her first client or first job. It always seems like serendipity in hindsight, where the stars aligned and someone caught a very lucky break. In fact, there is often additional detail that reveals the coordinated long-term effort required to create that opportunity and others like it.

“The challenge is that people want the silver bullet, the formula, the magic potion,” says Bruce Jones, Programming Director at the Disney Institute in Orlando, Florida, which trains executives worldwide on adopting the Disney model of creating an emotional connection to their brands. “It is not magic; it is day in and day out commitment,” he adds.

That commitment might come in the form of networking or it might manifest itself in one’s dedication to improving his or her community. Ultimately, it is demonstrated in ways that individuals can easily tailor to their own strengths and personalities. It is the modern hustle for longevity and client service recognition.

Everyone can take a common sense approach with their own branding, which reflects their character and capability. “We are not perfect,” says Jones. “We strive for perfection and we’ll settle for excellence, but we won’t settle for anything less.”

The challenge is that people want the silver bullet, the formula, the magic potion. It is not magic; it is day in and day out commitment.

Bruce Jones, Programming Director at the Disney Institute in Orlando, Florida

Getting Started

The central focus of today’s white-collar hustler is a well-crafted plan and a dedication to a routine set of activities that contributes to the professional’s success, as well as that of those he or she serves. Throughout this book we’ll explore how to make a plan that draws on individual strengths and needs. Having a plan, though, is not enough. Being accountable is essential. It is also important to bring others into the process; by telling someone about your goals, those in your support circle can help you with encouragement and reinforcement. In these pages, we’ll also explore the roles of proactive listening and introspection, as well as the importance of being true to yourself.

The first step comes with understanding that professionals can change the manner in which they get from point A to point B in achieving business goals, without fundamentally changing their identity as doctors, lawyers, dentists, veterinarians, accountants, and the like.

Consider my experience as a swimmer: I have always loved swimming and, of course, hated it at the same time. As hard as I tried, I never seemed to get better or faster, but it has been my primary workout since following up on a New Year’s resolution in 2007 and joining a local masters swimming team. After a frustrating practice session, a fellow teammate suggested that I read Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier by Terry Laughlin and John Delves (Fireside, 1996) to focus on my stroke, rather than my strength.

As soon as I began reading it, I realized that I had for years been concentrating on spinning my arms around as quickly as possible instead of streamlining my body to move through the water more aerodynamically like a fish. I asked my coach, Ultraman Canada finisher Melanie Fink, to help me implement the changes to my stroke and formation. Fink, the owner of Personal Training of Short Hills LLC, challenged me to dismantle my existing notions of swimming and reform my entire perspective on the sport. And, as you might imagine, I resisted.

For months, I struggled with learning new techniques and swam slower than ever before. But then it started to get easier and I began swimming faster, but more efficiently. Instead of using 24 strokes to make it across a 25-yard pool, I was across in 20, then 18, and now, depending on how tired I am, even 16 or 14. I am not stronger, but I am more economical with my energy and effort.

While the professional community is not necessarily struggling to make it across the pool, licensed experts in every discipline are sensing a revolution in how they deliver their services to a more empowered audience of clients in a dynamic economic environment.

Advancements in technology have commoditized many of the services professionals once offered for a fee. Now, they are giving that information away and searching for higher-value revenue streams. Social media has completely shifted the landscape from commentary to conversation. While experts once informed individuals about key issues in their field, they are now responding to queries and discussing those issues in an open forum. That transparency has completely reconfigured the setting.

Lawyers, accountants, doctors, bankers, architects, veterinarians, dentists, and others who used to focus solely on their craft are now reconsidering their “stroke count,” having come to realize they are making inefficient efforts. Just as importantly, many realize they hamper themselves by avoiding calculated risks that are likely to produce results.

I actually avoided this risk on behalf of my then-seven-year-old son, whom I coached in Little League. I didn’t play baseball as a child; the thought of getting hit by the ball always scared me. That, and a complete lack of coordination. But my son can play. And, he loves it. So I coach.

All of the kids who pitched were eight, almost nine. For weeks, he kept asking me for permission to pitch and I quietly suggested that he keep practicing. The truth was that I was afraid that a batter would return one of his pitches right into his head or chest. Toward the end of the season, another coach offered him a chance and I acquiesced.

He walked the first and second batters. To be honest I was relieved because he didn’t get hit with the ball. Then he struck out the third and fourth batters. Every kid in the dugout was on his feet. Two on, two outs, and he struck out the last batter retiring the side with no runs scored. Amazing! Like it was no problem. Like failure was not an option.

In fact, failure is always an option, often a very real one. Complacency can be a smooth road on which to travel. It might be safe. But, where will it take you? And, of course, there are risks. After all, I’m glad my son pitched, but it took us a while to get him to stop sleeping with his baseball glove.

“Success today requires the willingness to take a risk and to put your stake in the sand,” says Nancy Fox, founder of The Business Fox, a coaching and training company. “You really can’t afford to treat your practice like a practice anymore; you have to be an entrepreneur and view it as a business,” she advises.

While it was once an advantage to have a personal brand, it is now essential. Without one, you often limit your value within your organization and the community. Hoping the phone rings is an exercise in wasting energy because, among other reasons, fewer people are using the phone to interact with their counselors. The marketplace is competitive; only those who target their audience and find ways to creatively interact with its members will continue to thrive.

Expectations, both internal and external, are higher. Decades ago, junior associates had seven or eight years to prove themselves. Today, they have three. And, one must be proactive now or face the consequences later. Those that are often reap rewards.

Two days after my son’s baseball game, I received this e-mail from a student at a law school where I had spoken a while back, who viewed his job search this way:

Ari,

You do not remember me, but I met you when you spoke at [our] Law School last year. I just wanted to email you to let you know that I followed your advice and got a job as a result of it. I won’t bore you with the details but basically I became a networking whore/junky. I just wanted to e-mail you to say thank you for your assistance.

Like this student, professionals must shift from being reactive to industry change to proactively incorporating new ideas into their practices. And, of course: hustling.

Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to interact with thousands of professionals. Whenever I asked one about the key to success in his or her field, the response was typically: “I am a hustler.”

Aside from all of the gadgetry and Internet-based solutions, or the calls for value-billing and improved customer service, many of the professionals with whom I have spoken attributed their success in one method or another to leveraging a cocktail of efforts that helped them fuel the hustle and create possibility. Fox paraphrases a quote that captures the essence of the new hustler’s revolution: “If you’re interested in success, you’ll do what is convenient. If you are committed to success, you will do whatever the hell is necessary.”

Each professional can find parallel challenges that colleagues in other disciplines are facing, as well as strategies that are helping them reshape their efforts. We must engage in a broader conversation that enables providers of services to reinvent instead of simply repeat past exercises. Most are steeped in tradition in terms of how they develop and cultivate client relationships, interact with peers, and collaborate. They continue to operate within models of hourly billing and base earnings solely on the time spent. Each profession also views its own protocols in isolation, but there are more universal similarities than many realize. From accountants to architects and bankers to barristers, there is a dynamic approach that could work for you.

Whatever name we give it, however we described the process, one thing is clear: the path to growing a professional business has changed. This book explores how to get on the new track, a process that needn’t be painful and could even be fun.

What’s in This Book

The transformation of professional services has been characterized by a more proactive base of clients/patients, who are empowered with information and heightened expectations. Each chapter is designed to help you navigate the evolution of this interdisciplinary phenomenon.

This introduction contrasts the urgent need for change with the approachable manner in which one can make subtle adjustments to remain on pace with progress.

The first three chapters highlight the characteristics that professionals should incorporate to properly position themselves for change. Chapter 1 suggests that in order to navigate today’s more informal and instant environment, licensed practitioners should seek to become visible enthusiastic experts. Doing so will allow them to realize their potential. Chapter 2 justifies the need for innovation and encourages individuals to embrace new ideas in a traditional culture. Chapter 3 cites specific trends related to pricing, partnerships, and correspondence that will help professionals thrive.

The next three chapters are meant to establish a generational understanding of how to practically approach goal-setting. Chapter 4 is designed for students to understand how to see the foundation for a future in a fiercely competitive market. Chapter 5 prompts professionals to learn more about their clients and patients, while Chapter 6 provides guidance on reshaping their practices based on the needs of those clients and patients.

The next four chapters are designed to help individuals and organizations adapt to new methods of communication and encourage experimentation with technology. Chapter 7 suggests that streamlining operations can revitalize revenue streams. Chapter 8 focuses on the updated art of networking in a digital world. It addresses the social media landscape and offers suggestions for acclimating to this new environment. Chapter 9 sets forth the advantages of taking a proactive and direct approach to connecting with clients or patients. And, Chapter 10 promotes the idea of customizing each approach to suit one’s particular circumstances. It recognizes the critical nature of referral sources and strategic techniques for creating opportunity.

The remaining sections are designed to spark new ideas and inspire calculated risk-taking with a full understanding of the potential consequences. Chapter 11 prompts professionals to seek out specific contacts, rather than hope to make their acquaintance in the future. Chapter 12 provides concrete examples of how to execute and achieve those goals. Chapter 13 reminds readers that the ultimate goal is not to become adept at using a tool, but to enhance your ability to form genuine relationships. It also provides certain points of caution in creating those relationships online. Chapter 14 offers creative ideas for following up with those you meet and for remaining in touch with them.

Finally, the conclusion conveys the ultimate goal of cultivating community. It highlights that doing so creates opportunity and enables one to more effectively hone his or her message.

The suggestions and conclusions are based on proven efforts, as well as the experience, of those featured in the book. They are leaders in their fields and recognized as much for their accomplishments as the manner in which they achieved them.

The chapters are designed to form a cohesive journey from theory to reality, but can also be read selectively. Just as the book encourages customization of your approach in your practice, I have written it to allow you that same flexibility in the way you interact with the material. I hope that you find the content thought-provoking, action-oriented, and empowering.

CHAPTER 1

Finding Your Way in a More Informal, Instant World

The new formula for prosperity among most professionals is to become a visible enthusiastic expert. This chapter will discuss how increasing his or her visibility can help a professional realize business-development potential, why modern hustlers are known for their enthusiasm, and the relative ease with which one can showcase expertise in a digital marketplace.

Important changes in marketing are already taking place. In fact, we are in a new era that values momentum over perfection.

For decades, personal marketing was time consuming and challenging because nothing could be released into the public domain until it was perfect. There was no tolerance for mistakes or inconsistencies.

Today, we are in the environment of perpetual beta, where technology has created a climate of perfect imperfection. The culture is more accepting of shortcomings. In fact, there is a certain authenticity in being almost cool. It is more relatable. It conveys sincerity. It builds trust.

There is also a certain freedom in not worrying about flawlessness and instead concentrating on commencement. Professionals are now liberated to start more initiatives just like the entrepreneurs they admire. They simply need to look to themselves for ideas. “I think personal responsibility and accountability is the answer,” says Nancy Fox. “We are our own mirrors for everything else.”

When that mirror is unclear, there are so many more voices available today to provide another perspective. The conversation is taking place. There is a choice of when, how, and even if you will participate.

Mark Britton and his team are pushing professionals to progress whether they like it or not. He once took his four- and six-year-old sons skiing down the backside of the 11,166-foot Lone Peak, purportedly some of the most difficult terrain in Big Sky, Montana. It was a challenge (for all three of them), but the sons, now a few years older, are virtual experts. Soon after their trip, Britton founded Avvo, an online service for finding and rating doctors and lawyers. Avvo has become one of the most popular ratings services and is proverbially taking both professions on a similar adventure down the digital slope of Web 2.0 interactivity.

No stranger to industry transformations, Britton was the first general counsel of Internet-based travel reservation web site Expedia.com, and helped take the company public in 1999. In the spring of 2004, he moved to Italy to serve as an adjunct professor of finance for Gonzaga University in Florence, where he conceived of a service to replace the phone book. He notes that lawyers and doctors spend more than $1 billion and more than $500 million, respectively, per year on advertising in the telephone directory. “Anytime the Yellow Pages is a primary resource for consumers, something is broken,” he says.

Avvo represents the rise of community interaction between consumers and professionals. In addition, “There is a broader understanding and acceptance of ratings systems if you are a professional interested in transparency,” he says. People have been rating books, movies, food, and other items for years. Their opinions have helped shape future generations of those items and producers continue to pay close attention to the feedback of their customers.

Today, most service providers, from dry cleaners to doctors, realize that customers/patients/clients will offer feedback. Professionals want them to share that feedback responsibly and based on honest data. “Word of mouth is valuable, but when choosing a doctor or lawyer, it is also helpful to have someone increase your comfort level that the professional can handle the matter well,” Britton says.

Despite the availability of free information to answer complicated questions, consumers still need professional advice. One might be able to draft a contract or design minor architectural changes to a small room at home, but once there are variables to that initial effort, an individual will want a trusted resource. Specialization of those resources has resulted in an unchallenged reverence, but not all professionals are created equal. Modern transparency tells a more detailed story, to which each professional is permitted to contribute.

Restaurants, for example, operate in volumes that are much greater than doctors or lawyers. As a result, there are fewer overall people with experience, coupled with the notion that they are less likely to discuss their ophthalmologist than their local baker. “People are interested in offering commentary, and in that way Avvo has stoked the conversation,” says Britton. In addition, Google is fostering a culture of professional open awareness. Most public records include at least minimal details about the backgrounds of one practitioner over another.

The increased digitization of documents is leading to one universal truth: your background will be publicly available. Choose to shape that public impression because once it is out there, prospective clients will judge your achievements. “Anything that we find value in will be rated,” predicts Britton. “In fact, the more money and emotion that are involved, the greater the likelihood that if it is not being rated today, it will be rated shortly,” he adds.

As a culture, investment in the Internet continues, and it is, therefore, becoming more valuable. As a consequence, the Internet is becoming a greater part of life. “It is not your choice not to participate anymore,” cautions Britton. “Your life is on parade in the ether and it is only going to increase.”

There is a dramatic convergence occurring where the public and private aspects of an individual are developing into a single personality. There is no longer an easy distinction between one’s professional profile and his or her personal background. People who started tweeting for business inevitably use it for personal use (even if just to wish a professional contact a happy birthday). And, that is, of course, the point.

The goal is to develop relationships over contacts. To produce substance, as well as exude style. My United States Supreme Court gift shop tie reminds me of this balance every time I look at it.

On December 5, 2007, I had the privilege of covering the oral arguments in the consolidated Guantanamo Bay detainee cases of Boumediene v. Bush and Al Odah v. United States at the Supreme Court as part of the official press corps. I arrived at the steps of the grand courthouse at 2 a.m. on a 20-degree almost-winter morning to experience the pre-rock concert-like atmosphere with more than 50 other people in the line hoping to secure a seat in the public gallery. Although my editor assured me that I would receive a press pass, I did not want to take any chances. I also wanted to really appreciate the magnitude of the case at issue.

To collect footage in advance of the event for a documentary project on which I was working, I brought my tripod and video camera in a backpack. I started interviewing people waiting in line who were kind enough to leave the comfort of their sleeping bags to share their reasons for risking frostbite at the foot of the famous steps to listen to a court case. It was inspiring. I was a hardcore investigative journalist—in my own mind, at least. Ari Kaplan, Supreme Court reporter. I envisioned the Academy Award for the footage, the Pulitzer Prize for the commentary. It would be a professional milestone.

There was just one tiny miscalculation.

Before I left for the trip, my wife, the smartest person I know, suggested I wear a suit. I vehemently resisted, noting that I was a one-man camera crew and needed the freedom to practice my craft. I did not need a suit, I was a journalist! She wisely persuaded me to at least take a pair of slacks and a collared shirt.

At about 6 a.m., it started snowing. By 8 a.m., I was the first in line outside the public affairs office to obtain my press pass. A few minutes later, standing before the public affairs officer in my slacks, hardtop Adidas sneakers (I did not bring shoes either), and layers of frostbite-fighting thermal wear, I realized that there was a problem. I was not wearing a tie—an apparent prerequisite for a male journalist to sit in the press gallery (I ignored the hardtop sneakers, correctly figuring that no one would notice).

One of the reporters joked that former Chief Justice Warren Burger used to personally ask reporters improperly dressed to leave their seats after the justices took the bench. So I ran to the gift shop and bought a $40 blue striped silk tie adorned with the scales of justice. I could almost hear my wife laughing as I was running.

The press officer approved of my outfit and assigned me to seat E-1, next to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charlie Savage of the New York Times, then covering the event for the Boston Globe. One of the court’s massive interior columns blocked part of my view, which was lucky because Chief Justice Roberts did not have a good line of sight to my souvenir tie, which now hangs proudly in my closet (though sadly gets little use).

The tie reminds me of the balance between style, substance, and tradition. It highlights that professional services do differ from other consumer-oriented industries in certain ways. There are protocols and practices that were once unique to lawyers or doctors or accountants. Today, however, the universal benefit of raising your visibility, even in a limited fashion, is more compelling than certain nuances that may or may not exist.

Create Opportunity by Becoming a Visible Enthusiastic Expert

I was attending an annual industry conference and a person with whom I was not familiar waved at me from a distance as we approached one another. He smiled as our paths crossed and we made momentary small talk. He thanked me for my recent advice and asked me to continue sending him my newsletter. I really did not know him, but he was well aware of my work and passion for sharing practical guidance with my audience.

It is easier to learn about that audience and tailor information for its members than it has ever been. As people select experts, they are no longer looking only for those who are well-educated and capable—that much is assumed. They want to see public validation of their work in the professional community. As a result, professionals who can showcase their talent directly to their target audience are perceived as more visible and, therefore, become more marketable.

The success strategy for licensed professionals has always involved hard work, long hours, extensive resumes and long-term client relationships. The nature of those relationships, however, has changed as the pool of potential opportunities has shifted. Technology now permits access to more people in diverse areas who have traditionally been difficult to reach.

The increased number of choices and the prevalence of tools that enable potential clients and customers to do some of the work themselves is causing commoditization. Taxes can be filed online, simple illnesses can be diagnosed via medical web sites, basic room additions can be designed with self-service CAAD (computer-aided architectural design) programs, and, of course, a variety of legal documents can be drafted for free. People are now much freer to eliminate or reduce the need for licensed resources that once held a monopoly on trusted information. This shift requires those experts to convey basic knowledge, but in a way that tailors their understanding to the issues with which their existing or future clients are struggling. They are required to routinely engage in conversation on issues about which their clients or patients have acquired some knowledge and may have preexisting ideas.

Increase Your Visibility and Realize Your Potential

As a child, Chris Reimer worked for his grandfather, an entrepreneur who started a company manufacturing windows in 1949. “Being around that type of environment gave me the first taste of entrepreneurial work,” he says. After graduating from Marquette University in Milwaukee with an accounting degree, he became a certified public accountant (CPA) and held a variety of finance-related roles, including one as the chief financial officer of a small business in St. Louis. Like many professionals, “I always made a good living, but can’t say that I identified with what I was doing,” he recalls.

After eliminating the idea of starting a mobile shredding business because of its prohibitive start-up costs, he considered developing a line of humorous t-shirts, similar to the popular items sold on SnorgTees.com or BustedTees.com. He thought that he would enjoy the exercise of designing the shirts and that he could run the business out of his home as it would be completely online. “For a year, I dreamed about ways that it would explode on impact,” recalls Reimer of his new company, Rizzo Tees LLC.

Of course, as is common with start ups, by the time the site—RizzoTees.com—went live on October 30, 2008, he had no money left for marketing or advertising. So, five days later, Reimer registered for an account on Twitter and began telling people about his shirts.

“I was not an early Twitter adopter, but Twitter was a perfect fit for me,” he says. Although he started growing t-shirt revenues from his Twitter audience, his presence as a social media authority was rising even more quickly. “As my personal brand grew, it started pulling me away from accounting,” he recalls. “I was increasingly disenchanted with my day job because I was enjoying Rizzo Tees so much,” he adds.

As the shirts continued selling through Twitter and later Facebook, Reimer began discussing social media more publicly, but he was still trying to maintain a separate existence from his traditional job. “The idea of making funny t-shirts and being a social media devotee did not mix with the role of a chief financial officer,” he notes. “I wanted to keep that job and did not want anyone to ask any questions.”

By 2010, his audience members encouraged him to engage in social media consulting full time. He even considered creating Rizzo Media Works to perform advertising and digital marketing. “That business plan was not pleasing to my wife because there was no guarantee of income,” he jokes, but the CEO of Scorch Agency soon offered him the opportunity to become the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. “That was my dream fulfilled and Rizzo Tees ended up being the springboard.” In early 2011, he accepted a new position as Vice President of Social Media with Falk Harrison, a St. Louis-based brand communications agency.

Some professionals are comfortable experimenting with public forms of social media, but many fear the potential consequences of engagement. As a result, they pay no attention to the conversation and fail to participate in any meaningful way. Reimer decided to simply begin by listening, which is often how natural discussions occur. The individual, who is unfamiliar with a particular topic or those speaking, simply stands by to learn more about the context of the discussion before providing additional commentary. In Twitter parlance, Reimer began by “following” the “tweets” of certain individuals and organizations.

“When you meet people in person, typically someone has to make the first move,” he says. “There is no such thing on Twitter.” You simply click “follow” on their Twitter page and you are now privy to everything they say—voila! People actually appreciate when you follow them. “You are spending a little bit of your social currency when you follow and you get some in return,” adds Reimer, who started following more people and they began following him in return. Of course, he made some mistakes along the way; he admits that his auto-response thanking people for following him turned out to be a nuisance, which he quickly removed.

In a technological environment, people tend to be more forgiving in marketing. They are used to hiccups. Cell phones drop calls often enough that people understand when you lose the signal. Everyone with a computer has rebooted at some point in his or her life. And, of course, there are countless examples of viruses invading someone’s phone book and spamming everyone he or she knows. Minor mistakes are part of progress.

I launched a webinar series called 30-Minute Thursdays in October of 2009. The webinars have offered creative ideas to hundreds of professionals nationwide. My first presentation, Five Easy Ways to Create Opportunities in a Down Market, was a great success both in terms of the high rate of attendance and the number of people who followed up with my sponsor. So, when planning for the second date, Five Ways to Use the Holiday Season to Raise Your Profile, I felt confident that I had mastered the webinar model.

Unfortunately, I had essentially double-booked myself during the second program. I was scheduled to speak live in Philadelphia at 2:30 p.m. ET and my webinar was scheduled for 1 p.m. No problem. I secured wireless Internet access and found an empty ballroom in the basement of the hotel where I was presenting. Subscribers started logging into the session before 1 p.m. and I began promptly. It was about 20 minutes after I started delivering my presentation that I noticed the “START WEBINAR” button at the top of the page.

Your life is on parade in the ether and it is only going to increase.

Mark Britton, founder, CEO, and president of Seattle-based Avvo

I pushed the button, heard the announcement that “the webinar is now beginning,” and faced the reality that I had been talking to myself for quite some time. It was a dramatic public error. I immediately ended the webinar and within minutes, I sent an e-mail acknowledging the mistake. The number of kind responses from the attendees assured me that all was not lost and they indeed returned for the make-up session. I have a feeling they called in just for the adventure. Some even sent humorous reminders to press the “start” button.

Anyone who tries to leave his or her comfort zone falters at some point in a marketing or networking endeavor. That does not mean, however, that the effort is wasted. When you ask someone to meet and they decline, you have still set the foundation for a follow-up request. When you engage in social media and do not feel like you are reaching a substantial audience or efficiently utilizing your time, you are, at a minimum, listening to a conversation that will help you direct your efforts in the future. It is about communicating your message and letting that message reflect your character.

Reimer started to contribute to the conversation by sharing news links. Period. Only after his listeners began to reciprocate did he start mentioning his passion for t-shirts, red wine, and the National Basketball Association (NBA). “You are letting people get to know you,” he advises. But he set boundaries because as tens of thousands of people started following him, he realized that they were not all friends. As such, he has chosen not to reveal any family-related information.

That said, “What I did with Twitter is to be an open book of transparency and let people know who I am,” he recalls. And, of course, that simple act of engagement produced results. “I realized that it helped sell t-shirts because people are more apt to buy products from those they know, like, and trust.”

As one of the most traditional principles in business, there is nothing exciting about the “know, like, and trust” formula. When you combine it with the “visible enthusiastic expert” concept, you begin to realize that you can empower yourself and your practice to build professional relationships that are more likely to yield the outcome toward which you are working.

As the Vice President of Social Media with Falk Harrison, Reimer encourages professionals to blog, but goes beyond that traditional advice. Understanding that many experts support personal charitable endeavors, he suggests, for example, recording participation in such efforts using a Flip video recorder and sharing clips online to reflect the character of the organization. A blog is just one potential distribution source. The video can be uploaded to a YouTube account (which can be created upon simple registration at the site) or sharing the link to the video with followers on Twitter.

Google will also index any keywords associated with the video and enrich its search results to reflect your dynamic use of content. “Most people have the same web site with the same outbound message, headshots, and contact page,” highlights Reimer. “There is generally no compelling message that entices people to spend more time on their site,” he adds. Those who veer ever so slightly from this mold can distinguish themselves from their peers.

For generations, licensed professionals grew business by demonstrating their knowledge and cultivating referrals. Today, they must use their basic knowledge to establish relationships and, therefore, need to consider giving it away for free. It is unnatural, but increasingly effective. “Even if you share a little bit for free, when you do it in a more authentic way, people will trust you and see your value,” says Reimer, who offers the example of a friend who is a health insurance broker in St. Louis.

Reimer advised him to generate inbound marketing leads by demonstrating his expertise instead of making routine cold calls. He suggested that he create a portal to showcase his expertise in various ways, including on a blog. He compared it to a printed newsletter that his audience can share more easily. That said, “Even an e-mail is not quite as sharable as a re-tweet or pressing a Facebook ‘like’ button.”

He never started the blog.