I want to sincerely thank all who sent their congratulations to me with cards, emails and phone calls. Katya's growing quickly, and she's started smiling. As you may have noticed, I'm slowing down my activities this year, so I'm still adjusting to the new pace (those who know me know I'm a workaholic).

If you haven't yet read about her incredible birth, catch the article written by a local journalist here -- it may take some time for the page to load.

In this month's article, you'll learn how to achieve expert status in your field, even if you're a new entrepreneur. Follow along with me on my blog as I develop these points further.

"There is no reality, only perception." -- Dr. Phil.

Entrepreneurs often wonder how to achieve expert status in their field, especially if they are just starting out. The secret lies in getting others to perceive you as an expert in your field. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not implying that you lie, deceive or make false claims. I'm not even suggesting that you ‘fake it ‘til you make it.' Oh no! You must BE an expert. If you don't believe you are, your first step is to become one and to believe it. After all, if you don't believe you are an expert, how can you convince your audience that you are?

Next, make yourself known as and prove that you are an expert. This is more challenging if you're in a highly saturated field with lots of competition, but it's doable. Your audience will know you are an expert only if you regularly remind them over and over again.

Establishing yourself as an expert will help grow your business exponentially, and here are some ways it does:

• builds the know-like-trust factor
• sets yourself apart from your competition
• attracts more of your ideal clients to you
• allows "lurkers" to get to know you before deciding to hire you
• you are better able to concentrate on your expertise to hone in and improve on what you already know
• gain greater visibility
• your credibility will increase
• your sales will increase

• writing
• reading
• speaking
• target/niche
• online presence
• offline presence

In the days and weeks to come, I'll be developing each of these points on my blog. Most, if not all methods, are easy to implement and cost little to nothing.

It WILL take effort and it WON'T happen overnight. You'll need persistent determination and consistency. Don't be afraid of letting your personality and passion come through. And remember -- don't compare yourself to your competition.

So whether you are a new entrepreneur or have been in business for some time, you'll find, as you implement the strategies I discuss, your audience will perceive you as a successful, knowledgeable and sought-after expert.

Copyright. Cristina Favreau. All rights reserved.

ABOUT CRISTINA
Cristina Favreau specializes in helping passionate and motivated service professionals who love what they do, but struggle with running and marketing their business. In these 3 areas, Cristina will help you: (1) discover simple ways to increase your visibility and credibility, (2) get more clients by identifying where you're stuck in the marketing cycle, and (3) get unstuck and regain momentum. To read more articles like this, visit her site at http://www.cristinafavreau.com/.

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