One of the concerns when you set up on your own and have your own business is how to get credibility and prestige, especially when you are just starting out, as the importance of positioning yourself as an expert, of standing out from others (and especially also credibility) is greatly emphasized online, which always costs more). And at the beginning one is somewhat lost with that…
More than anything for all the limiting beliefs that you have just started, that to be an expert you have to be or do this or that, that you cannot compete with so and so, etc. The typical negative thoughts that block you and prevent you from advancing in your profession and, what is worse, do not allow you to help others as you could. So, how do you get that credibility, how do you feel more confident about yourself (in the end, it's what everything is based on) to offer your services with security and confidence?
In my experience, you get credibility with four fundamental factors (and if you can think of any more, do not hesitate to tell me in the comments):
1. Experience
If you are going to dedicate yourself to a particular topic, your own experience gives you a lot of credibility and helps you to help others go through the same situation. For example, being a scientist makes many scientists who seek help choose me because I know what they are talking about. You don't have to try to explain anything, I understand you because I know what a scientist's life is like. The same goes for women who want an online services business and have young children, I have the experience and I know what it is. Your personal history is key to giving you credibility. Another example in my own career is the radical change I made from scientist to coach, it was a stage in my life, an experience that attracts many people who want to do the same and feel that I know what it is and that I can help them. best.Those are perfect examples of how to use your own experience and history to have credibility, and you are not inventing anything, it is life itself.
When you train as a coach they insist that you do not need more knowledge or experience than your clients and it is absolutely true, but when it comes to positioning yourself if a person identifies with your career, they will trust you first.
2. Training
This is obvious, the training gives you credibility and builds confidence for the simple reason that you have learned certain specific skills that can help your clients. In Spain it is especially well recognized, we are a country with titulitis. If you seek help, you will trust more someone who is trained than someone who is not. Attention, because this topic is a trap too, as I always say, do not use this to start training without rhyme and reason and accumulate title after title. As I was saying to one of my readers recently in a session, until you have clients who pay you, you will not be a professional coach (or whatever) for many titles you have and free sessions you give.
Training is important as long as you are clear about your objective and what you want it for and you can use it to increase your credibility. Of course, do not fall into the common mistake of talking about yourself and only you and your titles, because what really interests your clients is what you can do for them, not how many masters you have.
3. Specialization
This is a highly discussed topic, the more you specialize in something or someone, the easier it will be for you to stand out, stand out, position yourself and charge more for your services. A lot of people have a hard time accepting this because they think they will lose customers, but in reality it is the opposite. You cannot be everything for everyone and also try to stand out. You will have to do something different to differentiate yourself. Being specialized in a specific topic or group makes that group immediately prefer you. Who does not want someone who specializes in it? For example, if you are a scientist and want a coach, what catches your attention the most, a coach for everyone or one specialized in scientists? If you want to start an online business, who will catch your attention the most,an advisor for any type of business or someone specializing in online business? Or, better yet, for moms who want an online business, for example.
In a world oversaturated with information, specialization is power.
4. Testimonies
This is probably the most important point of all and with which the rest loses its importance. Your success record. If you have evidence of clients you've helped achieve their goals, that gives you immediate credibility. Of course, there are always people who think you can make up testimonials and that is why it is recommended that they have a full name, photo, etc. But honestly, who wants a client who mistrusts everything? You know how honest you are (or should be) and that your testimonials are totally real.
Having helped other people who were in the same situation is the final proof that you are a good professional and one of the things that I always recommend, collecting testimonies (of course there are more effective testimonies than others to achieve the goal, as you well know my clients). Having good testimonials makes training take a back seat, for example, because, as I mentioned in that section, what your potential customers really want is for you to help them achieve their goal, and if you show it to them with real events, there is better proof.
In this case the experience, your own history, is related to this because you are also a testimony, your own achievements are tests.
And how do you get testimonials? Well, being a good professional, because the important thing is that you are good at what you do, that you do not forget. It is the true key to everything, being very good at what you do.
So here are the four fundamental factors in my opinion that help you build credibility. There are more, but for me they are a direct consequence of one of these four (such as word of mouth when you are a good professional or appearing in the media when your personal history or your specialization attract attention, for example). Now it's up to you to think how to apply them to your business, where are you going to start?
