Before you dig in, you’ll notice that this course I will ask you to decide up front whether YOU will be the expert, whether someone else will be, or whether a group of people will share in the expertise. In the example here, my client knew that SHE wanted to be the expert. However, that’s not always the case.
Let me explain.
1. You as the Expert.
If you are the expert (or want to eventually become one) then you may wish to feature yourself as the focal point in the product.
But don’t worry! You do not have to know everything about the topic you choose. You just have to know more than someone else in order to become the expert. So, don’t panic. Goodness knows that I do not know everything there is to know about Internet Marketing and Online Business. No one does. BUT! I do know enough to help others (and have proven success in certain areas) – which is what qualifies me as an expert. So, whether you’re an avid golfer or a backyard design fanatic – you know more than others do about your topic and can help them to improve.
My friend, Carrie Wilkerson tells a story that illustrates this very well. She said that to every 3rd grader, a 4th grader is like God.
It’s true. You don’t have to know everything. You just have to know a bit more than someone else – or, I dare say that you just need to have your own perspective to the material. Heck, I’ve taken courses where the person I was learning from didn’t have the same street cred as I did, but their perspective on the material was fresh and gave me a new way to look at things. That was worthwhile to me and made me happy that I’d paid for the course.
2. Someone Else as the “Expert”. You as the Reporter.
If you are not the expert (yet) then it’s perfectly acceptable to feature someone else as the expert. As I always say “Expertise is like Cooties. You catch it by close proximity.”
So, by being associated with experts, you can become one by being associated with other experts. (I’ll show you how in the coming pages.)
Again. I want to state that interviewers become experts by association. Can you say “Oprah”? By interviewing other people, she became one of the most famous – and wealthiest – people on the planet.
Don’t worry. You can still become the expert – and you will through the collaboration. Even if you want to be the expert down the road, it’s okay to create your first product by interviewing a person (or persons) that actually has the credibility and has the credentials that you don’t have yet, and is truly an expert. That’s okay, because by association then you start to become an expert, too.
If you’re going to be interviewing other people then you want to decide if there’s going to be you and one expert, or if you’re going to do a group project. I’ve been a part of both of those as well.
3. You as the Connector/Collaborator. Share Stories of “Regular” People.
If you are not the expert and don’t know anyone who’s an expert in your niche – or for whatever reason choose not to feature an expert, then you can simply be the collaborator.
The best example of this is the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. They aren’t experts and they certainly aren’t writing their own material. They just collect stories, compile them, and publish them.
If you’d like to be featured in their books (or would like to see how they run their shop), you can find out how on their website. ChickenSoup.com It’s pretty easy. I’m in one of their books and the process was painless. 🙂
Other examples of this type of process might be interviewing a bunch of moms who have ADHD children, or extremely obese people who lost weight, or dog owners. They may not be considered experts, but their stories are helpful and inspiring to others.
There’s no one way to do this, so it’s hard to say, “Do this model.”
- One, I don’t know who you know.
- Two, I don’t know if you want to be the expert or whether you’d prefer to find an expert.
4. Other Types of Projects.
We’ll also get into other types of products that you can create that don’t require you to be a fluent writer or really an expert at all.
Any of these work. It’s just a matter of choosing one and getting it done.
The big things to think about are …
- Why you’re choosing this model?
- Why you’re doing the product?
- How you can help people?
- When will it be done and live? (As I always say “Unfinished projects do not make you money!”)
The key is that you want to 1. help people and 2. make money.
Having a project half done on your hard drive will serve neither purpose.
So, like I said, this is a “Choose your Own Adventure” course. Choose where to start, check out some ideas and then GET ‘ER DONE!
Let’s dig into some specifics in the next sections.