I once heard someone say that an expert is someone that knows 93 ways how to make love but doesn’t have a girlfriend.

But the question remains what makes someone an expert? a Thought Leader? Let’s change it then – What makes someone a Master, a Sage, A Hero, a Wise one or a Guru?

Are these not all archetypes?

Anyway, if you can get hold of a brilliant book called ZEN and the Art of Making a Living – A Practical Guide to Creative Career Design by Laurence G. Boldt, then read Chapter 3 – Myth at Work; Or, Crafting the Story of your Life.

To quote – ”To view your life as nothing but the facts is to miss an opportunity for a marvellous adventure, a conscious encounter with the universal energies and dilemmas of human drama. In this encounter, we take the hero’s journey, we experience life as art, we put the soul back into our work”.

The next chapter gets even more profound….in it there is a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. ”Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle…or Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A Soul generated by love…..”

I find this thought-provoking. And, if you have read the Secret, something rings true here.

It is not about marketing and social media techniques. Even in social media, they are now saying it is not about how many followers you have, but the quality of relationships. These techniques do help for a while.

But, people will gravitate to the sages, mentors and experts, that IS an expert to them.

Are you creating a network of followers that follow you because you are an expert in their eyes? What are you doing to cultivate these relationships?

About a year before I went out on my own 26 years ago I read a consulting book called Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership (Paperback) by Joseph Jaworski. In this book, there was a story about someone that wanted to become a management consultant, when a mentor said to that person: Just be One. That statement resonated with me. I started to think and act like a consultant until I went my own way. I guess it is like the As If principle – All you have to believe is that you are a Guru.

BUT I think the word Guru has been replaced by the concept of the Thought Leader.

I once read a brilliant book called “The New Rules of Marketing and PR – How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing & Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly” by David Meerman Scott. In this book, he writes about people who add value in many ways called thought leaders. This has always been my ambition. People like Nelson Mandela who add value to projects irrespective their upbringing or education. Thought Leader? Look at what Wikipedia has to say about it.

A Thought leader is a buzzword or article of jargon used to describe a futurist or person who is recognized among their peer mentors for innovative ideas and demonstrates the confidence to promote or share those ideas as actionable distilled insights (thinklets). [This is what Wikipedia defines it as](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_leader). The term has a stakeholder management application.

Do I fit this bill? I think I do! After twenty-six years of adding value to organizations through my writings, training, consulting and speaking, I think I do.

I wrote about it on my blog and David Meerman Scott picked up on it, and he felt I was a thought leader in my field. I think modestly that I am no Guru but I contribute to my field.

I think a Guru is someone that is really followed by a lot of people – like David Allen of the GTD fame, or Deepak Chopra.

Do you agree? Do I have a right to call myself a thought leader? Visit www.deonbinneman.com

Footnote: On the 9th December Deon will share some learning experiences, tips and ideas about Thought Leadership and Name Recognition at his Marketing a Consulting Practice workshop in Johannesburg.

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You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own, but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous. – Wikipedia.

I once wrote an article called Choose your Advisers with Care in my Powerlines newsletter that adds to this statement and also quoted this:

• Advice is like mushrooms; consuming the wrong kind might prove to be fatal.

• Education  –  What you get from reading the fine print. Experience – What you get from not reading it.

• As Florrie Nightingale said…”If you aim to be a leading light; get a little expert help to polish your lamp”.

The bottom line:  Choose  your advisers with care! The Bell Pottinger and KPMG fallout has certainly underscored that statement.

In my Market your Practice workshops I use this modified questionnaire as a guide to get professional services providers to think about their advisory services. (Source: Adapted from the book Managing the Professional Service firm – David Maister)

Think back to your own use of outside professionals. Did they:

• Make it their business to understand what was special and unique about you and your company?
• Listen carefully to what you say and what you wanted, rather than substitute their own judgment for yours on what needs to be done?
• Give good explanations what they are doing and why?
• Let you know in advance what they are going to do?
• Keep you sufficiently informed on progress?
• Avoid confusing jargon?
• Keep promises on deadlines?
• Document their work activities well?
• Make sure they were accessible and available when you needed them?
• Make you feel as if you were important to them?
• Show an interest in you beyond the scope of the task?
• Were helpful beyond the specifics of the project?

Most clients say that if they found a provider that RELIABLY behaved in the words described, they would be:

• More likely to return to that provider
• More willing to refer to that provider
• Less fee-sensitive about those providers’ services

As one person said once “The key to marketing success is not how good you are, but how you’re perceived.” Remember the words from an old song: “It isn’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it: That’s what gets results”

Unfortunately the reputations of numerous professional service firms and individuals have been tarnished by the State Capture saga. Government is reviewing and scrutinizing all consultant relationships.

These questions and your relationships with alliances will be monitored. Do your homework.

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The definition of a professional is to adhere to the many standards of your career area (written, unwritten, ethical and otherwise) regardless of where and when or for whom you work.

I recently had to ask delegates to do this.

Please take a moment to reflect on your own behaviour since the workshop:

1. Have you acted as a true professional in your dealings with clients and colleagues?
2. Have you executed your tasks following the maxim: ” We must do it right the first time round”?
3. Have you maintained a professional, friendly, helpful and positive attitude at all times?
4. Have you projected a professional self and company image?
5. Have you conversed with all those you come in contact with – in a professional manner?
6. Are you proud of the work that you have delivered to date?
7. Did you demonstrate competence and integrity whilst on site?
8. Did you carry out all your tasks to the best of your abilities?
9. Can your Company be proud of your actions?
10. In the final analysis, did you provide quality customer service?

Only you can answer these questions. Be honest with yourself. All development starts with self development. It starts with you.

The process of developing yourself is the hallmark of being a true professional.

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Workshop 18 March: Learn How to Market your Consulting Practice (Professional & Consulting Services) in Tough Times Johannesburg, March 10 – International Speaker and Reputation Management Consultant Deon Binneman today announced that he will facilitate a workshop on How to Market your Consulting Practice (Professional & Consulting Services) in Tough Times on the 18th March 18 at the Hotel Apollo, 158 Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg. With the South African economy predicted to grow at only 0.8% this year and organizations revaluing their use of outside providers, professionals like consultants have to step up their marketing to prove their worth to clients. Rapid market changes, new business models, and changes in industry has also made marketing of services more challenging and difficult. Learning and developing new ways of getting your messages out there and attracting clients have become crucial. Disregarding these elements could negatively impact success survival with a host of problems resulting in inter alia underperformance, declining earnings, funding issues and cash-flow blockages. The workshop which will be held on the 18th March at the Hotel Apollo, 158 Bram Fischer Drive in Randburg is aimed at all consultants – rainmakers in large consultancies, those in private practice, business development managers; professional service providers and people interested in improving their knowledge of professional consulting marketing strategies in tough economic conditions. The Workshop will address key strategic questions that all professional services providers should be asking themselves such as : How will you market your practice during the tough times? The South African economy is predicted to grow only 0.8% this year. How will you stay in business when clients are revaluating their use of outside providers? Government are already putting a hold on the use of consultants. How will you stand out as a leader in the midst of competitive clutter and noise out there? How will you make your practice look different and position it as the Customer’s 1st choice? How will you build your business, or increase the size and profitability of your consulting practice in tough economical times? How can I create a professional reputation that will give me entry and my practice and my brand instant credibility in my business area? How do I become known as an expert, and as a thought leader? How can I reinforce relationships with my existing clients so that they continue to use me? (Referral and continuing business) What if in just three months, six months, or a year – I could see a marked growth in my consulting business? What if marketing and prospecting could become a fun game rather than a laborious chore I dread? If your answer is yes, then the Market your Consulting Practice is a must attend workshop. This workshop will give participants tools and tips that can strategically shorten the sales process and increase sales. It will help participants to systematically build their own customized marketing plan for their business practices. Said Deon Binneman: “Most of us don’t have a system to tilt the scale in our favor. We may see our competition winning in a coveted target market when we know we are the better choice. The difference is often not in skill level or expertise or knowledge, it’s in marketing and communicating. To be recognized as a leader in your field, you’re going to have to be seen in the media, read about by your prospects, and be active on Social Media to be seen and heard by your target market. You’ll need to develop your marketing and promotional skills. Where do you begin? The Market your Consulting Practice workshop is certainly a start and a foundation. At this workshop you will learn ways and tips to enhance your marketing efforts and shorten the success cycle. More information on how to register is available – https://www.deonbinneman.com/marketing-a-consulting-practice/

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I’d like to invite you to attend one of my training seminars that I will hold at the Apollo Hotel in Ferndale, Randburg, Johannesburg during April.

As a professional person your reputation is your stock-in-trade and; for a company Reputation is its most important asset and yet, most dangerous risk. These seminars will help you to build your reputation faster and more elegantly.

1st April- Marketing your Consulting Practice and Expertise workshop

On the 1st April, I will facilitate my Marketing your Consulting Practice and Expertise workshop. This workshop is ideal whether you are new consultant, a seasoned professional services provider, a business practice and/or business development manager or a junior associate hoping to become a senior partner in the business, or just interested to gain knowledge of practical do it yourself marketing techniques. Find out more.

And then,

9 – 10 April – Stakeholder Reputation Management

From the 9th to the 10th April I will facilitate my acclaimed Stakeholder Reputation Management Master Class. If you work in Corporate Affairs, PR, Communication and or Stakeholder Management, you will find this 2-day class worthwhile, thought-provoking and enlightening. Stakeholder Management has become crucial to Leaders and those responsible for Strategy in organisations, and is a fast growing career opportunity. Lots of studies show that the profiling and management of the stakeholder process is crucial to becoming an Admired Company. Find out more.

And finally,

15 – 16 April – Reputation Risk Management

This 2 – day training seminar equips delegates with the necessary competencies (knowledge, skills & attitudes) to protect and defend their organization’s most valuable asset – its reputation against potential threats, risk and potential damage, and is based on more than 25 years research and experience on how to protect business reputations.

The seminar weaves inputs from best practices in Reputation Management, Risk Management, Communication & PR, Crisis Management & Crisis Communication, Ethics & Corporate Responsibility to provide companies with tools and know-how to protect, defend and deal with reputation risk events of any kind. Find out more.

Catch the Early Bird Rate

If you act early, you can make use of the Early Bird Special available – it ends this coming Friday and save your company some money. To register and reserve your seat, contact Deon Binneman on deonbin@icon.co.za

I look forward in meeting with you and sharing learning experiences with you.

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