The third step to becoming an expert is owning your own digital real estate.
This involves having three key components for your business: your own website, your email list, and your brand.
Let’s start with your website.
Your website is crucial as it establishes trust with potential clients.
Before doing business with you, people will likely check out your website to learn more about you and your business.
Even brick and mortar companies are not exempt from this scrutiny.
Creating a website doesn’t have to be complicated.
You can start with the basic pages, including home, about me, contact, products and services, and privacy policy.
To entice people to join your email list, you may also want to include a separate opt-in page. You can create a simple website like this in less than a day.
It’s important to purchase your own URL and be self-hosted. This ensures that you have 100% control over what goes on your site.
If you use a free platform like free WordPress.com, your site could be shut down overnight or have unwanted advertisements placed on it.
Hosting your own site with services like GoDaddy, or HostGator costs less than $100 per year, but remember you do get what you pay for, which is why I recommend Akzis VIP as they’ll do everything for you. All you need to do is bring your expertise!
Another benefit of having your own website is that you can’t be shut down overnight.
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of relying solely on social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn.
However, if these platforms change their algorithm or business model, it could have a devastating impact on your business.
For example, back in 2007, if you had a website that reviewed and promoted diet products and services and were ranked in the top three on Google for many of these items, you were making a good income.
However, when Google changed their algorithm and cracked down on websites promoting diets and diet products, your business and those of your competitors were hit hard.
Having your own website provides stability and control over your online presence. It’s an essential component of owning your digital real estate and becoming a respected expert in your field.
The second essential component of your digital real estate is your email list.
You may have heard the phrase, “the money is in the list,” but you may have also heard people say that “email marketing is dead.” Well, let me tell you that the money really is in the list.
If you ever plan to sell your business, one of the factors that potential buyers will look at is the size of your email list.
These are people who have willingly given you their contact information because they want to hear more from you.
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t hold your subscribers captive; they are free to leave at any time.
However, you want to provide them with value so that they choose to stay.
It’s worth noting that even big companies still use email marketing. Just think about how often you receive emails from your favorite retail stores or restaurants.
According to Forrester Research, email marketing is still the most cost-effective promotional channel and allows for a direct and intimate one-to-one relationship between a brand and its customers.
Once you have built your website, your next step should be to create an irresistible opt-in offer to entice people to sign up for your list.
This can be as simple as a one or two-page checklist or infographic, if it provides value to the person downloading it.
The third piece of real estate that you must own is your brand. While this may seem like common sense, many entrepreneurs fail to understand the concept of branding themselves and don’t have a clear brand identity.
They often have different messages and colors on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which creates confusion and puts up a caution sign in the minds of potential customers.
To become recognized as an expert and the go-to person in your industry, it’s crucial to brand yourself and position yourself as an influencer.
Your brand is your unique identity and core message that makes you stand out from others in your market.
It’s not just who you are, but also the perception that customers have of your products and services. This is where the know, like, and trust factor comes in.
To brand yourself effectively, you need to have a clear message and a deep understanding of your ideal client.
Everything you do or say should focus on what’s in it for your ideal clients.
Consistency is key in branding.
You should be consistent in your messaging, marketing, and visuals, including your fonts and colors.
Make sure to have a recent headshot of yourself on your website, as people want to see the real you. Avoid hiding behind quotes or unrelated images.
Remember the three Cs of branding yourself:
- Clarity
- Connect
- Consistency
Be clear on your message, always connect with your ideal clients, and be consistent in your branding efforts.
Your assignment is to make sure you have the required pages on your website, create or promote an irresistible opt-in gift, and check your branding to create a plan to tweak it where necessary.
By doing this, you will be on your way to owning the three essential pieces of real estate in your online business.
Next Up: Step 4
Congrats! At this point you’ve nailed your expertise focus, are behaving as the expert you want to become, and you have your website handled. Now, it’s time to move on and form some partnerships for fast growth.
