Six Steps to Becoming the Ultimate Influencer

Today in business, there is no shortage of options. To make an impact and attract the eyes of others, you must command your respective areas of expertise and be a persuasive voice of influence. Influencers are made up of action, value and passion. We are not born with these characteristics, but thankfully, we have the opportunity to develop them over time. Here are six critical steps to becoming the ultimate influencer.

1.  Identify your Niche and Stick with It

The first step to becoming an influencer is focusing on a specific niche. Some people have good intentions in the attempt of being all things to all people, but in actuality, they are spreading themselves too thin and missing out on viable opportunities. By concentrating on a specific niche, you’re actually attracting an interested audience. A critical element for success in this space is consistency. Focus on your niche and stick with it.

2.  Practice Makes Perfect

To be really good at something takes practice. But to be GREAT at something takes mindful dedication and hard work. Once our jobs reach auto pilot status becoming repetitive and too easy, we are no longer improving. In other words, we’ve hit our plateau, aka “the comfort zone”. The comfort zone is boring and ineffective. To be great and add value in your business, you must deliberately practice with mindfulness, engagement and request feedback from your peers. The desire to improve and gain knowledge sets apart the great from the good.

3. Revelation of Networking

No matter what role or industry you’re in, networking is a quintessential platform for influencers. Yes, it can be slightly intimidating to introduce yourself to a complete stranger sharing what you do, where you do it and how you plan on the changing the world. But, once you hurdle that anxiety, that’s where the magic begins. Do not take this precious time for granted. Prepare and set goals of what you must achieve at each event. Send a follow up note (preferably handwritten) to each connection you make. Reach out to the keynote speaker, thanking them for their insight. YOU have the power to create opportunity and build your audience.

4. Strategy Reversal

Typically, our unconscious strategy is to identify the people in a room that can help us. Influencers tend to look at this strategy differently. The ultimate influencers enter a room and scope out who they can help. Zig Ziglar famously said, “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” This approach builds trust and affirms your leadership.

5. Understanding your Audience

The best way to understand your audience is by conducting surveys. There are so many great survey tools to take advantage of for all business types. Start with your website– include a survey link and offer an incentive for completing the survey. You can also create a closed group on Facebook and/or LinkedIn where you can build your desired audience and ask questions to help you get accurate, detailed information to better understand their needs and wants. Having this data gives you an advantage in the market and greater visibility as an influencer.

6. Mastering the Art of Storytelling

Mastering the art of storytelling is an essential skill to becoming the ultimate influencer. Sharing your experience with creativity and conviction delivers a lasting impression that moves people. Start with identifying the message you want to convey. Then, turn it into a compelling story using these three key elements: context, action and result.

Context sets the scene of the story and addresses these four areas– description of where & when your story takes place, introduction of the main character, explanation of what the main character wants to accomplish, and establishes who or what was the obstacle in the way.

Action is the most critical part of the story because it’s where you truly connect with your audience. This is where we recount our setbacks, failures and life lessons. Everyone experiences these daily challenges, so we must relate and reveal our vulnerability to form a strong, authentic connection with our audience.

Result is the “why” you told the story. This is the perfect opportunity to explain to your audience what they should have learned from this story. Conclude with inspiration and a solution to the challenges mentioned in the “action” part of the story.

To conclude, here’s one last tip– focus on the process, not the outcome. Becoming the ultimate influencer does not happen overnight. Remember to be consistent with these six critical steps starting with identifying your niche. You are the one in control of your destiny and success. Work hard and make it count.