Want to….
….be seen as an expert?
….get more referrals & better clients?
….only work on projects that suit your unique skills?
….charge higher rates?
….and convert better in your chosen market?
Chances are, I bet you think I’m crazy for even asking!
(Because what kind of entrepreneur doesn’t want these things?)
In our last article, we talked about how my Four Layer Method helps you stand out to make all of these things a reality.
If you need a reminder, here’s what my Four Layer Method might look like for a personal trainer:
The 1st Layer: “I’m a personal trainer.”
The 2nd Layer: “I’m a personal trainer who works with women.”
The 3rd Layer: “I’m a personal trainer who works with women that want to lose fat.”
The 4th Layer: “I’m a personal trainer who works with women that want to lose fat post-pregnancy.”
Remember this? If not, go read part 1 in this Four Layer Method series.
No really, I’ll wait 🙂
Got it? Okay, now that you know WHY you should use this method, let’s move on to the WHAT and HOW.
I’ll break it down into 3 steps:
Step #1) Answer this question: what makes people think of me?
Before you do anything else, find out what sort of words people associate with you.
In my case, I’ve made it so the word “simplify” and Kayvon go hand-in-hand.
To do this, I needed to first find out what type of issues made people say “oh! Kayvon’s the guy to help with that that.”
Not sure how you can do the same? Then let’s ‘simplify’ (see what I did there?) this process even more.
Ask yourself:
-What type of problems do people come to me for?
-What skills do I have that make other people think of me?
-When do people say “oh! [your name] is the one to help with that!”
Once you’ve finished that, head out again to…
…ask other people around you:
-What type of problems do you come to me for?
-What skill do I have that makes you think of me?
-When would you say “oh! [your name] is the one to help with that!”
Sure, maybe you feel like you can answer these questions yourself….but keep in mind that, though our talents might seem completely normal to us, they aren’t always for other people. So, it’s always worth asking to find out how others see you.
Step #2) Put all that you do into categories.
Make a list of all the activities you do in your job.
For example, here’s what my list might have looked like when I first started coaching:
– Answer emails
– Create webinars
– Setup sales and landing pages
– Generate leads
-Make phone calls
Next, take that list and put everything into 1 of 3 categories:
Category 1 – Activities that make people think of you (use your answers from step #1 to help you with this)
Category 2 – Activities that come most easily to you
Category 3 – Activities that you enjoy
Is there an activity that fits into more than one category ? Start with that…and keep digging!
When you find an activity that fits into all 3 categories, then you have a WINNER!
Work from this activity (or activities) and keep getting more and more specific until you hit that ultra-granular 4th layer.
Step # 3) Share your 4th layer with the world.
Okay, now we get to the fun part!
Now that you’ve figured out what to position yourself as an expert via your 4th layer, it’s time to share that newfound specialization with the world!
This is your goal: spread your 4th layer AS MUCH as you possibly can.
You see, you want your 4th layer to be THE THING people associate you with. In other words, the more they hear or see it, the better.
You can use your 4th layer:
-as your ‘elevator pitch’ when you introduce yourself to someone new
-as a tagline on your website
-as your Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram bio
-as the description on your business cards
-as really anything else you can think of!
Just one last thing to keep in mind: you may need to adjust how you phrase your 4th layer slightly per the platform you use it on….but no matter how you use it, make sure your chosen core specialization is still obvious!
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Look, I know it can seem a bit frightening to really narrow down your market and skills to hit your 4th layer.
Well, you’re not alone! I was the same way myself. Yet, the deeper, more precise I make my niche (despite that fear), the bigger the benefits. You can see here the paybacks are crazy awesome….and specializing will make you feel like an epic expert superstar.
Heck, you can even work with me to help you find that 4th layer if you want 🙂
Let’s chat talktokayvon.com