Anyone today with a mobile device stuffed inside his or her pocket is a critic, an author, a photographer, a reporter and a whole lot more.
So, with that in mind, what exactly qualifies someone as an "expert" today, and why?
Possessing a large social network?
Speaking at a conference?
Writing a book?
Having an impressive title on your business card?
I'm not sure that any of these of those lines on a resume truly qualify one to be an "expert." Now, don't get me wrong. They can certainly help. But if you want to actually be an "expert" in a given field, you should actually be -- and think -- differently.
With a new year almost upon us, experts from every industry -- including marketing -- are sharing their predictions for the "Next Big Thing" to hit in 2016.
The funny thing about many of these predictions is that they're all the same.
- More Content
- More Video
- More CRM
- More Digital
- More Measurement
Basically, "more" of the same.
While they may not be wrong about these trends, a true expert should see what others can't. A true expert should be talking about things that people may not understand yet. And a true expert should look at an industry in an entirely different light. Ask yourself:
Was Elon Musk an expert in automobiles?
Was Steve Jobs an expert in telecommunications?
Was Jeff Bezos an expert in retail?
Across the board, the answer is no, no and no. Instead, these men saw a market opportunity that nobody else saw.
If you want to be a marketing expert, look at brand beyond just marketing, think beyond engagement to genuine co-creation, and understand that if you want to stand out you can't simply say and do what everyone else is doing.
You have to be different.