“Ya, that’s why they send me, I am expert.”
This is what I mean by "Show AND Tell" - Tell 'em you're the expert... then SHOW 'em!
I always wanted to open an email with a quote from “The Big Lebowski”, but I’m sad because today I have to tell you about a couple of things I regret.
1. I regret that there wasn’t a course like this available to me when I was much younger, because I could have been walking the primrose path instead of hacking through the jungle with a machete half my life:
https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/ajenkins
2. I regret that I am telling you about the link above so late that this offer is probably closed right now. Sorry about that – but to make up for it, I’m going to write a newsletter instead. 
(And Note: You should still get on his waiting list – I did.)
A lot of people might look back on the long list of “work I did in order to get money” and have a hard time calling that a “career”. Heck, I would too.
Video Editor, e-Commerce store owner, SEO Consultant, Teacher, Info-marketer… It doesn’t all really seem to have a common thread, but if I had to NAME a “career” for myself…
I’d have to say I’ve made a career out of being an “expert”.
Time and again, I’ve invested my time and personality into one activity or other in order to become not just GOOD at it, but an EXPERT.
I’m a passionate guy I guess, what can I say? When I’m into something, I get WAY into it – and I know a lot of other entrepreneurs are that way, too.
And that expertise has rewarded me in tons of ways – accolades, a sense of accomplishment, and of course, the income I needed to live the lifestyle I always wanted.
However, I think it took me FAR too long to realize that my EXPERIENCE, my EXPERTISE itself was of humongous value to other people who needed this info.
After all, there are folks who didn’t have the drive or passion or TIME that I did, but who could still massively benefit from what I’d taken the effort to figure out. That’s when I got into TEACHING.
And I have to tell you, I love HELPING people more than anything else I do. Even though everything I teach was learned in order to grow my own businesses, my favorite part is perfecting it and teaching it to others.
And that’s why I regret that there wasn’t a guy like Brendon Burchard around earlier, AND that the best you can do (for now) is get on his waiting list.
https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/ajenkins
And admittedly, that’s a little weird of me to do – BAD MARKETING and all that.
So here are the TOP 3 THINGS you can do RIGHT NOW
in order to start leveraging your expertise to HELP OTHERS.
If you know how to do something, ANYTHING well – you can probably find a way online to get paid teaching other people what you know.
1. Start a blog. Duh. A blog is where you can put yourself out there for discovery by new fans, and start interacting with your existing ones. Start writing about what you KNOW.
This is the foundation of everything else, so don’t just WRITE about your expertise, but get on the video bandwagon and DEMONSTRATE it, too. It’s not “show, don’t tell” anymore.
In the video age, it’s “show AND tell”. And remember, just the fact that you’ve MADE a bunch of videos about your topic is enough to convince people you’re the obvious expert.
2. Start a list: Duh. Get people to subscribe to your information in as many ways as possible – your blog’s got RSS, and you need to get some list management software so you can collect email addresses.
If you can’t think of stuff to mail, just email your blog posts. I do it all the time – works great! The reason you really want to get into people’s inboxes is because it’s a context of trust.
You should be putting your best stuff on your blog, and since the context of email is a lot stronger for influencing people, I can’t see why MORE people don’t deliver great content directly to the inboxes of their followers.
3. USE THEM! How many people have I seen and heard from that actually get started and set up the technical sides of Step 1 and 2 and then just GIVE UP? (Answer: tons, sadly.)
Listen, it’s going to be slow going to build up an audience at first, but you’re rolling a snowball down a hill. It’s going to pick up momentum, and at some point, you won’t be able to stop it if you tried.
Find other blogs in your niche (hopefully written by other experts) and comment there, offer to write guest articles, write ABOUT them and link over from your site.
These connections will pay off and you’ll be building an audience in no time, and you’re well on your way to becoming a legendary (and sought after) expert.
About Brendon’s “Expert Academy” lifetime training: You can get on the waiting list for this if you want to wait for a shortcut: https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/ajenkins
But if you get started with 1, 2, 3 above – you’ll have a head start when it opens again. Who knows where I’d be right now if someone could have taught ME this stuff way back.
I’d probably be typing this from my imperial palace on the MOON! But you know, California’s REAL nice, too. It pays to be an expert, I guess.
Until next time,
Andy “Oblivious Expert” Jenkins
P.S. What’s stopping you from building an audience of followers based on what you are already an expert at? Is it time, fear, laziness… ninjas? Let me know in the comments!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheBuzzMachine. TheBuzzMachine said: “Ya, that’s why they send me, I am expert.” http://ping.fm/E2m4B [...]
Ninjas.
Definitely the ninjas:)
Hi Andy,
Any plans to make available again the free videos on doing videos that you used leading up to your Video Boss launch. I missed them and would love to see them.
Hi Andy,
I echo Marie Kane’s question about when you are going to release the “evergreen” videos of Video Boss that you stated you were going to put out? If you have no plans to release them please just say so I and others can move on from this disappointment. People really do take you literally when you say your are going to do something. Although I am a new member to your list, I feel that you are not living up to your word.
I’m sure you will never let this post see the light of day. But it would be nice if you could come out with a straight answer about those videos.
Respectfully,
Peter
Those pesky ninjas!
They use that secret black magic stealth-fullness to foil my plans! Dang it…it’s out in the open now..
I think we all should ban together and make “bolo-bells” so we can foil those evil doers
No really though I’ve been following Brendon for a while now…incredible personality. Anyone on the fence about a direction in their life should definitely check out his stuff.
Hi,
Let me tell you a story. A young, ambitious guy learns really hard stuff at the university and is so successful that he becomes a uni teacher himself, working his ass off helping others for 15 years. Now he’s laid off because of office politics and he’s not so young anymore. He discovers internet marketing and thinks “wow, perhaps I can learn this so I never have to depend on morons and a shitty day-job again” and starts buying really expensive courses on the web. He soon realizes that it’s not that easy to become an infomillionare and he becomes exhausted and overwhelmed. So what’s your advice to such a burned-out, middle-aged, unemployed guy without family or friends?
I don’t know whether Andy is cool with discussion in the comments, but I can relate having a phd from a top school (in engineering), and being similarly put out to pasture.
Simply put, consider the work as equivalent to another phd. Only the payoff is, well, real.
There really isn’t anything difficult, it’s just stupendous amounts of work at the front end.
I’m contacting you via your contact form.
Hi Fredrik
I know how you feel, I was a diemaker for many many years and then the bottom feel out. I was worried what was going to happen, I never gave up and kept my option open. I was able to get into another trade when I saw a door open for me. My friends laughed at me when I changed trade, but know I have a job and they live day to day.
As for the internet it is hard, seems like everyone has bought into the idea of making lots of money on the internet. But if we hang in their and don’t give up we will make it.
Seems like you could take your teaching on line, lots of people want to learn how to do something. Just find your niche and don’t give up.
It’s got to be the Ninjas Andy!
Jeff
The Fitness Dude
The online version closed last night at midnight US Pacific Coast time (PST). Through that you could get to the next two Expert Academy seminars. I have notes on all of Brendon’s free materials from the launch, that I know of, and some of my own content that I think would help people implement his advice, but that’s probably little consolation.
Steven Egan/Igen Oukan
http://blog.IgenOukan.com
http://www.LegacyOfLore.com
Andy, with a camera,,you are better than a expert,, it must be so nice to have that artist talent,, And the rest just follows!!,,Thanks again,Jack
Hey Andy!
I love the tweet link! But…
How bout a Face Book Link as well!
Will make it easer for me to link over to your site from facebook… just saying… might be helpfull… Hahum…. that means please put a link button for FB….
(Socializing like crazy with businesses… all on FB and not Twitter… Its the local stuff where the new money is… and its on FB…)
Thanks for the heads up Andy, you can bet we’ll be in the “Ninja Marketing Expert Category”, no time flat..dominating the internet for my clients with their video content big time..you can check out in this cool case study! Video Marketing Secrets: How Do You Own the Top 21 Spots on Google, Organically? This is Nuts! http://www.kellygerards.com/?p=275
It’s the vikings!
Andy
One of my problems is I am a info junky, my inbox is full every day with emails for free downloads to the next great offer. I have bought into some of the offers and really it has not helped. Now I have info over load and trying to get through the programs has me going in many directions. I do love your video Boss, it will take me a little longer then most to get through it, but I will get through it in time. Please don’t take it down after the 6 months. I know you said you might be able to work something out, I hope you do.
Bottom line, to many programs to bet through and to much info coming in.
Thanks, Jim
Jim:
I understand what you are going through. I have gone through it myself. A breakthrough for me occurred when I heard a very wise man say . . . “At some point you have to stop being a consumer of content and you have to become a creator of content.”
You build nothing when you consume. When you start creating, that is when you start building a business.
Jon
Andy Jenkins Hero
http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1270748249510RA52
Being in the biz you have probably already seen this, but your fans might like it.
There is too much of build up for my taste and I would much rather of had humor as the theme, but it is one hell of an example of what the right idea can do for viral marketing.
Anyway I really like your stuff. Sorry I missed your course
It’s guru ninjas. It seems there are so many guru ninjas saying over here over here or go there go there. So I can’t tell if it’s a white ninja providing the direction to success (for “me”) or a black one herding me right into a pond of sharks.
So the fear of drowning it right up there.
It’s been fear that I haven’t been taught the right way for “ME” to swim through a particular pond of sharks that I chose to cross. And it’s not the fear of failure (I’ve done that pretty will up to now) no it’s been the fear I wouldn’t have time to recover if I got herded into a pond that’s the wrong one for me, the fear that it could take me too long to get out of it because I left the search to late in my life.
But in the end I have too little retirement money to risk not taking a chance.
So I’ve jumped in – if I drown, I drown. I figured I would drown sitting still anyway so may as well try to learn how to swim. If you don’t hear from me again I probably jumped into shark pond (before I leaned how to swim fast enough) and now I’m way too busy to write because I’m keeping guard of the grocery cart with all my belonging in it.
The (I’m probably delusional) Old Broad
Hai Andy!
Firstly, apologies if this is off topic.
You did a great post about the Google “Parisian” video a few months ago, which I really enjoyed. It may interest you to know that Google has released a new feature that allows you to build similar videos online, and in about 2 minutes. You simply enter the search terms, choose the media (google search, maps, images search etc), select some pre-determined music and it’s all good.
The results aren’t nearly as nice as your video (which is super slick, btw!) but it’s fun and easy. Here’s a video that I made in about 5 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayaQ_d9Q_Rs
Andy, I’ve been following you since the Stompernet days and your philosophy has always been to help educate people by providing good quality content for free. Build trust, then they will buy from you. It’s a brilliant and honest strategy that I have implemented in my own business. Thanks for your blog posts, videos, and SEO advice. I always enjoy what you have to say and walk away a smarter person for having listened to you.
Kim
Owner, EggStream Marketing
A Cosmetic Surgery Marketing
and SEO Firm
Dave has the right idea…tremendous amount of work…is it worth it…yes…up to you?? Who else?
Hi,
thank you very much for the link provided.
It is a great video. He does make a lot of sense.
You do provide the best material.
Cheers
[...] that if you were not as touchy feely as we are it would seem like we were gay. I love this guy. He immediately felt like my best friend. Why he is so successful is [...]
Andy,
It was awesome meeting you at Frank’s Birthday Sunday night. Not to toot your horn too much, but dude you give some awesome content, and man you answers those questions like a boss ie. Magic Bullet Q & A and List Control Q & A… Looking forward to Kajabi today….
I’ll see you around San Diego sometime.
-Josh
Hey Andy,
Hope all is well. Thanks for the heads up and good advice. I was went and watched the videos that there was some great stuff we could all use right away.
Still thinking about the Video Boss course and missed the interaction. Hope you have some big plans underway:)
Hi Andy,
Great post as usual. I say that… although I have to admit I haven’t been reading your blog in a while. Just dipping in and out these days. Why? Because like a lot of people above, I realised I was becoming an interweb marketing addict – a consumer of all the crazy offers but not really creating any of my own… *I* am my greatest enemy when it comes to creating great content and becoming an expert!
That’s not to say I don’t have great content (yet) – but it’s all in my head at the moment! Like you, I like to think that I’m good at what I do (and get passionate when I’m doing something I like!). I also enjoy teaching people how to do things.
However, like many people, I’ve found that the problem is “finding that 1 thing” that I really *love* to do… I read something about becoming successful once – it said: “What’s the 1 thing you love to do and would do for free? The trick is to do what you love… and then find people to pay you for doing it!” (I’m paraphrasing). It’s only recently that I’ve found something that I really enjoy doing (and would do for free)!
You ask what stops me from building an audience? Partly boredom: I’m great at starting but hardly ever finish projects (unless someone’s paying me!). I’m great if I’ve got a team to delegate to – no problems being in charge!
Boredom then leads to procrastination and, yeah, laziness. Sometimes it’s hard to see the point in doing my own stuff when it’s hard enough just trying to make ends meet (so “work” comes first, then trying to find the energy to do my own thing!). Differed gratification isn’t an easy concept to buy into… That’s why it’s important to “do what you love!” (it doesn’t seem like “work” then).
One thing that might surprise you is there’s also an element of the “fear of success”. Not the “fear of failure”. Weird, huh? When you’re used to living life struggling, the thought of abundance can be quite overwhelming. *Everything* in life would have to change if I became successful… Hell, I’d have to hang around with people who didn’t bitch about how hard life is; how difficult it is to survive; how poor they are and how much they’re “the victim”… I’ve no idea how I’d handle all that positivity and all those happy, shiny people. Andy, it must drive you nuts!
Ironically, what I’m aiming for next year is to become an NLP Life Coach. Heh… helping people turn their lives round. And yeah, I am excellent at what I do. My problem is finding someone as good as me to help me turn *my* life round!
(Trust me, it’s so easy giving advice… taking it? Well…). If you happen to know any really, filthy rich people who’ve reached an existential crisis of being so wealthy they don’t know what to do with their lives – send ‘em my way! 
Anyway, right now, I gotta crack on. I’m building a new WordPress theme for my new “career” path. I’ve got custom video fields and video shortcodes built in, auto-thumbnail generation for the index and also got the data structured in a way that a lot of Stompers would be envious of. Would I say I’m an expert on WordPress? Yeah… but now it’s time to use it for myself *and then* pass on the knowledge to others! Note to self: Get your priorities right…
After I’m done with the theme, I’m finally looking forward to creating some content. I’m aiming to do more videos (like you suggest) and have ideas for some cool 2.5D animations with voice overs. (After Effects looks pretty cool to use
). More than that, because it’s a “Life Coaching” site, it kind’ve gives me room to talk about “Life” (philosophy, art, religion, movies, music, marketing… you name it, I’m sure I could squeeze it in). And boy, do I have stuff to talk about. In terms of a niche, my articles will basically all be metaphors that all lead back to “turn your life round”. I know you love movies… what better way than getting a person to think about *them* being the hero? Gotta love movie metaphors…
…so, you kind’ve see where I’m going with this? Although, it sure doees takes a lot of time and energy trying to get to becoming a “perceived” expert.
Anyway, wish me luck! Will hope to be cracking this “authority/expert” thing next year… As the saying goes: “Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey!”.
Cheers,
Zain
Apart from that, I’ve unsubscribed from nearly all the email opt-ins (with the exception of you, Dan Thies, Eban, Stomper… oh, and Frank). It’s time to clear the inbox, create my own hype and find the GURU (Gee, yoU aRe yoU TM) within me…!
PS: Sorry, “I’m going to have to turn the opportunity down”. That was awful marketing, Andy!
PPS: My one bit of advice to people – always remember: “Content is King”. If you have excellent content, then people won’t mind what your site looks like. You can re-do a site after the cash starts to pour in… now, if I could only take my own advice…!
Andy,
I just had one of the most influential guy in the investment / macro-economic world try to sell me something using a Kajabi video site!!
I know this is off topic but I just had to come over here and say how impressive that is.
Actually, it isn’t off topic at all. This guy sends out a weekly email to well over a million people . These are thousand word plus, highly technical emails and big wigs in the financial world read every word, every week because he has positioned himself as an expert.
The email he just sent out and the kajabi video sales page it links to are going to change the lives of a multi-million dollar biotech company overnight.
I can’t think of a finer example of the 1,2,3 steps you just laid out.
Well done.
Dear ANdy
you are quite an inspiration. Your videos articles are right there . I love watching all your video promos. Great blog keep the good work up
love
Vish
Dear Andy,
I am inspired by your words and I have a great learning from your video. Have a nice day.
Sincerely
John
I know this is actually boring and you’re simply skipping to another comment, but I simply wanted to throw you a big thanks!