Education is important to me. Not just because of my past history as a Vice Principal, but in my current life as an Entrepreneur. In order to be successful now, in the Recommendation Age, you, too, should be focused on the power and value of education.

When you can adequately and appropriately teach your target market, you have overcome the “noise” and positioned yourself to be the “go-to” expert- the #1 choice in your industry.

The problem is, most people try to tell, or sell, rather than educate. What’s the difference?

Telling refers to indicating why something is important, without giving the how. Now, of course, you don’t want to give away all your best secrets, but in order to build credibility, you should share some ideas or strategies your audience can implement right now. When you are giving the how (a pathway for implementation), you are educating.

Selling refers to highlighting the need for some information, but withholding the information until someone pays. While, you do, of course, need to be paid for the value you provide; you must be able to demonstrate your expertise. When you are demonstrating your expertise in terms which are understandable to your target audience, you are educating.

When you examine your own business, start by determining what one message or “take-away” point you are trying to convey to your clients. For me, my main point is that you can create massive value and be paid well for it too. This theme underlies everything my company creates, because I want all of my clients to profit from their knowledge and be paid well for the results they create.

How about you? How are you educating your market to choose you?

Are you using an assessment instrument, such as the Expert Positioner Software? Do you have an entrepreneurially sound book to use as a lead generation tool? Do you regularly offer classes, workshops, teleseminars or webinars to gather and educate your target market?

Education is one major factor in why your ideal clients will choose to work with you again and again.

How are YOU educating your ideal clients?