Become a Celebrity Expert to Supercharge Your Brand and Your Profits
By Nick Nanton
A local radio station was starting a new kind of late-night talk show, where people could call in to talk candidly – very candidly – about their relationship problems. The station had a problem of its own, however; because they had a comedian booked to host the show, they needed a real doctor on the line to give the callers credible, real-world advice. As you might imagine, it wasn’t easy to find a physician willing to stay up late every weeknight for a small paycheck. As a matter of fact, the only one willing to wasn’t officially a doctor yet, because he was still finishing up medical school. Nevertheless, they signed up Dr. Drew Pinsky, better known now as Dr. Drew, and unwittingly made him an international celebrity expert – all because he co-hosted “Loveline” with comic Adam Carolla on L.A.’s KROQ.
There’s no denying not much difference between Dr. Drew’s qualifications and those of hundreds of thousands of other doctors throughout America; he’s just the M.D. who happened to make a name for himself on a radio show. This just demonstrates that, if a fourth-year medical school student can become a Celebrity expert, it’s possible for virtually any professional, entrepreneur or business leader to also become one – and, in the process, attract more clients, command higher fees and increase their influence.
In order to stand out, though, you have to step out – and make yourself known to those who don’t already know you, whether it’s on a local, regional, national, or even international scale.
Here are the “4 C’s” that can kick-start your journey to becoming a popular and profitable leader in your field or industry:
#1: Capitalize on “Public Moments”
A “Public Moment” is one in which you achieve something that can potentially attract the attention of a larger audience. It may not be the greatest feat of your career by any means, it’s just one that happens to draw a crowd.
For example, Dr. Oz, like Dr. Drew, didn’t become a medical superstar on his qualifications alone. When he assisted with the heart transplant operation on the brother of then-Yankees manager Joe Torre, he suddenly found himself with a lot of media attention – and was smart enough to leverage that attention to his advantage, making appearances on CNN and, most critically, Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. Winfrey, impressed with his knowledge and media savvy, then backed him in his own long-running daytime show.
Another prime example of this? Celebrity lawyer Robert Shapiro, who was virtually unknown outside of his field. When he took on the O.J. Simpson murder case in the 1990’s, however, millions watched him on a daily basis and his fame grew and grew. Today, he enjoys a lucrative income as the spokesperson for Legalzoom.com.
#2: Connect with Powerful Networks
As noted, Dr. Oz became a superstar doctor through Oprah Winfrey – but he wasn’t the only one. So did Dr. Phil McGraw. When Winfrey hired McGraw’s consulting firm to help her fight a lawsuit in Texas, McGraw made every in-the-room moment with Winfrey count – which led to an appearance on her show and then, of course, to his own successful series.
When you’re able to open a door into a powerful and public network and make an impression with the VIPs that are a part of that network, as Dr. Phil did, you’ve found an incredibly effective method to build your celebrity expert status.
#3: Contribute Your Expertise
Sometimes working for free can bring you a huge amount of professional rewards. Just ask the many, many talking heads on cable news networks who lunge for the phone when CNN, MSNBC, Fox or HLN calls. High-priced attorneys such as Alan Dershowitz don’t worry about a fee when they’re called to weigh in on a case on television. That’s because they know that, by continually being treated like a celebrity expert on a network, they will continue to be perceived that way by potential clients and the media.
Whether it’s just a local newspaper or radio show, or an interview with CNN, talking to the media is always a great way to cement your expert credentials with the public. Even answering questions related to your field on Facebook or Twitter at no charge can help you show your expertise to your social media followers – and, more importantly, those followers’ friends who may have never heard of you before.
#4: Create Content
What was the tipping point for Malcolm Gladwell becoming a celebrity expert? It was publishing his first book, The Tipping Point, back in 2000. By authoring a series of similar books about trends in modern business and society, Gladwell went from becoming a relatively unknown journalist to one of the highest-paid speakers today in the world.
When you create content, especially content with cutting-edge ideas and/or easy-to-use advice, you also create credibility for your personal brand. When you take that extra step and package that content in a professional and high-impact way, so much the better. Videos, blogs, articles and even social media posts are all methods that allow you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in your own forum on your own terms – but nothing beats a book when it comes to really packing the necessary power to make you stand out from your peers.
The above are four of the most effective tools available to create the kind of personal brand that builds both your business and your own personal profile into a magnet for clients, acclaim and success.
Of course, you might ask yourself, “If I just develop my skills and knowledge, won’t I build that kind of brand on my own?” While you should certainly always strive to improve your capabilities, you also have to keep in mind the old philosophical dilemma, “If a tree falls in a forest and nobody’s there to hear it, does it make a sound?” In other words, you could become the best at what you do – but if nobody knows what you can do, it won’t matter to the outside world.
In contrast, the combination of advanced skills and celebrity expert status makes for a powerful one-two punch that can leave your competition reeling. So consider putting the “4 C’s” to work for you; you could “C” some amazing results that will markedly improve your career – and your life – forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Nanton, Esq. is an Emmy Award winning Director and Producer and CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency. As America’s #1 Business Agent and international speaker and consultant, he has refined the area of personal branding, direct media, marketing and PR for business growth. His newly released book StorySelling™ details the persuasive value of story in business and entrepreneurism, and outlines the steps necessary to achieve success in marketing through storytelling and media. For more information, please visit www.DNAgency.com, email info@DNAgency.com or call 888-364-8101.
