Have you ever been inspired by a legitimate know-it-all? I’m not talking about those people who make stuff up to impress anyone who will listen but rather a true expert in a particular (or multiple) fields. The first person who comes to mind, for me, is Dr. Maura Isles from TNT’s Hit TV Series “Rizzoli & Isles.” Although her character is an extreme case of genius, it’s one of the reasons why I tune in to every episode. Dr. Isles inspires me to want to learn more seeing how people trust the knowledge she shares and seek her out when they need answers.
Throughout my life, I’ve encountered less extraordinary examples of one or another category experts yet nonetheless inspiriting. I’m easily sucked into their vast knowledge and confident way of speaking. These folks are commonly known as SME‘s or Subject Matter Experts and they truly have a gift of inspiring others.
People seek one thing when it comes to information: Accuracy. Unless you’re in search of opinion, the accuracy of what someone is telling you is critical to them returning to you for additional information.
In previous blogs I have talked about connecting. If you are good at connecting then a smart way to retain your listeners, readers, fans, customers, clients, etc you should expand your factual knowledge about the subjects on which they rely on your for information. How? Research. Read historical and up-to-date information on the subject. Ask questions of other SME’s. The wider you can expand your knowledge, the more frequently people will come to seeking information. If the information you share is always wrong, they will never come to you again. (Note: for business and marketing information I’m a big fan of the Harvard Business Review).
One of the best ways to inspire someone is by teaching them something, of value, that they didn’t already know. Then, every time they use that new information they will think of you. Not only that, they will share that information with others, hopefully, mentioning your name and/or business name along with it.