The Poser Plague Exposed — How To Position Yourself Without The Web Of Lies…
Sleazy Con-artists! You know the type. They’ll lie about their income, drive expensive cars and wear suits they can’t afford. All the while they’re struggling every bit as much as their downline… pretending it’s easy as pie.
Why do you think networking gets a frosty reception with friends and family? Well, I’d point my finger at the posers. The losers who think they can spin a web of lies and con people out of their time and cash.
They give our industry a bad name.
While most of us are honest to goodness decent people it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the cart. You begin to doubt yourself. Honesty seems like a hassle… when others seem to be doing so well without it.
It makes you wonder at times if you have to lie to succeed. Doesn’t it?
Well, you don’t! Not by a long shot. Because there’s a huge difference between posing and positioning. And there’s an honest way to position yourself with integrity.
SPECIALIZE.
It’s as easy as picking one skill and mastering it. Maybe it’s driving traffic with social media. Maybe you’re into copywriting. Maybe you’re the PPC master. Maybe you’re the video queen?
Whatever…
The point is, pick a skill and get so dang good at it that you’re an expert. It’s not as hard as you would think. If you spend one hour a day on one skill… that’s 7 hours a week. 365 hours a year.
If you only have 20-30 minutes a day, it’s the same story. You’ll still be one of the world’s leading experts in your skill within a year or two. Of course, you probably won’t be the top-gun, but you’ll be better than 99.9% of your peers. And that means you’re now a VERY valuable person to work with.
Now, you can make honest claims. You will be an expert, someone people want to work with. A leader. And you can position yourself with ease and integrity.
I won’t claim that’s all there is to it. You’ll hit roadblocks along the way, but it’s a solid step in the right direction. Almost every successful person has become a specialist in one way or another.
They’ve chosen a single skill and mastered it better than most of their peers and that’s what really set them apart. And you can do the same.
The tough part is choosing a skill.
It might just be the toughest decision you’ll ever make.
Stay sharp.
Jason Better “The Better Networker”
P.S. To keep your edge – I’d like to invite you to join the blog. It’s nothing sinister. I’ll just let you know when something new is posted here.
Thank you. 
6 Comments
Carina on September 25th, 2009
Hi Jason:
You know what, it is a bad habit of saying that we are experts because that’s what the mentors say… “you should position yourself as an expert, even if you are new” the problem though is that you have to start being new (and not an expert). Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t offer value, and that’s what many times we don’t get. It is possible to give value even if we are new. We will be experts as we go.
Thanks Carina
[Reply]
September 25th, 2009 at 8:25 am
@Carina
Great point Carina. Yes we all
start out somewhere. And all too
often we feel pressured to be something
we’re not yet. I hope this post wasn’t
suggesting being a “know it all” just
a simple strategy to reach so-called
“expert” status faster.
It’s insightful people like you that make
this blog worthwhile.
Keeps me on my toes.
[Reply]
Deon on September 25th, 2009
Hi, yet more great advice.
This is the path I have chosen to take. I’ve been taken in to many times by the ‘fake it till you make brigade’, so wouldn’t feel comfortable asking my team to do the same.
[Reply]
September 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
@Deon.
Thanks Deon. Nor would I. I don’t see
why people have to fake anything at all.
Be great. No need to fake it.
[Reply]
Great post Jason…this information can help anyone that is stuck with positioning themselves as an “expert”.
Does no good to lie about money..that just comes back to bite…but learning a skill that will make a difference and being able to teach it to people is awesome…
One becomes very attractive like that…and then when people get to know you..like you…trust you..and get value from you..they stick to you like glue…because of all the posers out there..
No one likes phony baloney..LOL
[Reply]
September 24th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Why thank you Rose!
I was happy to see your comment
today. And I like how you word things.
“They stick to you like glue.”
and no one likes “Phony Baloney”
Hehe…
[Reply]