Post on 08-Jul-2015
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Kristen: Alright, we're here today
talking with social architect Craig
Williams about the power of
authority marketing.
Craig, welcome, and thank you
for talking with me today. Why
don't we just start out talking
about what is authority
marketing?
Craig: Well, authority marketing
is basically an area of expertise
or mastery spreading the word.
Being the leader in an industry of
sharing ad value or value added
service or product. And having
enough followers or experiences
to show that you have an opinion
that needs to be listened to.
Kristen: Now, who exactly
needs authority marketing?
Craig: I would say
everyone, whether you're in
business for yourself or in
business with someone else, and
a support system, or the support
system as part of a community.
Getting the word out needs to
come from a reputable resource
and I think those who have
authority have proven their
reputation or they've proven
themselves to be considered a
dependable resource.
Kristen: So an expert in
their field, perhaps?
Craig: Most definitely, most
definitely.
Kristen: Could you explain how
exactly does having authority in
your field or being an expert help
with business?
Craig: Well one credibility.
When you're in business you
don't always get a second
chance.
Yes, the first impression makes a
big difference, but people are
moving at the speed of light.
They want to have confidence in
what they're about to invest their
time, money or energy into.
So, they want to know that what
they’re about to invest in is going
to pay off. And it's all about, a
return on their
investment, whatever that might
be. So credibility is big, a big
asset.
Kristen: Now, a little birdie told
me, and it wasn't the Twitter
bird, that a while ago you were
on the TV show the Apprentice.
Can you talk to me a little bit
about that and what you learned
about business from your
experiences?
Craig: Yeah, it's been quite a
while. Actually the early years
when they were still writing
curriculum at Ivy League schools
surrounding the show.
What I learned about that
experience was that
experience, my past
experiences, will always make
room for me, no matter what the
challenge that is in front of me.
And we have quite a few of
those challenges.
It was an encouraging affirmation
and confirmation to the lesson
that I learned in my past
experiences, that be ready at any
given moment, you'll have to
reach back sometimes to be
successful in the journey of
succeeding.
Kristen: Now, when you went on
The Apprentice, did you know
that you had a strong interest in
business?
Craig: Oh, definitely; that's part
of what paved the way for me.
I've been a serial entrepreneur
since sixth grade.
So a sense of providing a service
or a product to the marketplace
has always been a part of my life.
Kristen: So what was your first
business in the sixth grade?
Craig: Actually, I was an artist
on demand. So, I was an early
illustrator.
Art was one of my first loves, and
just doodled a lot and people
loved the caricatures that I would
create of them, or sometimes I
would get pieces of paper and
form a 3-Dimensional architecting
of, a visual expression of an
experience I might put together.
Like a Gilligan's Island. A 3-
dimensional Gilligan's Island with
scrap paper or something, and
people liked it so they purchased
it.
I didn't do it for the sole reason of
making money, I was pretty
innovative and creative and
people liked it.
My classmates liked it, so it
started from there and went from
that to illustrations to a number of
other things that I was able to
conjure up.
Kristen: So what types of
businesses can we find you
doing today?
Craig: I do a lot in the area of
leadership and influence
consulting.
I've found that those who have
the responsibility of thousands
and ten thousands of individuals
tend to not have that person that
holds them accountable…
…keeps them sharp, and it's
because of my extensive
background in engaging people
of many levels in business and
life that I'm able to be a voice of
reason from a personal
perspective or business.
Kristen: And you specialized a
little bit, it sounds like, in being a
connector.
Craig: Yes. Yes, ma'am.
Because of those relationships
for years I've had a very diverse
background.
Geographically and just literally
as well as figuratively. And I grew
up never meeting a stranger, so
always valuing the engagement I
had with individuals.
Whether it was on a personal or
professional level, and always
really appreciated the opportunity
to engage and I've always kept a
Rolodex of names and those
experiences and those people
that I've met in my journey in life.
So, always knew what their
passions were. I could remember
and file it away mentally.
If I couldn't remember their name
I could remember the
conversation or what they had on
and what they love.
So it was something to do with a
passion of theirs and I ran into
someone who was in that
space, I would always know how
to be able to refer and make the
connection for them.
Kristen: That's an
interesting talent, too.
Now, when you are working with
clients on building authority for
themselves and their
business, what is the biggest
struggle that they're having that
brings them to you to get help
with this?
Craig: I think they minimize their
individual experience and so I
pretty much just have a
conversation just to get the
essence…
…or the ethos of who they
are, where they come from and
I'm able from there to build a
case on what their value
proposition is in the exclusivity of
their life experience.
I think we're all an expert or an
authority on at least our journey,
and funny as it may seem, we all
have something to learn from one
another.
So, I'm able to provoke them into
that area of their expertise of
mastery that they really take for
granted.
Kristen: Now, coming up what
would you tell people who are
just starting to think about maybe
looking into working on authority
and how they might be able to
establish their business as an
expert?
What's the first little piece of
advice that you would give to
them?
Craig: Make sure they have
some passion or an interest, of
course.
Don't just go seek out, hey, is
there a great need for
authorities, oh okay, I think I'll do
that.
No. If you haven't started
journaling and if you have
journaled, go back and review
what the recurring theme that
you've written about.
Maybe it's some of if you're a
reader. Look in those areas that
you tend to read about.
Of course, even if you're a big
reader of Harlequin romances,
maybe you want to be in the
dating industry.
Kristen: So, discovering
your passion.
Craig: Definitely.
Kristen: Either through writing
about it or through looking at
previous work that you've done.
Craig: The natural interest that
you have. Maybe it's a gift or
talent or knack that you have of
something, no matter how quirky
it is.
I mean, there are 7 billion people
on the face of this planet, I'm
sure you can garner an audience.
Kristen: Now, you were talking a
little bit in the beginning and you
mentioned words like
followers, so you're kind of
referring a little bit to social media
and those outlets.
Is that primarily the way that
you're encouraging clients to get
connected and to build up their
authority would be through social
media or are there alternate
venues?
Craig: Of course there are
alternative ideas.
How effective they can
be, efficiently effective. If you
have a tool that can reach all of
your friends or all of your
contacts, why not use it.
Leveraging resources can help
you spend a little bit more time
on those other areas that you
may like going to networking
events.
But how much energy and cost
are involved in that? I don't know
that there is a more efficient way
of reaching the numbers that you
want to reach than social media.
Kristen: Right. Now, I'll just give
you one last question, hopefully I
don't throw you for a loop here.
I'm wondering, since you have
such an interest in business and
you've been such a solo-preneur
and entrepreneur over the
years, building up your own
authority and expertise…
…is there someone in the
business world or celebrities that
really inspired you to really go
down this entrepreneurship path?
Craig: That's a good question
and that remains to be seen.
Because I started at an early
age, I think it was just a matter of
another way to engage people
and create a win-win.
So I don't know that I had the
insight, or if there was, right now I
can't think of that individual
because I've always pursued and
since business was one of those
avenues that created that win-
win.
I think I naturally and organically
just rolled into it and didn't know I
was an entrepreneur until
someone said I was an
entrepreneur.
I didn't look at as something to
aspire to, it was just who I was
being.
Kristen: Right, so going back to
what you told the potential clients
that would work with you.
You had a passion and you
followed the passion in making
money and being an
entrepreneur was really
something that came out of
following the passion.
Craig: Yeah. I think it was very
much a byproduct, especially the
making money part and although
I've been able to make money
and had those seasons of great
increase.
I think the greater increase is
ahead of my because now I have
a more healthy relationship with
money and a respect for it and
know how to pursue it for greater
benefit and legacy…
…as opposed to that being the
driving force. It was passion,
need, mostly the needs of others.
They were asking and I saw it in
their eyes. I figured I had to
deliver since I had the
capabilities to do that.
Kristen: That's very
interesting, Craig.
The very last question I have for
you this afternoon, is just talk a
little bit about what does it mean
to be a social architect?
Craig: Well, for me, being a
social architect means that you're
considering more than the
now, the present, but you're
considering mankind.
The society that you're a part of
and those that you want to be a
part of building. the more of a big
picture, beginning with the end in
mind type of perspective.
It's definitely a global one and it
involves not only the
commerce, but the lifestyle of
those who are involved in the
engagement.
Whether it be service or product
oriented. It has a lot to do with
principals, for me.
Kristen: Right. Well, Craig, I'm
very thankful that you took some
time this afternoon…
…to talk with us about the power
of authority marketing and
becoming a social architect,..
…but also really to address the
idea that you need to follow your
passion and then build up
entrepreneurship after you have
the passion giving you that
driving force.
And, also, the same thing applies
as an authority in your field and
building up expertise to really let
it come from that space of this is
what I love to do,..
…this is my own personal
experience, and I think that's
valuable advice to share with
everyone out there.
Is there any last thing that
you'd like to add?
Craig: To yourself be true. I
really appreciate the time you've
given me and the questions were
very thought provoking.
Kristen: Alright. Well thank
you so much for joining us.
Craig: Thank you, Kristen.
Kristen: Alright, bye-bye.
Craig: Bye.
To Find Out More About
Craig Williams and Authority
Marketing, visit:
http://HoweMarketingConsultants.com