“I can’t do this.”
“I don’t know enough about this topic to charge THAT much.”
“I’m not an expert in this area.”
Any of those lines sound familiar? You’re not alone. Those were the exact thoughts running through my head when I was approached by a startup that wanted me to write about big data analytics for online retailers—a topic I knew very little about.
Sure, I knew about tech companies, but I’m not a data scientist and I’ve never worked in retail, so I wasn’t sure if I could bring enough value to the table. The only thing I had going for me was I had a genuine interest in the subject. I had been hearing about big data in ecommerce for a while, and I wanted to break into the industry. That’s why I took the leap when the opportunity presented itself.
Turns out, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Taking the job and forcing myself to become an expert in their industry opened a lot of doors. Not only did the client re-hire me for several projects, I was also able to use my experience to pitch other companies in the field, thus growing my client base.
This blog post will show you how you can do it too. Here are 3 steps you can take to increase your knowledge so you can write insightful blog posts about any topic—and charge competitively for doing it.
Do these things consistently, and you’ll go from n00b to expert in any field (but hopefully it’s a field you genuinely like) in just a few months or even weeks:
1. Get regular updates about your topic
You won’t become an expert by reading a few articles every now and then. You need to consume relevant content on regular basis.
How? By turning it into a habit. You know how you’re always browsing sites like Yahoo, Facebook, or Twitter for headlines and updates? Do the same thing for the topic you want to learn about.
To make things easier, subscribe to newsletters and blogs in the industry so you can get them all in one place.
Here are a few places you can start:
- SmartBrief – This service curates studies, news articles, and blog posts from several sources and delivers them straight to your inbox. SmartBrief does this for several industries, including Finance, Education, Health Care, Tech, and more. It’s a great way to stay in-the-know with what’s happening in a given field. Just pick the industries you want, subscribe to their newsletters, and you’ll start receiving free briefs that’ll make your smarter.
- Alltop and Technorati – These sites are great tools to find blogs in any niche. Enter a topic or keyword into the search box, browse the results and subscribe to the ones that can learn from.
- Forbes – While Forbes is known for mostly covering business and finance, it also has some great pieces on lifestyle, politics, entertainment, and more. Run a search for your topic, find articles pertaining to it, and follow the authors behind them. Do the same thing for publications like the New York Times, Huffington Post, and Business Insider.
- LinkedIn – Join groups in your industry, subscribe to updates, and join conversations.
2. Find case studies and real world applications
Reading about the latest trends and issues about your industry is nice and all, but you’ll be able to learn a lot more by seeing them in action.
For instance, I read several case studies about big data, ecommerce, and retail so I could see how other businesses are using the technology.
And when I learned about how stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom are using big data to track consumers and personalize shoppers’ experiences, I went ahead and drove to the nearest Nordstrom and observed how the department store operated. I even browsed its website and made a few purchases so I could get some first-hand experience. This enabled me to learn more about the industry and it gave me valuable insights that I wouldn’t have picked up from reading websites or publications.
Consider doing something similar in your freelance blogging business. When you’re trying to learn about a particular topic, go beyond reading articles. Find case studies that demonstrate a particular trend or issue in action. And if you can go out there and experience it yourself, then by all means, do it.
3. Ask your client for resources
Don’t be afraid to ask your client for help. When I wanted to learn more about big data and retail, I spoke to my client and asked if they could recommend any websites, books, or papers that will help me learn about their industry. They were more than happy to offer suggestions and they even gave me access to their own research and technology.
Plus they set me up with a test account so I could log into their system and see how things worked from their customers’ perspective.
As a result, I was able to know more about their field AND I earned plus points with the client because I showed them that I cared about what they were doing and I was willing to learn.
Remember: purposeful, regular action
At Be a Freelance Blogger, we’re always encouraging you to step up and take action. I’m leaving you with the same advice, but with one caveat: taking action alone will not make you an expert. You need to do these things regularly.
You don’t become an expert by devouring information in just a night or a week. Real expertise comes from continuous learning and application. So go out there and put these things into action. Then go back to step one and go through the process again.
Do you have any other tips for becoming an expert? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Francesca,
Thanks for the informative post. I recently had my confidence shaken by a horrible client and have quickly fallen into the mindset of, “I know nothing about anything.” These tips are great!
You’re welcome, Alexandra.
Oh I’ve been there. I’ve fallen into the “I know nothing about anything” mindset myself. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen to me that often anymore, since I decided to specialize in only a handful of topics.
I was just thinking to myself ““I don’t know enough about this topic to charge THAT much.” Then I thought of checking BAFB post for today and viola! 🙂
Thanks Francesca! This post is really for me. 😉
Awesome. Glad my post showed up at the right time! 😉
You’re spot on about putting ideas into action!!
I’ve generally kept informed about my niche by setting up Google Alerts for specific keywords, reading topic related books, and attending conferences in my subject area. Recently, I joined a national organization and have learned tons just by attending two of their chapter meetings!
Great reminder that learning and implementing is a constant!
Oooh thanks for bringing up Google Alerts, Jennifer. I do that as well.
On a slightly different note, I also use Google Alerts to keep tabs on clients and colleagues. That way, when I receive an alert about them being mentioned in the news or anywhere else in the web, I can send an email to congratulate them.
To add to your #1 list of places to go for topic info, I’d add:
Dummies.com — I like these books ’cause they’re written for people like me
Magazines.com — Usually easy to read and I like pictures
Amazon.com — eBooks section
I also use the free version of CurationSoft to find recently published info on the web.
Cheers from Eddie P
Awesome resources, Eddy! I have’t heard of Dummies.com or CurationSoft–I’ll check ’em out. 😉
Yes, yes, and yes! This article is so spot on!
When I delved into doing social media management I got in touch with other people doing it and just picked their brain, asked for resources and blogs that they read on the daily, and just immersed myself in it. If it’s a topic you love, you don’t going all in on a regular basis.
Yep, yep. There’s no better way to become an expert than to immerse yourself in a particular field every day.
Glad you like the post Margaret and thanks for sharing your experience!
Francesca,
Great article, and I totally get the hesitation about breaking into a new niche. Been there, done that. Each time I forced myself out of my comfort zone has led to bigger and better opportunities in my writing career. I think that’s what it’s all about; if you’re willing to keep learning, do the research, and push yourself, there’s no limit to what you can write about and become an expert in!
Thanks,
Corey
“Each time I forced myself out of my comfort zone has led to bigger and better opportunities in my writing career.” –SO true, Corey. I’ve experienced this first hand. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone is scary (I’ve done it several times yet it STILL scares me), but it really the only way to level up.
Thanks for the comment. 🙂
I need to do MOST of this with one of my clients. I’ve been learning a lot about their industry since I started, but unfortunately, my other clients’ industries don’t line up with theirs at all.
It can be overwhelming to try to keep on top of it all! I’m working on specializing (by doing some outbound marketing), but right now, I can’t just drop my clients.
I know the feeling, Bree. I used to write for various clients as well (from tech companies, to pest exterminators).
In my case, I didn’t drop my non-tech clients all at the same time. Instead, I focused my marketing on the tech industry so I could land more of the clients that I wanted. This enabled me to gradually make the transition from Jill of all trades to writer with a niche.
I think you’re on the right track with doing more (targeted) outbound marketing. Good luck and I hope you land more gigs in the industry that you want. 🙂
I’d second Margaret’s advice on getting in touch with people, whether it’s by social media, online or even face to face. Not only do you build up knowledge but also contacts in the area who you can then go to for soundbites and/or who might promote your posts when they are published.
Plus you might make a new friend! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Elizabeth. Glad you enjoyed the article.
I use Google Alerts to keep me updated about the niches I’m thinking of pursuing.
This is very informative and encouraging and give me a strong sense and drive to become a a good blogger for “Sales & Marketing of Industrial Products”
Awesome! I’m one of those people that loves to research just as much as I love to write. Thanks for the advice so clearly presented.
It sounds so simple to become an expert on a subject. For example I knew nothing about analyzing building materials or counting air samples for asbestos fibers. I was a subject expert on the hazards of this industrial material in Europe for five years. However, I had to perform many hours of physical examinations of air samples and bulk building materials to understand what the written and theory meant. Just saying …