6 Ways to Become the Consumer Advocate and Voice of Your Industry and Niche

Just how much do consumers in your niche or industry trust you? Come on, I really want you to think about his for a second. And if you had to rate the top ‘consumer advocates’ in your niche, where would you be? Top 1000? How about top 100? Could you dare say top 5?

If you’ve never considered these questions before, then it’s time to turn the light bulbs on and get on the web 2.0 train. Every day, millions and millions of consumers go online looking for ‘the voice’.  And what qualifies someone to be ‘the voice’?

Who, and What, Makes ‘The Voice’?

The answer to this question is simple. The consumer voice of any niche or industry is that person who generally talks the most, writes the most, gives the most, and teaches the most about that particular field. And because this person talks, writes, gives, and teaches the most; the search engines, as well as the consumer base, eventually create what I refer to as ‘the consumer voice’.

Search engines love  this person(s) because he is a prolific writer and content producer. Whether it’s Keyword-rich YouTube videos, long-tail focused blog articles, or exceptionally informative websites; the ‘consumer voice’ puts himself out in front of the search engines and therefore they have no choice but to recognize, and eventually promote (show on first page of search results), his content.

Consumers love this person(s) for the same reason. They subscribe to his blog articles and read what he has to say each week. They also buy his eBook(s) because they know it will save them thousands of dollars when it comes time to make a decision. Not only that, but the consumer has watched his library of helpful videos many, many times in an effort to become more informed.

And don’t kid yourself, every industry has a handful of consumer voices. Some have more than others, but they’ve all got them.

My niche, which is the fiberglass swimming pool industry, is no different. Each year, thousands of people across the continent go through the process of picking the best fiberglass pool manufacturer, as well as builder, for their backyard. And because this process can be a tricky one, and due to the fact that most people don’t get much practice buying an inground fiberglass pool, these consumers very much look for a trustworthy ‘voice’ before they spend over $30,000 in their backyard.

And in the fiberglass pool industry, I am that voice.

Now before you accuse me of being the most arrogant and prideful ‘pool guy’ on Earth, please understand that I don’t make this statement with a vainglorious eye. I’m simply stating things as they are. Because of our Web 2.0 paradigm, each and every day consumers come to me and my business partners from across North America in an effort to receive unbiased, factual, and honest information. In fact, I’m going paste here 3 letters I received yesterday alone from pool shoppers across the country. The following letters are EXACT copies, and the only parts I have left out are complete names of persons and companies.

Letter #1

Dear Marcus,
Hello, I was trying to send you a message on the Leisure Pools forum, but somehow it won’t let me post a message or post, so hope you don’t mind if I e-mail you to ask a question?

You seem to have a lot of knowledge of pools and companies, ….I understand you are with River Pools and are a fiberglass pool company, but…..
Would you be able to give me any recommendations for reputable companies in Long Island, NY who do “semi-inground pools”?  I think, for us, this might be the best option if I put in any pool at all.

Do you know of (Name withheld) Pools?, (Name Withheld) Pools?  and  (Name withheld) pools in Queens, NY?

Thank you for any direction you could provide, I am just going in circles looking at websites, and kind of afraid to visit any stores until I know which would be my best bet.

Thank you so much!

sincerely,

Joann (Info Withheld)
NY

Letter #2

Hello Marcus. I purchased your ebook a couple of months ago and have found it to be unbelievably informative and helpful. I have found a pool and a company I feel very comfortable. The pool is the new Trilogy diver called the Genesis. The pool company is (name withheld) with locations in (names withheld).

I have called many references and they all speak very highly of (name withheld) Pools. I feel that (name withheld) is a trustworthy company as far as installing and taking care of the project from start to finish.

My concern is if the price is a fair price, and if there is wiggle room for them on the price. How much would you charge to review the pricing aspect of it and possible make a phone call on my behalf?

Thank you for your time, and for a fantastic ebook.

Rod

Michigan

And one more, Letter #3…..

Hi, I am interested in getting a fiberglass pool. I met with a representative named (withheld). He said that he knows you. I would like to know if this is true and if so, what your assessment of his credibility is. I certainly only want to deal with a reputable company and representative that will be with me through the process and available after the process not some fly by night organization. If you could please send me information regarding this person I would be very grateful. Thank you.

(lady in Pennsylvania)

Believe it or not, I got two more similar emails that same day. But keep in mind, this was just one day. In fact, the amount of emails I’m now getting from consumers on a weekly basis just keeps growing and growing. It’s kind of crazy. So the question is: How does a little pool guy in Virginia get to a point where pool shoppers all over the world are entrusting him to make $30,000-$100,000 decisions?

I’ve covered this topic of dominating your niche in multiple other posts, but I want to reiterate here strategies that I’ve used quite successfully to get to the point where I am now.

1. Blog, blog, blog: I’ll never stop beating my drums about the beauties and impact that quality blogging can have on an individual and company. Our swimming pool blog has subscribers all over the world and absolutely dominates the long-tail keyword search results. Because of this, we get thousands upon thousands of people reading our articles a month, literally all over the globe.

2. Write an eBook: For me, it all started with my “How to Buy a Pool the Right Way, from the Right Company, at the Right Price” eBook that came out almost 3 years ago. Unlike most eBooks online, I do not sell the manual for $20-$40. It sells at a very affordable $9.95 and because of its low price tag, I sells quite a bit. And EVERY person that buys my eBook gets a personal thank you note (email) from me, as well as an invitation to call or email me directly with any questions they may have. Often times, when people respond to my thank you note with a question or two, instead of emailing them back, I’ll just pick up the phone and call them directly. And what are their reactions? Surprise, excitement, and more than anything else, sincere gratitude.

3. Produce an Awesome Website: This goes hand-in-hand with a blog, but if someone really understands the mind of today’s consumer, they will produce an extremely informative and educational website chock-full of content, images, suggestions, etc. Literally, not a phone call goes by from a lead where I don’t hear something to the sort of, “Your website is wonderful. I love it.”

4. Get Active on the Forums: I actively participate in swimming pool forums across the internet. And unlike many pool guys that get on these forums and rant and rave about this and that yet hide behind a silly name and false identity, I am always forthright about who I am, my company, and my opinions. This year alone I’ve received thousands of visitors to my company blog and website solely because I put all of my info on these forums.

5. Contribute to Ezines: In case you’ve never heard of it, an ‘Ezine’ is like a magazine in electronic forum. There are many, many Ezines online that are available for any person to contribute articles in their field and niche. This year alone, I’ve contributed about 20 articles to Ezines, which has brought even more name recognition and brand awareness.

6. Give Away Information Freely: Take Letter #2 as an example. That particular gentleman, in an effort to find out if he was getting a good value on his pool project, offered to pay me for a small consultation. So instead of responding to his request with an email, I called him (very much to his surprise) and discussed all the numbers with him on the phone. When we were done, he asked how much he owed me, to which I replied ‘nothing’. As you can imagine, he was thrilled and thanked me over and over again. But in reality I did get paid for this act of service. Not only did such a phone conversation give me a chance to serve another and therefore feel good inside, but I also know that the more we give in life, the more we’ll get back. Such is the core of any abundance mentality.

So there are six examples of actions you can start taking today to position yourself to eventually become a consumer voice in your niche and industry. And although this list may appear overwhelming to some, I can assure you that it works, if you’re only willing to put in the necessary time and effort. With a strong mix of work ethic, desire, and ability to articulate your thoughts, you will become one of, if not the, consumer voice in your industry. And as you become this voice, I can strongly testify that success and prosperity will abound as a direct result of your labors.

Questions? Comments? As always, don’t hesitate to leave any thoughts you may have in the comments section.

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