With all the dire economic news lately, many business people and professional service providers wonder if the sky is falling and what that means for their ability to grow their businesses in such challenging times.

Those who are known as experts in their fields stand to weather the bad times better than those without this reputation.  They may even be able to charge more for their specialized services because those who need their help can ill afford to make the wrong choices when the problems they need to solve are so urgent.

Some of the most tangible benefits you can enjoy as a result of being known as an expert in your field are enhanced reputation, increased traffic to your website or blog, better search engine rankings, sold out seminars, more frequent phone calls from the right prospects, and new engagements.

It is not easy to launch, grow, and sustain a winning business – especially when times are tough.  It takes passion, hard work, commitment, and so much more.   To be seen, heard, and celebrated in your local media for the expertise you’ve earned and the contributions you make is absolutely priceless beyond the tangible benefits that count for a lot.

Here are the top 15 ways to earn a reputation as an expert in your field.

1. First and foremost, do great work for your clients so they are happy to go to the mountaintops with their bugles to sing your praises.  If you are truly doing a great job for your clients, you have earned the right to ask for testimonials and use them to celebrate your expertise.
2. Be clear about your commitment to serve others first so your own success can grow.  When you share general tips and information that eases aches and pains others are experiencing in their businesses, you will invite others to engage you for a fee for the specifics to solve those problems.
3. Craft a fabulous bio that proves and declares your expertise in a winning, memorable way.  Leave the blah, blah, blah boring bio behind and lead with a story that is memorable, likable, and worthy of respect.  You and your expertise will be well served.
4. Write regularly for the local, trade, or national business media.
5. Use those articles to ask for and earn an ongoing column in a local business journal.
6. Contribute commentary, tips, and resources to social networks, online forums, blogs, radio shows, and other media.
7. Speak at professional events and serve on panels through which your expertise can add value.
8. Launch and sustain a useful electronic newsletter, and invite new subscribers to benefit from what you offer by offering valuable resources, special reports, and other tools to support their success.
9. Launch and maintain a useful blog.
10. Maintain a quality website that celebrates your expertise.
11. Host teleseminars, webinars, and workshops to share your expertise with others and expand your sphere of influence.   Tell.  Don’t sell.
12. Merchandise your contributions and perspectives to the media via your online pressroom to make it easy for editors and writers to connect with you 24/7.
13. Write special reports, e-books, or other tools to support others’ success through the power of your expertise.
14. Win awards that celebrate your winning ways and reflect favorably upon your reputation.
15. Explore video as an avenue to share your expertise with the world.  Now that YouTube is such a powerful force, along with dozens of other online video sites, the opportunities to share your expertise and message in a way that will engage others are limitless.

There is no “Easy” button to earning the reputation as the expert.  However, if you choose the five tactics that appeal most to your strengths and talents and get into action to deploy them today, over time you will earn that coveted reputation and the rewards that go with it.