for Masterclass on this . Level Two : Client Recognition
What ’ s the difference between just doing client work and getting client recognition ?
Here are some important signs that indicate you ’ ve gone beyond just being an expert resource that clients use on a transactional basis :
• You routinely win repeat business from your clients .
• When your clients are surveyed or interviewed by your management , they specifically cite your good work and ask for you to continue working on their account .
• When a client executive moves to another company , they call you up and want to do business with you and your new firm .
• Clients tell others about you and refer their friends and colleagues to you .
How do you achieve client recognition ? Fundamentally it first requires developing your expertise in a specific area so that you can then get recognized in the market . With that expertise , you then add value to your client ’ s business and build trusted relationships with client executives . It ’ s Value + Relationships . If you add value but have weak relationships , you are an “ expert for hire ” who can easily be let go . If you have good relationships but don ’ t add value , you become an “ empty suit .”
Remember : the more specific your focus , the easier it is to develop recognition and become renown .
Level Three : External Recognition ( the media and other thought leaders )
Three or four times a month I get unsolicited requests from diverse media outlets to do interviews or contribute to an article . Someone is usually writing about a topic that intersects with my known area of expertise , and through either Internet searches or speaking with colleagues , they come up with my name . This doesn ’ t happen by accident . Over the last 25 years I ’ ve published nine books and hundreds of articles , spoken at conferences around the world , and contributed content to many web sites and publications .
Your reaction may be , “ That ’ s just not me . I don ’ t write and publish the way you do .”
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But let me push you on this point . There are many benefits from media recognition of your expertise and success . The cumulative impact of reaching level three produces , to use a term popularized by author Alan Weiss , “ marketing gravity .” When you have marketing gravity , rather than being forced to cold-call clients to drum up business , clients are drawn towards you by the gravitational pull of your renown prowess .
Furthermore , we live in a low-trust world where suppliers make many inflated claims about their products and services . External recognition builds clients ’ trust in you by providing what are powerful , third-party endorsements of you and your work . The late critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel , for example , did this through their “ thumbs up ” or “ thumbs down ” movie ratings . Same with the J . D . Powers automotive quality rankings . If you are on a panel at a well-known business conference , the halo of prestige from that event also lights you up .
How do you know you ’ ve reached level three recognition ? When a journalist or writer is researching a story in your area of expertise , you come up on their radar . Other experts might ask to interview you for their own publications , blogs and podcasts . You ’ re considered a real , not self-proclaimed , “ thought leader .”
If a prospective client searches for you on the Internet , publications you ’ ve authored come up . For example , in a Google search for “ C Suite Relationships ” I appear second or third in the search ranking - above well-known brands like Harvard Business Review . How I did this is another , longer story , but it has to do with the “ flywheel ” effect of my steady writing and publishing .
At the Personal Level
As an aside : while this article focuses on your career , there ’ s another level of “ recognition ” that is also critical : Being someone family and friends are drawn towards because you exemplify those characteristics that fuel strong personal relationships . These include empathy , caring , loyalty , likability , and selfawareness . Many studies show that having a strong network of personal relationships is associated with reduced depression and loneliness , improved health , and a longer life span . Want to have a long and successful professional career ? Don ’ t neglect this other group of essential relationships ! And by the way , those same qualities ( empathy , caring , etc .) will greatly enhance your client relationships as well .
Where Are You on the Recognition Ladder ?
While these three levels tend to correlate with the arc of one ’ s career , there is no law of physics that holds you to that slow progression . With the right strategies , you can actually “ leapfrog ” and achieve Level Two and Level Three recognition quite early in your career . Just don ’ t forget the formula of Value + Relationships !
The path to achieving personal recognition in your professional career can be visualized as a ladder with three key levels : Internal Recognition , Client Recognition , and External Recognition . These levels correspond to different stages and achievements in your professional journey , each building upon the previous one .
Level One : Internal Recognition
Definition : Internal recognition is about gaining respect and acknowledgment within your organization . It comes from consistently delivering quality work , developing expertise , and building trusted relationships with colleagues and leadership .
Key Actions to Achieve Internal Recognition :
• Deliver Consistent Quality : Meet and exceed your goals and deliverables reliably .
• Develop Expertise : Become proficient in an in-demand skill or area of knowledge .
• Be a Team Player : Collaborate effectively and support your colleagues .
• Build Relationships : Establish strong connections with your manager , peers , senior executives , and mentors .
Indicators of Success :
• Regular promotions and pay increases .
• Influence over your work assignments .
• Invitations to join committees and task forces .
• Senior executives seek you out for projects .
Level Two : Client Recognition
Definition : Client recognition occurs when clients see you as more than just a service provider ; they view you as a trusted partner and advisor .