• PRINCIPLE 1: Install yourself as most trusted advisor. Never let somebody buy less than they should.
• PRINCIPLE 2: Establish your credentials through past results, client transformations, and unique methodologies.
• PRINCIPLE 3: Establish your distinctive perspective. What do you see that others don't?
• PRINCIPLE 4: Establish your communication advantage. How do you communicate differently?
• PRINCIPLE 5: Establish a primary signature communication vehicle used constantly.
• PRINCIPLE 6: Be able to contrast and compare. Show them the difference.
• PRINCIPLE 7: Future pace. Paint the picture of their future after working with you.
• PRINCIPLE 8: Demonstrate your market's needs, hopes, and fears. State their problems better than they can.
• PRINCIPLE 9: Take a position, a strong point of view. No fence-sitting.
• PRINCIPLE 10: Sell leadership. Lead them to where they need to go.
• PRINCIPLE 11: See yourself as an agent of change, not just a service provider.
• PRINCIPLE 12: Establish specialization. Be THE person for that specific transformation.
• PRINCIPLE 13: Leverage the right mentors and advisors. Stand on the shoulders of giants.
• PRINCIPLE 14: Leverage your own technology and proprietary tools.
• PRINCIPLE 15: Create your proprietary phraseology. Make certain words your own.

These are the raw ingredients of your character. You don't need all of them. You need the right combinations to construct and animate the role you're going to play in your market.

• Be the trusted advisor for life: The maven who wants to help you for a lifetime, not just a transaction.
• Tell them what they're not being told: "Here's the truth as I see it and what action I think you should take."
• List flaws to prove you're human: When you're more human, people find it easier to relate to you.
• Treat relationships as long-term investments: You're making an investment in the marketplace, not closing deals.
• Recognize the long-term strategic gain: Understand what your clients are really after beyond the immediate.
• Be the maven who shares industry norms first: The preemptive approach: you say it before anyone else.
• Extol your own achievements or value: Don't be modest about what you've accomplished and can deliver.
• Celebrate your skills and distinctions: Own your expertise without apology.
• Control their risk by pointing out overlooked dangers: Show them what they don't see coming.
• Use research and data extensively: But summarize, compare, interpret, and analyze it so they can act on it.
• Have a clear and easy-to-identify voice and style: Be instantly recognizable in how you communicate.
• Challenge the status quo thinking: "Hey, I've got an even better way, follow me!"
• Don't overplay your hand: There's a sequence, an order, a progression. If you try to shorten it, you kill the power.
• Revere your own brand equity: Continually add to it and use it as a vehicle to reassure clients and prospects.
• Use the Rothschild Factor: When you can't give them what they ask for, offer them something even better.
• Associate with people who have incredible trust and respect: Get pictures, endorsements, associations.
• Derive power from your group: More power comes from you as a maven of a group than just as an individual.
• Enter into a committed relationship with your market: "While others do X, Y, Z, I only do X."
• Never minimize your brand: Don't say "Here's a free report." Say "I'll buy you a $200 report because I think you're worth the investment."
• Acquire knowledge through specialized partnerships: The maven consistently brings breakthroughs.
• Hire the best but pay them strictly on performance: Surround yourself with A-players aligned with results.
• Be present but not invisible: You can be shy and quiet without being invisible (but this requires skill).

BENEFIT 1: Authority, Influence & Preeminence

You become THE preeminent choice in your marketplace. When someone needs what you do, your name gets mentioned first. You transform from transactional vendor to trusted advisor for life.

BENEFIT 2: Tens of Thousands in Free Advertising Every Year

Media comes to you asking for insights. You get coverage worth $10K to $50K+ without spending a penny. Every feature multiplies your credibility with prospects.

BENEFIT 3: More Effective Marketing & Sales Messages

With maven positioning, your marketing cuts through the noise. Your emails get opened. Your calls get returned. Everything you already do works better when you're a maven.

BENEFIT 4: Constant Flow of Free Referrals

You share valuable content. Someone forwards it saying "You need to talk to this person." When you're THE resource, you become the default recommendation.

BENEFIT 5: New Revenue Streams

Maven status gives you permission to expand. Clients trust you in adjacent areas. You can offer new solutions they'll actually buy. You can raise prices because you're worth it.

Three Tiers of Publications:

• TIER 1: Industry publications prove credibility to your Right Fit Client
• TIER 2: Business mainstream expands your reach beyond your niche
• TIER 3: Local or regional builds community authority

The Pitch Formula:

• Subject Line: Timely hook plus unique angle
• Paragraph 1: Why this matters NOW (timeliness factor)
• Paragraph 2: Your unique insight or contrarian position
• Paragraph 3: What you'll deliver and availability

Remember: Media outlets don't care about you. They care about THEIR AUDIENCE. Your pitch must answer: What value does this provide to THEIR readers?

Maven marketing is the opposite of traditional advertising-driven marketing. It's all about attraction, whereas traditional marketing is about chasing down prospects.

Optimizing Everything vs. Being Minimal

Maven's View: "I've optimized everything I'm doing so I'm doing more of what works and less of what doesn't."

Traditionalist's View: "I shouldn't have to do much, just going to hope my advertising works."

Being Seen as Preeminent vs. Being a Commodity

Maven's View: "I'm intentionally positioning myself as the ONLY solution for my ideal prospects."

Traditionalist's View: "I'll look at what my competitors are doing and will try to do just a little bit better than them."

Perceived and Real Value Provided

Maven's View: "I can and will charge more for my efforts and services because I bring greater value and I can easily justify it."

Traditionalist's View: "People won't pay those high consulting rates, so why bother trying to provide additional value."

As a maven, you tell your market: "You deserve more. You deserve a better outcome than you're currently getting. I want to do that for you."

Look at any industry today, and you'll see conformity. Virtually every company in a given niche does things the same way. They all look the same and say the same thing. Yet almost all of them are hoping for better results than the very competitors they are copying.

The Problem with Sameness

Conformity within an industry leads to commoditization. First of products, then of the professionals within that industry. There is little argument about the constant commoditization of financial and insurance products. The opportunity lies in not letting yourself or your firm be commoditized by being "just like the next guy."

The Death Trap

Trying to become visible to your prospects by using the same marketing strategy as your competitors, especially your larger, older, better established competitors, pretty much GUARANTEES nobody will notice you. Even if they do, they will still probably choose the larger, older, more established firm.

Mavens know better. They understand the pitfalls of conformity and they avoid being like everyone else at all costs. They understand the need and power of true differentiation and they intentionally seek out methods to separate themselves from their competitors.