A subject matter expert (SME), or a thought leader, provides knowledge and expertise in a given subject area. As a subject matter expert, your job might be to ensure that the content on a particular subject is completely accurate. An SME typically comes from academic, technical and vocational fields, but with no specific degree is required. Which means, a subject matter expert, what is required is your expertise in a field. And to make money, you need to be able to create business opportunities from what people really need in the field you are an expert in.
Becoming a Subject Matter Expert
Before you can make money online as a subject matter expert, you need to first become a subject matter expert. Becoming an SME is easy but it takes patience and consistency in hard and smart work. The easiest way is to put out good and quality content in your field of expertise. This you can do through many online platforms like blogs and social media channels. In order to make the most of this, you will need to stick to a specific area. Focus is required if you really want to paying get clients. Also, in the process of becoming an SME, make sure you keep connecting and collaborating with other people in your area of expertise. Eventually, people will start giving you referrals, prospective clients will come your way and media will be attracted to you like bees to honey.
How to Make Money Online by Becoming a Subject Matter Expert
1. Find the real “needs” in your field.
This would take you a series of brainstorming and real survey to know exactly the things those you in your field really need. However, these are easy to discover if you pay attention to all the things that goes on in your area of expertise. Here’s why you need consistency. You have to stay informed about the thing that goes on in your field of expertise. Seek new information. Find out the specific need of people based on the information you get.
2. Teach what you know.
After you’ve found the real needs in your field of expertise, start teaching what you know in that are of needs. Teach some for free, teach some for a fee. Use online platforms available to you to keep teaching via producing good and quality content. The content help you to get in front of your potential paying clients and those who will send you referrals without you begging for it. Keep at it. However, as an expert, you would want to teach as an expert, not as a quack who only regurgitate information copied from another expert.
3. Network for opportunities
While carving out a specific niche for yourself in your area of expertise and also spending quality time to teach as an expert, you need to build your network in your industry. Network for opportunities such as an online course creator. Create online courses in the areas of needs where you are a subject matter expert and sell to those who have been following your lead. That’s how you make money online as a subject matter expert.
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Hi Adesoji,
Nice article. Thanks for the continued valuable content you put out!
Best regards,
Felix
Thanks Felix
For bloggers, I think one can also use poll like survery to find out the real ‘needs’ of readers
great article!
Exactly Tunde. That can be used ocassionally to gather necessary data
I see no reason why someone should be a jack of all niches, instead just dominate a niche and become an expert in it, make research, learn new things in that niche everyday and find solution to people’s problem. From there you make money through teaching or creating a we binary or selling of ebooks that solve your audience problem.
Kudos Boss, your blog is truly informative.
Thanks Taiwo.
Exactly, it’s better to dominate in small niches than to keep wandering in multi-niches.