The 7 laws of Influence – Entrepreneur of Influence, Douglas Vermeeren By Douglas Vermeeren

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(The following is a brief summary of the 7 laws of Influence as taught in the Entrepreneur of Influence program by Douglas Vermeeren.)

Influence and attention are two of the most prized assets that any company can acquire in todays marketplace. Without these assets companies drift into obscurity and the sea of sameness and as a result are left to fight amongst their competitors in price and marketing battles that can’t be won. 

Influence is not just about the number of likes, shares, subscribers and thumbs up that you can acquire on a post or profile page. Influence is about the ability to become relevant to those that matter to your business.  Influence is about becoming a company that people care about. The following are a brief overview of the 7 laws and things you can do that will make your more influential in your niche and will help you receive the benefits and opportunities that come with being more influential.

Law 1 – Serve the Specific – Most entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to serve masses of people and to try please everyone. The best and most influential entrepreneurs know that influence begins with serving a select group at a high level. Focus is an essential element for beginning influence. Influence starts with becoming valuable to a specific group of people. Specialists in all fields are worth more to those they serve. You only become valuable as you go deeper into a specific niche. Cover less ground, but cover the ground you have in a better way. What are you doing to become valuable to a specific group?

Law 2 – Find Relevance – Influence is all about connection.  Connection comes through being of service in a way that matter most to those you serve. Your personal agenda does not matter and your audience can certainly sense when you are self-serving. Authenticity, constant learning and connection to the individual is an essential part of becoming and staying relevant. What are you doing to become more relevant to those you serve?

Law 3 – Accessibility – In todays marketplace those who are involved personally in their brand are the most influential. Are you involved in conversations with those you serve in real time? Do those you serve feel as though they know you and are acknowledged? If you consider the most influential entrepreneurs in todays marketplace their tribe feels as though they have a relationship with that person. What can you do to become more authentically connected to those in your audience?

Law 4 – Speed – We live in a world where people expect to be acknowledged and receive what they want instantly. This concept of speed has not only created a desire to have what we want now, but also an expectation that we can receive it in the way we wish. Speed therefore, is not just about timing, it is about flexibility as well. Entrepreneurs today are expected to be able to support their communities quickly and with flexibility. Influence requires trust. Trust is developed by consistent delivery. And when you deliver faster and more flexibly than others in your niche your influence grows exponentially. How can you be faster and more flexible than others in your niche?

Law 5 – Premium Exchange – We often hear entrepreneurs talking about the importance of creating a fair exchange of value. (More on this another time) I find that most do not understand what that even means. However even if they did, it is not enough. They must create scenarios where prospects and those they serve receive a premium exchange. In fact, the exchange needs to deliver higher value to the others in their niche. When they do it gives their tribe incentive to be more loyal to the brand and help it grow. How can you create more value for your audience than anyone else?

Law 6 – Build Community – A community is a group of people with similar values, beliefs, desires and opinions. When people feel as though they are part of something important they tend to care about it, promote it, support it and even make sacrifices for it. Recently a friend told me about how he woke up early and stood outside in the snow to get tickets for a concert to a favorite band.Your prospects will make the same kind of efforts when they feel this sense of ownership.  When the are truly part of a community they will almost feel a sense of betrayal when they do not support you. In a sense, it is genuinely like belonging to a family. How are you currently building and supporting your community?

Law 7 – Leverage possibilities- There is a reason why this law arrives as the final step in the laws of influence. Leverage is utilizing the support, networks, knowledge, money, time and other resources from other influencers or high level partners. However, if there is one thing that is clear about leverage is that those worth partnering with will not partner with you until you can demonstrate value to them also. To use leverage at high levels you must demonstrate competence at the previous laws of influence. Who can you work with to create power and influence through leverage?

Influence is not something you either have or you don’t. It grows by degrees. As your level of influence rises you will see more opportunities unfold for you. Your profits will rise. Your name and brand recognition will improve. You will be considered an authority or expert in your niche. Your sales will arrive more from inbound inquiries rather than outbound campaigns. 

Get started now to look for ways you can improve your influence today.

Over the last two decades Douglas Vermeeren has conducted extensive first hand research into the lives of the worlds top achievers. He has the success strategies of top business leaders from Nike, Reebok, Fruit of the Loom, FedEx, KFC, United Airlines, Microsoft, Disney and others to share with you. ABC television and FOX Business refer to him as the modern Day Napoleon Hill.  He has authored 3 books in the Guerrilla marketing series and is the CEO of Entrepreneur of Influence . He is a regular featured expert on FOX, CNN, ABC, NBC, CTV, CBC, The Huffington Post, NY Daily News and others.