Should you call yourself an expert?

This very interesting question was posted recently on the New Coach Connection discussion board. I think there's a sort of underlying bias within the profession against coaches marketing themselves as experts, but it seems to me that most coaches ARE experts, whether they market themselves as such or not.

I think of an expert coach as someone who knows enough about a specific issue or problem to ask the right questions—the questions that help the client accomplish their goals.

Many coach training schools focus on training coaches to facilitate personal growth. Schools such as CTI, Newfield Network and CoachU have created some amazing curriculum that breaks down personal growth into a process that can be expertly facilitated—and by that, I mean a process that consistently produces desired results.

I don't think it would be wrong to say that many graduates of those programs qualify as experts in facilitating personal growth.

But personal growth is not the only possible agenda. Sometimes clients want other types of results; for example, executive clients may want specific bottom-line business results, like increased profits, reduced turnover, or a more efficient work team. That takes expertise of a different kind, and if you don't have it (or are afraid to market yourself as having it), you're going to have a very hard time building trust and credibility within that market.

If you don't believe me, just try selling personal growth to a busy executive who's rear is on the line unless he or she meets their quarterly projections. Personal growth may in fact be the key to their success, but if all you can say is that you'll help them find their own answers, I doubt you'll even get a meeting.

We live in the age of information and access. Clients have access to an overwhelming amount of information; when they start looking for someone to help them solve a problem, there are more options than they can possibly sort through. So they tend to look for concentrations of expertise—networks of information that form around a topic. And then they look for who's at the center of the network—who's recognized by others as being a credible resource. Whoever is at the center of the hub stands a much better chance of getting their business.

Many coaches have been taught to stay out of the client's way and make themselves invisible. That may be appropriate during the coaching process, but it's the worst possible thing you can do in the marketing process.

To me, "expert coach" is about positioning yourself to stand out in the marketplace. I think this makes good sense from a marketing standpoint, and I encourage my clients to get established as an expert coach in their niche.

How about you--do you call yourself an expert coach, or do you feel uncomfortable with the idea?