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Book Review

Earning Expert Status with 'Edge'

Published in The Concord Journal - Thursday April 3, 2008

By Cheryl Lecesse/Staff Writer

Downloadable PDF Copy

CONCORD - At his consulting business, Ken Lizotte focuses on making his clients famous by positioning them as thought leaders in their business fields.

With his new book The Expert’s Edge, Lizotte, chief imaginative officer of emerson consulting group inc. in Concord , does for himself what he normally does for his clientele.

“Writing and publishing a book is what I help the majority of my clients do so they can be seen as the leading thinkers in their field,” he said.

In The Expert’s Edge, Lizotte outlines what businesspeople can do to become known experts in their chosen fields, and have an edge on their competition in the process.

“Having an edge is what business experts need these days,” he said.

The book centers on what Lizotte calls the “Five Pillars of Thoughtleading.” First, he encourages businesspeople to publish their ideas in articles and books.

“That gives you credibility as an expert,” he said.

Second, speak in front of groups. Public speaking helps businessmen and women better position themselves as leading thinkers in their fields, especially with their target markets.

Third, inspire with fresh thinking. Through research, Lizotte said his readers can develop and create ideas that no one else has.

“To ensure that fresh thinking is indeed fresh, it makes sense to search out unexpected notions and information from time to time by asking survey questions, compiling data, and learning from what others believe and think,” Lizotte writes in his book. “In other words, conduct some original research.”

Fourth, he encourages businessmen and women to vigorously use the media. Lizotte recalls his experience building the success of his previous consulting business, CareerScape. He used Boston-based newspapers and television stations to spread the word about the business.

“I just used the media instead of spending thousands and thousands of dollars on advertising,” he said.

Last, leverage the Internet. But Lizotte said this means more than having a Web site.

“[It means] using your website and e-mail so that you’re able to maximize your notoriety,” he said.

Lizotte said networking events are a way to develop this leverage.

“Businesspeople typically do a lot of networking,” he said. “Most of the time they collect business cards and they don’t do anything with them.”

Lizotte said instead, businessmen and women should be collecting e-mail addresses and start an e-mail list going, which cultivates the relationships that start at these networking events. The results pay off: Businesspeople become go-to authorities for their particular fields among their contacts.

“When somebody needs your service they don’t even think about anyone else,” Lizotte said. “That’s what will give a business or an individual an expert’s edge.”

In many cases businesses do great work, but only their clients know it, he said.

“Businesses and business experts have to stop keeping their great work secret,” he said. “Find ways to let the larger business community know what they do, what they can do and how they do it.”

Lizotte named his company after Concord ’s Ralph Waldo Emerson, a thought leader in his own time. He was famous for both his writings and his public speaking engagements, at which he made most of his money.

“Because he spoke, because he published ideas, because he networked, he really exemplifies what I mean as a thought leader,” he said.

Originally from Marlborough, Lizotte is a Stonehill College graduate and a 15-year resident of Concord. He is also the author of Balancing Work with Family, a career book for administrative professionals, and Beyond Reason, a collection of humorous business essays.

For his most recent book, Lizotte spent about four months researching his ideas for The Expert’s Edge at the library. The most difficult part was finding the time to get the book done.

“I like anyone else — especially clients — have a lot of things going on throughout the day,” he said. “If you make the time, guess what? It happens.”

“The Expert’s Edge” is available at local bookshops, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.