If clients are already paying you to speak, train, coach or consult them, chances are they do value what you've got to offer.

But for some people, even that isn't enough ...

There are three types of experts ...

Think about three types of people at a football game:

Each of them is an expert - in their own way:

* The players are experts at the game, because they are active participants. Their expertise comes from real-life experience.

* Successful coaches can call themselves experts because they don't necessarily play the game themselves, but they know how to teach others. Their expertise comes from training others to excel.

* Finally, the commentators provide expertise by analysing the game, and helping the viewers and spectators understand what's happening on the field.

Here's the point:

Stand in your expertise as a player, coach or commentator. Can you draw on your own experience (player) or on your success with other clients (coach)? If neither of these is appropriate yet, start by reporting on what's happening in your chosen area (commentator).

For example, when I first started publishing an e-mail newsletter, I would gather a few interesting news stories about the Internet, and provide links to them, with my own brief comments about how they were relevant to my readers (If you've been on my mailing list a long time, you might remember these early newsletters). Even though I wasn't presenting my own ideas, I was still providing value by giving meaning and relevance to other people's material.

Over time, as my own expertise grew, that newsletter changed its format. I could share what had worked for myself (that's me being a "player") and for my clients ("coach").

Wherever you fit, there's no excuse any more! If you're playing the "I'm not good enough yet" game, get over it! At least be a commentator, connecting existing knowledge to your market.