Have you ever wanted to be famous? Not the “papparazzi chase me” type famous, but someone who other people within your chosen field recognize. Who, when your name is mentioned, everyone nods in recognition. Someone who can pick up the phone and call just about anyone in the industry and immediately get through?

That’s the type of “useful fame” that gives you an advantage over your competition. When you’re famous in this way, you are asked:

– to join more programs to promote others’ products which leads to early-mover advantage on affiliate fees

– to review products and give testimonials – which lead to your name and website showing on other high-traffic sites

– to co-create products as JV partners which helps associate you with other successful product producers

– for interviews which lead to more publicity and sales, which lead to more fame

Yes, it definitely pays to be famous!

So how do you get to be famous? I’ve done it in three different industries over the past 15 years – educational technology, professional speaking, and internet marketing. In each of those fields I became well-known in less than two years.

So I went back to figure out how it happened so quickly and predictably in all three industries. Based on my experience, here’s what you need to do to become famous quickly:

1. Read the industry publications. Not only do you want to read the technical pubs, but also the association news. You need to find out who the movers and shakers are in the industry. That’s where your name will appear in a short time!

2. Invest in your education. This may be taking courses, attending workshops, buying home study courses, buying special reports or books. But in order to be famous you need to know and understand the industry. So you need a good education.

3. Ask questions. When you’re on a webinar or a teleseminar, be one of the first to ask a question. If they ask for questions ahead of time, ask questions. You would be amazed at how few questions organizers get – and being someone who always asks good questions gets your name recognized.

4. Volunteer. Volunteer to take a poll. Volunteer to promote and participate in a fund-raiser. Volunteer to leave a testimonial. Volunteer to mail about a product or event. Just the act of holding your hand up helps raise you above the crowd.

5. Be there. Nothing takes the place of meeting someone face-to-face. Spending time with them. Sharing a meal and some good fun. You cannot pay for this type of relationship – it just takes time – and that time needs to be face-to-face.

Who is more likely to remember your name – someone you spoke to for 30 seconds before a teleseminar or someone you spent three days seeing at a conference? This is especially true if you went out of your way to introduce yourself, and to ask them to share a meal or drink with you.

You have three opportunities to attend face-to-face events in the coming weeks:

Internet Super Stars Conference in Orlando (Jan 15-17) I’ll be one of the featured speakers in this event, which features a lot of interaction with the speakers and hands-on activities for you.

Online Revenue Workshop in Las Vegas (Jan 22-24) Designed for people who have been online for six months or more and aren’t yet making as much money as they would like, this interactive WORKshop will teach you, then guide you as you create marketing materials that will propel your business to success in 2010.

Brave The Wave in Las Vegas (Jan 30-31) This is a brand new program from my mentor Armand Morin. And you can attend this inaugural event as MY GUEST – absolutely FREE. Just click to sign up with that special link.

Regardless of the industry you are in, you want to be famous. These five steps will help propel you there. It’s now up to you to take the Action to build your fame.