{"id":73663,"date":"2022-06-07T12:33:39","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T19:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/?p=73663"},"modified":"2022-06-07T12:33:41","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T19:33:41","slug":"subject-matter-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/2022\/06\/subject-matter-expert\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Smart Ways to Interview a Subject Matter Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Lucy Merriman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviewing subject matter experts \u2014 or SMEs \u2014 can be lucrative for freelance writers. The career website Indeed posits that the average SME in the United States earns $114,000 per year<\/a> for their expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a writer who creates content for private or Enterprise clients through the Constant Content platform, you can add the value of SME experience to your articles and bring their insights to your clients’ audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do that well, though, you\u2019ll have to learn how to interview an SME. In this guide, learn how to conduct interviews for research with a subject matter expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Subject Matter Expert ?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A subject matter expert is a professional who\u2019s cultivated a deep well of knowledge. They may be knowledgeable about a niche topic, a skill, a process, or a particular set of technologies, machinery, or materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Conduct Interviews for Research Before Creating Content?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It makes your content unique\u2014and a potential primary resource. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your interview with an SME should draw out insights the reader wants to learn. And it should cover a seemingly complex topic in language that\u2019s accessible to your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hone your interviewing strategy by taking the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Find the Right Subject Matter Expert<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To find relevant SMEs, read trade publications in the chosen field. These might be professional journals, blogs, or professional organization newsletters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also find relevant subject matter experts at conventions where they may be invited to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reach out to SMEs via email or LinkedIn. If you can\u2019t find their contact information easily, use an email finder like hunter.io.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you reach out, keep your request friendly, specific, and short. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your message, say why you respect their expertise on the subject and mention what you\u2019d like to interview them about specifically. If you give an estimate of how long you think the interview will take, it shows them that you respect their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Do Enough Research to Grasp the Context\u2014and Find Potential Hooks<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you conduct the interview, do enough research to understand why your SME\u2019s contribution to the field matters. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n