What is a ‘thought leader’?
During 2020, a handful of us looked into ‘how to’ do something new— be it making sourdough bread to perhaps doing your own haircuts… We tried.
When set on the path to learn something new, typically, we go to the people or the brands who have proven knowledge/expertise in the the subject. It may start with a Google search, or, if you’ve marketed your brand effectively, the searcher will go directly to your website or social media pages. When this happens, it’s because you/your brand has positioned itself as a ‘thought leader.’
What is a ‘thought leader’?
“Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in their field of expertise. They are trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas; turn ideas into reality, and know and show how to replicate their success.” (Thought Leadership Lab, 2021.)
These individuals or brands are the reason we spend money on industry conferences, trade shows, Masterclasses, etc. These individuals and brands are consistently staying up-to-date on their chosen profession and/or area of expertise and are consistently creating content to communicate this.
How do I become a thought leader?
A few tips to get you started:
First, do not market yourself/your brand a ‘thought leader.’ This title is something given to you by others. However, having ‘thought leader’ be an internally-communicated goal is fine. “Our goal with our marketing strategy is position our company as a thought leader in our industry. This is because…”
2) Be authentic. Remember my post about authenticity, and how it is not a marketing strategy? This is where that comes into play. Do not create content for the sake of just flippantly creating content. Yes, you need to be relevant and consistent (see tip #3), but just putting stuff out there because you were told that’s good to do… That ain’t so good. Take the time to ask yourself questions (e.g. “Why should I talk about this?”), explore topic ideas, write drafts, edit your vlogs, etc.
3) Create a content creation schedule and STICK TO IT. Maybe it’s a blog/vlog every week, or maybe it’s one per month— whatever you choose, stick to it. Put time-blocks in your calendar, hire a coach (ahem, hi), set up reminders on your phone… Do anything to remind yourself this is an important commitment to your long-term strategy goal.
Much like SEO, thought leadership doesn’t happen overnight and will take consistent effort. However, if this strategy is mapped out effectively, you should start seeing results in 6-9 months Remember, Marketing is a long-term game.
If you’re stuck, please reach out. Maybe you just need help with the planning, or maybe you need someone to guide you through all of it (the strategy, content creation, content auditing, etc). I’m here to help.
Let’s kick business up notch, shall we?
