By Jon Clark, managing partner at Moving traffic mediaa New York-based digital agency that offers SEO, PPC, and Amazon marketing services.
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Thought leadership helps companies build trusting relationships with potential customers they don’t even know are considering their brand.
It’s about becoming an expert in your field, becoming the brand people turn to when they need answers about the kind of products and services you sell.
But what exactly is a thought leader? And how do you become one?
What is a thought leader?
A thought leader is an informed opinion leader and the person of choice in his or her area of expertise. They become the trusted source in their field and inspire people with innovative ideas.
Over time, they create a dedicated following, helping them replicate and scale their ideas to achieve sustainable change, not just in their business, but across an industry or an entire ecosystem.
Why is thought leadership important?
Becoming a thought leader means having innovative and impactful ideas. It’s about looking beyond current processes, finding ways to improve them, and generating something your customer base really wants.
Influential opinion leaders can inspire and motivate others to pursue and believe in the same end goal.
Thought leadership is also essential to create a sense of confidence. You create trust and professionalism when you innovate and connect with consumers through quality content and speaking engagements. You become the authority in the industry that others can turn to when they need advice about a service or product.
Consequently, this can increase your sales levels as your reputation is enhanced and you build credibility. Customers know that they can turn to your company for reliable advice and expert knowledge.
How do you become a thought leader in your industry?
So, how do you become the go-to leader in your niche? Here are some tips to get you started:
• Start blogging.
You should develop your own blog and start guest blogging for reputable websites. Developing a unique voice that showcases your expertise and brand is vital. Make sure you cover topics that your audience really wants to know about. Instead of writing about what you want people to know, do your research and understand your customers’ pain points and the kind of information they’re looking for. Relevance is key.
Make sure your blog posts are original, engaging, and informative. Don’t just repeat what’s already there. Offer a unique perspective.
Consistency is key here. If you post three times a week and then go missing for several weeks, people lose interest.
• Safe speaking engagements.
One of the most effective ways to gain exposure is by speaking at conferences and events in your industry. Being invited as a speaker is also an excellent way to strengthen your position as a leader in your field.
Studies show that the way you communicate is the most important thing when giving a presentation. This is something you might even want to take a course in. Presentations are believed to be:
- 55% non-verbal communication
- 38% your vote
- Only 7% of your content
This doesn’t mean you can just talk about a ton of garbage! However, if your verbal and non-verbal communication isn’t right, it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about, your audience just won’t be engaged.
• Become a social media champion.
Did you know more than half of the world uses social media? That’s 4.62 billion people! This statistic alone shows why social media is important to brands that want to be considered opinion leaders.
The problem is that there over 130 social media websites, and it’s just impossible to be active on all these activities. You need to do research to understand which platforms your target audience uses the most. It is better to be a leader on one or two social media platforms than to have a diluted presence on many.
There are many different ways to use social media to establish yourself as an industry leader. This includes everything from broadcasting live videos to posting relevant and insightful commentary.
When used correctly, social media is great for continuously engaging with your audience to build a loyal following.
• Garner awards and honors.
A solid professional and educational background is an excellent foundation for building authority in your field. Awards, honors, awards and references can help you build your credibility.
The goal is to create a platform that helps you hone your message, sell your expertise and open doors to new opportunities.
The more impressive your platform, the easier it can be to secure coveted speaking engagements, as mentioned above, and break into top media outlets.
Creating an awards and honors page on your site is a great way to showcase your awards. Make sure to link to this page from your homepage and bio.
• Contact influencers.
Influencer marketing has boomed in recent years and taking advantage of it is a great way to build your reputation as a thought leader.
Influencers already have an established connection with their audience. They have a huge following who take their advice and respect what they have to say. This provides you with a new channel to effectively position yourself and generate exposure.
Find successful influencers in your niche. Learn from them and create relationships. Share their content, follow them on social media and comment on their posts. Make sure your comments are insightful and provide a fresh perspective. Don’t type anything bland and generic. This will help you build relationships with the influencer and their followers.
Becoming a thought leader doesn’t happen overnight. It requires dedication. However, once you reach this status, you can expect opportunities to flow and your profits to soar.
