In previous articles, the subject of thought leadership and its meaning has been discussed in detail. It has been established that thought leadership is the foremost method for growing your brand and gaining trust among peers and buyers.
– How exactly can being a thought leader help your business to grow?
Not just good PR, great PR
Good publicity is essential to every successful business and bad publicity has the power to destroy businesses. By leveraging thought leadership using high quality content, your brand is all but guaranteed. You and your brand will be mentioned in all the right circles. Once you have put in the hard work, influencers, journalists and newcomers will turn to you as an advisor and a treasure trove of information.
Linkbacks
Linkbacks are a lifeline for businesses in the online world. When authoritative blogs linkback to your content in their own blog posts, your message amplifies to a wider audience of potential leads. The shares, retweets and quotes all count towards your online standing and ranking. The content you have carefully created now generates a kind of passive income with the revenue being increased, which will quickly convert into the tangible, all important ROI.
Authority and Reliability
The value of trust is immeasurable, its what earns you customers and repeated custom. Those customers come to you because of your willingness to share knowledge and insights that enriches their work life and enhances their own business needs. Can you come up with ‘how to’ and ‘what is’ pieces that are forthcoming with relevant information, written in a tone that empathises with the intended readers? The more free content you are prepared to share, the greater likelihood you have of attaining that trust status.
The better that content is, the more it will convert because your audience believes in you.
Who should be your Thought Leader?
The long and short answer to this question is your thought leader (who will represent your brand) should be the best positioned person in your organisation to fill this role.
This could be someone from C- Level management but it doesn’t have to be. Whoever is the most tech savvy and aligned with industry trends within your company is the ideal candidate for thought leader.
Upon selected your brand thought leader, ensure they get the best training and resources. Use referrals to connect them with other thought leaders who can guide them. Ensure your designated thought leader is a 100% effective communicator with the ability to resonate with your desired audience.
Good advice is priceless so don’t be afraid to ask for it. Look into existing thought leadership programs to see if they can be a good fit for your marketing strategies and business goals.
Thought leadership doesn’t have to be the sole ownership of one individual, a holistic approach that encourages your company to embrace thought leadership across the board could further improve your brand visibility. Explore all the best options and figure out how best to implement a thought leadership strategy that aligns with your business goals and the aspirations of your buyers.
Wherever you are at this particular moment or process, it might be the right time to reach out and book a free consultation. Don’t be afraid to ask for good advice and share your thoughts. Look for an appropriate consultancy (such as 2MARK-IT!) to discuss your needs.
About the Author: Peter Rovers is CEO of 2MARK-IT a global Social Selling & marketing, consultancy, enablement and training firm.
