Thought leadership is a popular marketing buzzword, but what does it mean exactly?
This explanation sums the concept up perfectly, defining thought leadership as “a type of content marketing where you tap into the talent, experience, and passion inside your business, or from your community, to consistently answer the biggest questions on the minds of your target audience on a particular topic.”
In other words, professionals who create thought leadership content establish themselves as experts in their industry or niche. That’s not the only benefit, either.
From publishing articles to giving interviews in trade magazines and more, here's how to use your expertise to become a trusted leader in your industry (and why you should consider doing these things in the first place).
As a busy small business owner or entrepreneur, your plate is likely full. However, there are some big benefits to thought leadership that shouldn’t be overlooked. Thought leadership:
There’s no way around it, creating thought leadership content is time-consuming. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to get started and establish credibility: give interviews.
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a useful tool that connects journalists to experts. Simply sign up as a source on the website and review the daily pitches to see if there’s a fit.
If you don’t have time to review the source requests each day, just delegate the task to your virtual assistant. They can send pitches to relevant opportunities on your behalf and schedule any interviews. All you need to do is share what you know.
Last week on the Intelligent Office blog, I shared some actionable insights that entrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals can use to write an effective LinkedIn profile (if you missed it, be sure to read it here).
One of those tips emphasized the importance of being active on LinkedIn, and writing articles on topics that you have a deep wealth of knowledge in is the perfect way to be an active member.
If you aren’t sure what to write about, here’s how to get started:
No matter what you share, remember that your goal should be to provide value for the reader. Thought leadership isn’t about self-promotion, it’s about being a valuable resource to your audience.
LinkedIn isn’t the only place where you can demonstrate your expertise, so don’t be afraid to expand your reach. You could:
With so many ways to establish yourself as a thought leader, don’t hesitate to try different things. Sooner or later, you’ll land on a strategy that works for you and your goals.