How to Establish Thought Leadership

Editor's Notes

• #3 Thought Leadership is a strategic communications tactic that provides an opportunity to position a brand as a leading expert within its industry. This high-level strategy hinges on the ability to thoughtfully convey knowledge and experience in a way that generates value for the market. Beneficial to any business, it is especially useful for service companies whose longevity depends on the trust of consumers.
• #4 Demonstrating expertise among industry peers requires an understanding of both your company’s goals and market activity. Contributing new ideas creates a place for your brand to be heard - and listened to - above other conversations. The primary objective however is to contribute insight and information that attributes a sense of vision, drive and credibility to your brand.
• #5 The backbone to Thought Leadership is positive public support – be it from consumers, industry allies or the media. Without this support, getting your brand’s voice heard can be a difficult goal to achieve. However by proactively sharing information and knowledge with the public, you begin to establish your brand’s expertise with hot topics and leading industry trends.
• #6 Thought Leadership is not just defined by your brand. Media, both traditional and “new age,” has created many opportunities for companies to establish their place in the public eye, including social media, blogs, industry networks and online channels like podcasts and webinars. Creating relationships with key industry media by offering them “news” as they define it can be a key element in building up a brand’s reputation for innovation and expertise in its field. Media There are two primary means for establishing your thought-leader position. The first is through the media. Bylined articles are the most common tool for this, but there are many other means for media outreach. Being readily available to talk to writers and editors, participating in media-sponsored events, such as Webcasts, and even taking positions on editorial advisory boards for trade journals are all effective means for building credibility.
• #7 Part of becoming a thought leader is educating your target audience – enlightening them with new perspectives and ideas. One of the most effective means for doing this is through industry activities. Most industries host a variety of events with opportunities to lead discussions on topics through presentations or seminars. Leadership in this way places your brand as a voice of authority on critical subjects and issues. Participating in relevant organizations or offering your time to academic channels like universities can both provide the company with relevant news and generate interest in its perspectives.
• #8 Just as you can establish leadership though conferences and events, you can also further your position by taking active roles in industry and professional organizations. Industry groups are just as described – they observe, analyze and report on trends and relevant issues; professional associations are specific to a job or career category, such as the Society of Mechanical Engineers. Leveraging opportunities with such organizations can help support your brand and its ideals.
• #9 Those who are best at Thought Leadership can balance fact and perspective with industry relevance and experience. There is no rule of thumb per se, however having multiple individuals within a company who can speak to different areas within your industry is a benefit to your thought leadership goals. It opens up new opportunities for comment on a wide variety of topics, which positions your company as taking an active interest in your industry’s development. When you have key spokespeople, it is a good idea to train your experts on the do’s and don’ts of public speaking and reinforce the company’s objective for thought leadership.
• #10 Think about your company’s strengths and weaknesses and evaluate what areas it is most active in. Consider how Thought Leadership can benefit your company's brand and how a communications strategy can support your objectives. Schubert Communications is a leading B2B integrated marketing firm which can assist you in generating positive brand awareness through a well executed, integrated program.