Here's how you can cultivate a loyal audience as a thought leader.

Thought leader here, building my fan club! Value vulture: Deliver insanely valuable content. Problem-solving, inspiration - I'm their brain food buffet! Engagement echo chamber: Respond to comments, host AMAs. I chat with my audience, not just at them. Community cauldron: Foster connections between followers. My platform is their co-working castle! Transparency torch bearer: Be authentic, share my journey (even the occasional blooper reel). Consistency crown: Show up regularly, fresh content keeps them coming back for more. Loyal audience? Nailed it! Now go forth and spread your thought leadership wisdom, even to the local flock of pigeons (they might be surprisingly insightful).

From my perspective, your authentic voice is the cornerstone of thought leadership. Consistency in your message and reflecting true beliefs build trust. For example, sharing a genuine story about overcoming a professional challenge resonated deeply with my audience, fostering loyalty and engagement.

If you're a thought leader, it's likely you don't have a staff doing it for you. You're doing this in your margins of time, with whatever energy you can muster. So the last thing you want to be is fake. Fake will fail! This crucial work of getting the genius out of your brain will fall off your list as soon as energy runs out if you don't have a real connection to your thought leadership.

Building relations is not a one-man show. You should invest into the relations with your connections on LinkedIn. At least 10 comments per day, 10 meaningful conversations to build trust among your audience. And for sure, flavoring it with the valuable content ??

In my experience, regular engagement is crucial. By consistently interacting with my audience through comments, insights, and feedback, I built a strong community. This ongoing conversation shows mutual respect and keeps the audience invested in my thought leadership.

In my view leaders should have consistent engagement with their audience in LinkedIn and build a loyal community around your thought leadership.

Don't try to impress. You're not here to speak to a crowd or audience. You'll get nervous, edgy, and backspace all your insights, or take all the zing out of what you say. Do this instead: 1 - Aim to serve and mentor! 2 - Speak to just one person, and reach them with your insights. 3- Find the intersection between lived experience, expertise, impact you want to make. And bonus points: Just START. You'll get clear as your feet are MOVING (not when you are just planning, thinking, worrying :))

From my perspective, providing continuous value is key. Sharing insightful analysis and actionable advice keeps the audience coming back. For instance, offering a new perspective on a common industry challenge not only sparked interest but also helped my audience find solutions, strengthening their loyalty.

You have so many lived experiences that others would gleam so many incredible insights from, we just have to have the vulnerability and the openness to share them. You have to be willing to put yourself out there.

In my experience, listening to the audience is as important as sharing knowledge. By paying attention to their questions and feedback, I adapted my content to better meet their needs. This approach created a collaborative environment where the audience felt heard and valued, enhancing engagement and trust.

Remember this quote when building your thought leadership: "strong opinions, loosely held." Stick to your plan consistently, but be flexible when new opportunities arise to update your approach and better meet the needs of your community.

Take a second and ask yourself, "why am I doing what I'm doing?" If the answer is, "because that's the way we've always done it," then you need to take a step back. Consider all the options, and consider other's ideas. Do what you're doing, because it's the RIGHT way to do it.