Become an Influencer

Nurturing Online Thought Leadership: Strategies for Entrepreneurs

In today's digital era, the founders I mentor or advise frequently seek guidance on fostering online community engagement, which in the western world is called as ‘Thought leadership’ and in India is called ‘Influencing’. It is crucial in your career path to establish yourself as a thought leader or an #influencer.

Let us discuss the types of content you which resonates with the audience. I will also give you a few tips on how to integrate promotional content with authenticity.

Why you must become an #Influencer or a thought leader of your own industry?

?a. Establishing credibility:

Entrepreneurs' online presence mirrors their expertise and trustworthiness. Sharing insightful content showcases knowledge and fosters credibility with potential stakeholders.

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b. Building brand awareness:

?Thought leadership highlights a unique perspective, shaping a strong brand identity. This visibility not only attracts customers but also sets entrepreneurs apart from competitors.

c. Expanding networks:

?Sharing valuable content creates collaboration opportunities, enhances partnerships, and broadens exposure to industry influencers and potential clients.

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d. Attracting investment:

?Demonstrating expertise and industry awareness enhances appeal to potential investors, who seek well-informed, savvy founders.

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What type of content you should write or post?

?i. Short infotainment content:

Entertaining content adds value, but it's essential to balance depth with brevity to convey expertise effectively.

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ii. Educational content:

In-depth articles and tutorials addressing audience pain points establish reliability as an information source.

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iii. Opinion pieces:

?Thought-provoking perspectives engage audiences and contribute to industry discourse, fostering dialogue while showcasing unique viewpoints.

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iv. Case studies and success stories:

Real-life examples demonstrate product / service effectiveness, offering tangible evidence of expertise.

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v. Industry news and trends:

?Providing insights on industry developments demonstrates thought leadership and keeps the audience informed.

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How to balance promotion of your product with authenticity?

?- Solve problems first:

?You must address audience’ needs authentically before promoting your own product or service. Always emphasize on genuine solutions.

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- Transparency:

?While promoting a product or a service, always clearly disclose your affiliation in whichever form and your vested interest in the promotional activities. The audience take this positively and you end up fostering higher trust in yourself. If you do not disclose your interest in promoting the product or service, the audience would find out anyways sooner or later and you would lose the credibility forever.

- Testimonials integration:

The best way to establish credibility is to incorporate customer stories. The prospective customers need a demonstration of the value they are paying for. We operate in a social world and seek social proof before doing anything.

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- Partnership leverage:

?What has helped me in my own thought leadership journey is the collaboration with other influencers in my own industry or in a complimentary business sector. Do not consider them as your competitors. Do not operate in silos and withing self-built walls. It is also a good idea sometimes to co-brand content, whereby you broaden the scope of the content you are providing as the audience get more information and knowledge about two complimentary domains.

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?Becoming an #influencer in your own industry is your right and you must exercise it. It is your chance to drive the opinions of your prospective customers in the most appropriate direction. However this is a long term game and requires hard work and perseverance. You would get the results you want after spending days and months creating content, sharing knowledge and being an authentic source of information. However when you get the results, they are far larger in proportion and at an expected scale!!