What is 'thought leadership' and how can you leverage this for your business?

(3 min read, revised on 3rd September 2024)

Have you heard of the term 'thought leadership' in the past years? It's become quite a popular term. Though at first it may seem like a buzzword, you should definitely care about what it means.

Thought Leadership is more than just fancy marketing. It's securing and growing your position as someone with authority and knowledge within your area of expertise. When you secure your position as a Thought Leader in your industry, it becomes easier to generate meaningful attention from the right audience. Subsequently, it will lead to more business if you do it right. .

You will literally become a leading authority in your industry.

What are the advantages of becoming a thought leadership?

Securing that position of authority comes with a variety of advantages that could benefit your growth both in the short and long term.

1. Your reputation will improve, you will attract media attention (PR) and word of mouth will spread faster
2. Business opportunities will come to you. You will generate leads for your business, be asked for partnerships and get invitations to speak at events or panels
3. You may become an influential figure amongst peers, influencers, and business leaders
4. This has a positive impact on your business, the team, employees, and vendors
5. You build a brand and a personality you can later on leverage for whatever endeavor you may undertake

How do you become a thought leader?

In short; leveraging social media and content is key. Think about LinkedIn, podcasts, media and more to make you the obvious go-to person in your field of expertise. It's not enough to just claim the spot: you need to own it and keep building. It takes time and effort to build and maintain.

A little less short; a step by step guide ??

???? Block out 30 minutes per day in your calendar to post, comment and network on LinkedIn. Make sure you are commenting on your target audience and industry leaders alike.

???? Take an extra hour to research what your target audience wants and needs. If you want to go all out, talk to a few people who would be your ideal target audience. Remember: life is 50% preparation, 50% execution. If not more :)

???? Update your profile as much as possible to match what your target audience wants and needs. Nobody likes a ghost

???? Turn on creator mode in your profile and add relevant hashtags. LinkedIn will give you more reach and access to great tools!

???? Let your clients, team, and network endorse you for skills and past work. This is also a great networking opportunity! Reach out to old customers, friends, colleagues and competitors alike. You will be surprised at how much leverage this will give you.

???? Post at least 2 times, but preferably up to 7 times a week, to be very visible and top of mind. This helps you remain visible and add value to your audience.

???? Use the search function to find your target audience. Connect with them!

???? Read on their profile, engage if that feels right, and try adding them to your network with a personal message. Bonus points: organize a webinar or event and invite your target audience to this event!

???? Use audio, video, prizes, community work and media to help build your thought leadership. This only works if it's genuine and doesn't come off as a trick. You need to really have a purpose, mission, and story to put out there. And get ready to be real. Don't have any of that? I'll gladly help you think of ways to do good and add value.

???? Do this with 10 to 20 people every day. By the end of the month, you'll have at least 100 new connections with relevant leaders, executives, and decision makers.

You are a high level performer, executive, or leader. Act like one and know what you have to bring to the table.

Some extra tips to strengthen your thought leadership position:

? Engage with your current network to create more visibility

? Don't just come in selling. See if you can contribute by connecting people with each other

? Use social media management tools & other tools to help you save time and energy

? Recycle old content and perhaps internal communication to save time

? No time? Not confident enough? Hire an expert that will do (part of) the work for you. ??

What's holding YOU back from claiming your spot as a leading authority in your industry? ??

If you need help building yourself as a thought leader... send me a message and we'll have a short strategy session on what this could mean for you.