10 MINUTE READ
It’s often said that Thought Leaders are the most respected people. People listen to them, they can set trends in their industries, inspire others to follow their example, and opportunities fall into their laps. Thought leaders are recognised for their expertise, giving back to their communities through philanthropy. They constantly seek new ways to improve the world around them. By comparison, leaders focus on improving things in a more tactical sense. They may use a critical or analytical approach in solving problems, but it’s all about achieving a specific goal or objective.
Influencers don’t necessarily have any expertise of their own. They rely on their ability to persuade others to take action or form opinions without necessarily going through a rigorous process themselves. These folks focus more on self-promotion and associate with similar people who value visibility over authenticity.
Thought leadership is more than just making money. It’s about increasing your performance and improving your productivity. It’s about making yourself happy so that you can enjoy life. A positive mindset that is adaptive and willing to learn will keep you sharp and motivated.
Becoming a thought leader also gives you a competitive edge, which helps reinforce your brand, drives up your prices, and generates more business for you. One of my clients asked me recently to help her get a magazine article written and published. She quickly gained much attention from fellow life coaches in her field, and they began asking to connect with her and participate in her mastermind groups. You can become a thought leader, whether as a business owner or employee.
A repeatable business model means that once you establish yourself as an expert in your field, your reputation will become your greatest asset. People will be more interested in your services, products and offers. Regular requests to contribute as a subject-matter expert are especially true if you feature in major publications. Put your knowledge to work! What you know is the power of being a thought leader and you will rarely be unemployed. If you want to build a company with dozens or hundreds of employees, you need a repeatable business model.
Pitching to journalists and blogging are invaluable ways that public relations can help provide thought leadership because reporters, bloggers, and influencers may reach out to you seeking your advice. I am a public speaker who delivers keynote speeches on my expertise, and I share valuable content while building rapport with my audience. My most recent keynote talk is called “7 Steps to Pitching to the Media” for the FSB Bootcamp 2022. I have previously spoken about branding and identity to 160 people in person and an online audience. My topic of pitching to the media falls under my “Recognition on Investment” ROI category within my 5 Key ROI Marketing Principles. Everything I say reflects my focus on those five elements. Respect, Recognition, Resilience, Reputation and Reinforcement.
5 WAYS TO DEVELOP YOU THOUGHT LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
1. Stay Modest, Humble and Thankful As The Necessary Currency To Build Thought Leadership
Modesty is a mindset that will build credibility without self-promotion, focusing on gratitude and a currency of self-improvement and education. Your knowledge is your power; however, the more I learn, the more I realise how little I know. Access to the information highway is a gift and one that thought leaders could be grateful for. The ability to process data and channel it into new thinking inspires others. Acknowledging this fact keeps me humble. Advertising does not create thought leadership. You achieve thought leadership when your message and mentoring are so compelling that people view you as an independent third party in their decision making (not just someone who has been published in the media).
2. Create Yourself A Brand With A Vision That Shakes Up The Competition
To create a distinctive, original brand identity, you must analyse ideas from different sources and choose only the most pertinent details. The most revolutionary innovations are the ones that achieve widespread acceptance, but the way you envision your ideas can set them apart. As a designer with experience outside the business world, I can help you establish a visionary message that is both unique and memorable. My clients tell me they don’t recognise themselves in their bios when pitching to the media. this is only natural since they have never seen themselves as outsiders. They may not realise how their words and actions relate to others. In my experience, this kind of self-knowledge makes all the difference in the world when marketing yourself effectively. One of my life coaching clients says that she envisions her process as a series of steps to success—evaluation, through to empowerment. Using this framework has become essential to her brand voice, conveying a consistent message every time she speaks or writes about herself.
3. Find Your Niche And Become A Public Relations (PR) Marketing Powerhouse
Gain authority and establish yourself as a credible source of information by consistently applying a robust marketing strategy to reinforce your message. For the best results, it’s important to integrate each element of your marketing strategy—integrity, value, reliability, and trust—to become a recognised and reliable source of knowledge that leads with integrity. Given that people have limited time and attention spans online, I use this in my marketing to ensure that I’m making the most impact in building my brand as an authority in my industry.
4. Get The Latest News, Trends And Content That Will Move Your Business Forward.
By familiarising yourself with industry trends and remaining curious about how your industry evolves, you will be able to answer the questions people need to know. By approaching your work with a growth mindset—always seeking to learn more—you will ensure that you are always up-to-date on all things related to your work. A growing understanding of your market niche means that you can engage more fluently with people, and their terminology becomes a language for you. After being a Community Mental Health Worker in my former career, life coaches and consultants are great clients for me because we share an understanding of emotional well-being.
5. Learn How To Build A Deep Connection With Someone By Becoming A Better Listener
Communicating clearly and listening more attentively will expand your audience’s understanding of your message. A thought leader learns to speak confidently, an essential skill for business professionals who rely on effective communication to succeed in sales and marketing. Speaking with clarity and listening intently can help you develop positive relationships, enabling you to market your company’s products more effectively. Since listening is not passive but an active process that requires concentration, staying engaged with your audience will help you interpret their needs and react appropriately.
Thought leadership is a label that should be reserved for those who present opinions generating less obvious ideas and promote visionary viewpoints. The term has been overused and is often misapplied—an outcome of the “content marketing” movement. It can be presumptuous to call yourself a thought leader, because the term reveals only certain opinions that present more obvious ideas and promote visionary views. Today, people use the term to describe anyone who has an opinion about any topic—and that dilutes its power. A term like “thought leader” becomes weakened when it is applied to people who are not actually leaders. The term needs to be reclaimed, since it is being used as a way for brands to generate content for their websites.
As a thought leader, being surrounded by activities that keep you in a “flow state”—where your ego challenges and you feel productive, satisfied, and fulfilled—can be addictive; you may forget about the basics of life, like taking care of your body. When you’re so driven by your work and trying to keep up with the demands of others that you neglect your physical needs, eventually, you will hit a wall—you can only burn so bright before burning out. Instead of trying to push through, whether it’s with exercise, meditation, or another activity, take a break—something I know too well about.