Thought leadership—it’s a buzz phrase frequently used when talking about company goals and ambitions, but what does it really mean, and even more, what does it require to establish it?
According to Forbes contributors, a thought leader is “one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise.” The contributors also said a thought leader “significantly profits from being recognized as such.”
To that end, the benefits of thought leadership are clear, whether it’s being on the perennial guest list for speaking events and media interviews to partnership opportunities to boosting credibility for products or services being sold. Regardless, all of it likely leads to brand dominance and increased sales.
However, thought leadership doesn’t happen overnight, nor is every individual or company that sets out to be a thought leader successful. It’s a game of communicating deep expertise multiplied by the frequency of exposure.
Here are four things companies and individuals must have to achieve thought leadership:
-
Knowledge
This is informed insights that can provide benefit to an industry. Thought leaders should possess a high level of both expertise and experience, with proven successes to back it up.
-
Originality
It’s not enough just to be an expert; thought leaders should offer fresh perspectives and thought-provoking ideas not already in the ether. In doing so, they challenge conventional thinking and present novel solutions to industry pain points and challenges.
-
Content
Producing high-quality, informative content is crucial. This can include articles, blog posts, whitepapers, research studies, videos, and podcasts. Content dissemination must also be done on a consistent, recurring basis to grow an audience.
-
Engagement
To build familiarity and trust, thought leaders should actively engage with their audience through social media, conferences, and industry forums. They actively seek opportunities for dialog, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration with others.
But What About AI?
Many organizations desiring thought leadership are in a rush to leverage AI to develop informational content more frequently. However, the drawback of such factory-like creation is that it rarely delivers new ideas and fresh takes, since it relies on the regeneration of already available information. While AI will get more content out the door, it’s unlikely that, used alone, it will provide the unique expertise, personal experience, new perspectives, and lessons learned that are so critical to establishing thought leadership.
Although it is frequently listed as a key objective in business and marketing plans, becoming a thought leader requires the sharing of deep expertise, innovative insights, and consistent, authentic effort. While much work is required, make no mistake: the payout for establishing thought leadership within an industry can be tremendous.
To read case studies on how our agency has helped clients build and reinforce thought leadership in their respective industries, go here and here.
If you or your B2B needs help in building an effective thought-leadership strategy that will ultimately build followers, gain influence, and lead to greater market awareness, contact us today.