One of the best ways to build your brand and grow your business is to establish your organization as an authority in your field, a thought leader.
We explored thought leadership in an earlier blog, answering some key questions about this approach to market positioning.
But best practices for thought leadership positioning bear revisiting today because this approach can keep you top of mind for clients. Whether they need your products or services right now, or they think of your name down the line, your position as a thought leader is vital.
Case in point: If you’ve established yourself as a go-to resource through purposeful thought leadership positioning and strategic marketing strategy, they’re going to come to you before your competition because you made a dynamic first impression.
1. Marketing Assets That Position You as a Thought Leader in Your Industry
While the right assets for your marketing strategy will depend on a variety of factors, there are some noteworthy approaches to consider.
Videos: These assets reach people across a variety of platforms and can offer you a chance to build connections t in an instant.
Blogs and articles: Whether you develop your own content marketing strategy on your website or decide to go after bylines on reputable industry or national publications (in print or online) this approach shows your depth of knowledge on topics that really matter to your audience
Podcasting: Even if you’re not interested in hosting your own podcast, guesting on key pods in your industry offers you a chance to capitalize on exposure to other audiences beyond the one you’ve cultivated on your own.
Whatever assets you decide to develop, each can offer excellent opportunities to share your wisdom, experience, insight, and guidance with potential clients and customers.
2. Speaking and Experiential Marketing as Thought Leadership Strategies
In addition to videos, articles, and podcast appearances, experiential marketing and speaking opportunities are also powerful avenues to pursue that establish yourself as a thought leader.
Experiential marketing includes developing and hosting events either online or in person and can help your potential clients and customers get a first-hand understanding of your brand and your expertise.
Speaking opportunities also help you to share your industry insight with those who gather for a common reason. So, you can inform, comfort, empower, and inspire them as you further solidify your thought leadership position.
Either way, curating the right schedule of experiential marketing events and speaking engagements can help you step in front of a problem-aware audience more often.
3. Establishing Thought Leadership Resources Including White Papers and Best Practice Guides
Long form assets written for your industry or high-value potential clients establish your knowledge of the field, recent advancements, and the challenges or hot topics that impact those you serve.
Best practice guides let readers know that you’re experienced and well-versed in your area of specialization and that you set the bar high when it comes to moving your industry forward.
White papers provide evidence-based backing for your perspective and go beyond opinion when it comes to the best solution or approach for clients who face similar challenges.
From a strategic perspective, when you develop these assets, you’re investing in the long-term positioning of your business and building a relationship with your customers based on not only what products and services you sell, but what guidance and education you offer as a value-add.
4. Case Studies and Success Stories as Social Proof-Focused Thought Leadership
While the prior assets allow you to establish thought leadership by sharing your perspective, experience, and knowledge as an industry-leading organization, case studies and client success stories take a different approach to that same end.
In these social proof pieces, your clients and customers share their insight on you as a partner and as a thought leader.
Case studies and success stories are thought leadership establishing assets that avoid the potential hazard of being self-aggrandizing.
And, when strategically combined with other assets, these assets can enhance your status as a leader in your industry.
5. Strategy Matters in Thought Leadership Marketing
Speaking of strategy, when it comes to thought leadership, strategy is essential. That’s because when executed ineffectively, thought leadership content can feel know-it-all-esque to your clients and customers.
Assets may even feel overwhelmingly academic, distant, jargon-filled, or unhelpful. And when executed inconsistently, it can actually be harmful to your brand identity.
When unsure of how to structure your approach, working with an agency partner to develop a strategy that integrates well with your other marketing tactics is a great first step toward becoming a thought leader in your industry.
Ready to Step into Your Thought Leadership Position?
Standing out in a crowded field is all about becoming that go-to resource, trusted voice, and beloved brand. And that begins with your leadership approach.
If you’re interested in learning how our Revelation Creative Team can help you become a thought leader in your industry, contact us here today.