A step-by-step guide to becoming an industry thought leader
Do you dream of the day when your brand’s voice is the leader in the industry? It’s possible! Individuals search for new and relevant content within their industry every day. Follow our step-by-step guide on how you can set yourself up as a thought leader in your industry.
- Determine your competitive positioning
Before you can be a well-known thought leader, you must determine your positioning. But what does that mean? Your positioning is your brand’s thoughts and beliefs, and what you want to be known for within your industry. Here are some questions that will help you understand your positioning.
- Who are you, and what do you want to be known for?
- What are your goals?
- Who are your competitors?
- What are your beliefs on subjects within your industry?
Once you narrow this down, you can determine your scope of expertise. This is who and what you will be known for. When you have decided on what that is, own it and stick to it.
- Create impactful content and establish your credibility
If you want to be known by others within your industry, you need to start somewhere. Whether you have already established a name for yourself or not, it’s crucial to put your brand out there for others to start interacting with. For those looking for ways to establish brand awareness, here are some ideas on where to start.
- Blog: One of the easiest and least expensive ways to build credibility and brand awareness is blogging. You can clearly state your positioning, opinions, predictions, research, and all other thoughts in this easy-to-use medium.
- Social media: If you don’t already know this, everyone is on social media. Create accounts and start posting frequently on social media. Conduct research on which platforms your industry uses most to increase interactions and take your brand to new heights.
- Community: Your industry community is always looking for new opinions and ideas—share them! Interact with the community around you through online forums and groups.
- Events: An easy way to get publicity for your brand is by hosting or attending events. As a subject matter expert (SME), you can speak about the topics you know best. This puts you on the fast track to becoming a thought leader!
- Podcasts: If you’re passionate about thought leadership transformation, chances are you have listened to a podcast about it. Reach out to your favorite podcasts to be featured or start your own!
- Be consistent with your presence in the community
We all know the saying—consistency is key! Once you have created a name for yourself, it’s important to stay consistent with those efforts. It’s easy to start off strong, but if you want to stay relevant in the industry, you must maintain the frequency of your presence.
To do this, remember these few tips:
- Post regularly on social media.
- Establish a cadence for your audience
- Attend a set number of events within a specific time frame. When you increase the number of events that you attend, you can showcase your thought leadership by being a visible member of the community.
It’s also important to stay consistent with your messaging. Don’t stray too far from your positioning or you may risk confusing your audience.
- Share ideas and grow your network
So, you’ve established yourself as an educated thought leader—now what? It’s show time! As a thought leader in your industry, your voice matters. There is no time better than the present to continue growing professionally. Your audience wants to hear what your brand has to say, so make sure you are providing relevant, useful information.
Stay connected to your network and build connections and knowledge through those around you. Listen and learn by gathering feedback and information from your audience. The more you know, the more you can share!
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