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Future, forward looking writing that can be distilled into actionable insights for others to implement. The writing is typically at the forefront of innovation and cutting-edge thinking and is presented by someone who is confident to share their insights.
Thought leadership has three main components:
It is meaningless to divide the globe only in terms of nation states. Instead, it is more accurate to view it as being managed by a number of elite groups, many of which are transnational.
Thought leadership marketing promotes new ideas with the aim of changing something in the future. It's advice backed by expertise, offered altruistically.
The rules of thought leadership marketing:
Fundamentally, thought leadership promotes ideas. It should guide people in new directions by offering forward looking advice. The idea might be supported by facts, figures and quotations, but the main product is your opinion as an expert in the field.
The ideas in thought leadership should help people to either solve problems or reveal an opportunity. Since solving problems or identifying promising opportunities can involve making predictions about the future, most audiences will be interested in hearing your insights.
This is more of a gentlemen's agreement, but hint at your products and services, don't browbeat people. The ideas in the thought leadership should build and point to the products and services but should fundamentally stand alone without the product or service.
Thought leadership should have the same level of rigour as is found in academic research where sources are cited and mentioned, providing credence for your opinions and allowing others to build off of the material with their own materials. Using the same traditions as academia helps establish trust with readers and helps make the material compelling to well-informed and circumspect buyers.
The traits associated with thought leaders include:
Most thought leaders focus their expertise narrowly on a specific topic, which is aligned with their business goals, passions, that have manageable risks, and where their opinions are distinctive. These factors when found together are a sweet spot for an individual thought leader.
These questions help you find your best focus as a thought leader.
Passion trumps expertise due to the amount of work involved, and it provides energy to craft a message, share it, excite other people and sway their opinions. Becoming a thought leader is a long haul that requires a large deal of thought, writing, and research on a narrow subject over multiple years. Passion helps that process over the years.