In today’s competitive market, it is crucial for brands to position their CEOs, founders and other leadership as experts in the industry. The truth is, the way to make yourself and your business stand out is by positioning yourself of your colleagues as thought leaders. A thought leader is someone who is highly regarded in their field for their expertise, new ideas and innovations that they bring to the industry. By establishing yourself as a thought leader, you legitimize and build credibility behind your brand. However, becoming a thought leader doesn’t happen overnight; it takes dedication, hard work, and a lot of patience. Therefore, we want to share the tips and tricks that our PR agency uses to position ourselves and our clients as thought leaders.
Find Your Niche
As an expert in your field, you may have knowledge that goes beyond just the surface of your industry. However, it’s important to find a gap in the marketplace that you can become the go-to source on. Think of the questions you are regularly asked by colleagues or friends about your industry. For example, if you’re a skincare brand, maybe you are always asked if face rollers really work, or what the benefits of botox really are. Finding a niche in the marketplace will make you stand out from your competition, and make you the go-to source for journalists on that topic.
Share Your Knoweldge Willingly
As a busy professional, you may think you don’t have time for things like interviews or copywriting. However, sharing your knowledge and positioning yourself as an industry leader is key to business success. If a journalist wants to interview you, try your best to be quick to reply, and be eager and kind. A good PR agency can also help you manage media inquiries and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
On the other hand, if you’re just getting started in your PR journey, its likely that media won’t immediately be banging down your door for interviews. Therefore, blogs and other content creation are great resources to share your knowledge and build a portfolio. You can host your blog directly on your main brand website, so your current customers can easily access and see how great you are.
Have a Strong Social Media Presence
Aside from having a blog, you want to engage directly with your audience and have a back and forth. Social media allows you to connect with others and make yourself accessible to others. You can post content to let your followers engage, like maybe asking them what they thought about a piece of certain news or even having a conversation. The luxury of social media is that engagement now goes beyond commenting or posting. You can easily Livestream and have Q&A sessions with your followers. Having Q&As allow followers to look up to you as an outlet for answers and knowledge about the industry.
Network, Network, and Network!
Having a network within the industry or aspiring professionals once again makes you look accessible to others. You can also learn from other thought leaders, and you can grow. Having a strong network allows you to create new opportunities that include sharing what you know about the industry. Never be afraid to network with individuals you look up to or individuals you see emerging. We have a separate guide on networking that you can always refer to if you need extra support.
Becoming a thought leader takes time, patience, and a lot of strategy. A good PR agency can help you get started. If you want to learn more cool tips and tricks from BLND click here
