Thought Leadership - The Insider Advantage

Let's look at the steps you can implement in your organisation to make thought leadership happen for you:

1. "Think" pieces
   
   Leverage your expertise. Invest in developing "think" pieces that look at business problems in-depth - including white papers, research papers and statistical surveys. Associating your name with these products helps deepen the value of your brand and gives your audience something useful that they can implement.
   
   Solid research has value - not just in terms of the insights that data can provide - but also in how it shows what others are doing in a market. A recent study by DemandGen shows that almost half (44%) of executives determine the impact of a solution through other adopters. They also found that nearly 95% of recent buyers said their choice was guided in part by those who "provided them with ample content to help navigate through each stage of the buying process".
   
2. Networking events
   
   Just as you are shaped by your surroundings, you can also influence people by the places you choose to be. Invest your time in attending networking events in your area, be a guest speaker or even become a corporate sponsor in support of something you are passionate about.
   
   By doing this, you match your talk with action. You demonstrate that in addition to your knowledge on a subject, you care enough to share it with others. What you know and what you have to say has immense value.
   
   Don't just stop there! Consider doing a co-presentation with one of your existing clients, showcasing a live case study for others to learn from. It's a great way to tell a story in a memorable way.
   
3. Real-life case studies
   
   Promises can be compelling, but there is no substitute for proof of results. That's what case studies deliver to your prospect or buyer. They showcase what someone can expect when doing business with you. Just as important, they provide tangible solutions to problems that your audience may also be encountering.
   
   There's one more important benefit: case studies are highly useful in situations where you can't name the customer (for legal or other reasons). Such cases can actually work to your advantage, because then the story isn't about name-dropping, but purely about problem-solving. 
   
   A great case study should identify three things:
   
   
   1. It should succinctly identify a key challenge that the customer was facing
      
   2. It should show the solutions you provided
      
   3. It should provide meaningful, measurable results that you helped a customer achieve
      
4. Testimonials
   
   Testimonials are uniquely powerful thought leadership tools, because they prove to others what you already know is true about your product or service. However, you need to implement them properly to be effective. They must adhere to the three Cs: they need to be current, compelling and credible. The quotation needs to say something more than "Wow, great service, thanks".
   
   As with case studies, a testimonial should identify a problem and provide a solution. In other words: don't let yourself get caught up in testimonials that just say nice things about you. It's really not about you. It needs to be about how you can help that new prospect or buyer solve their problem.
   
5. Make thought leadership part of your business culture
   
   Implementing these activities will go a long way to positioning yourself and your product or service as top-of-mind among your customers. It all starts by looking at things as an insider and being keen to share what you know. Remember - it's a team effort. When you are part of an organisation, you can't do all of this yourself. That's why you need to project thought leadership at a corporate level and make it part of your business culture.

Author Credits