Is Your Marketing Turning You into a Thought Leader?

Is Your Marketing Turning You into a Thought Leader?

A thought leader is someone who is recognized as a foremost authority in their selected area of specialty.

You can become a thought leader in your area of specialty through your marketing in 6 easy steps.

1. Know Your Voicer
You have to know what you want to say and have the voice to say it loud and proud. Your Platform and your brand give you your voice. Your Platform is why you do what you do and why should anyone care. And your brand is the promise of the experience you offer. Determine what your Voice is – then go to step 2.

2. Claim Your Expert Statusr
There’s a lot of hesitation out there around calling oneself an expert. With good reason. There are a lot of “GURUs” out there claiming their expert status and not have no way to back it up. Being an expert doesn’t mean you know it all – or have the only way to do things. It simply means you know your stuff and have the knowledge and credibility to back it up. That’s where step 3 comes in.

3. Create a Strong Online Presencer
Let’s face it – to be a thought leader you have to be seen and heard by others. You have to be visible. You have to be online! The best way to create a strong online presence is to create compelling content that offers a ton of value. Content marketing – blogging, video marketing, article writing, social media marketing (if done right), podcasting, ebooks, Special Reports, books etc – are excellent ways to showcase your expertise, demonstrate what you can help people do, and share your voice with people already looking for what you have to say.

4. Give it Away
I’ve heard it over and over again. “I don’t want to give away the farm. I want to leave them something to pay for.” Information is FREE! Anything and everything you want can now be found online. You aren’t offering anything new to anyone.
Give information away. Be seen as a resource for the people you really want to work with, so they will keep coming back to your information and when they are ready they will hire you. People don’t pay for information. They pay for the implementation of that information.
Once you have a strong online presence and are supplying valuable information on a constant basis, now’s the time to seek massive exposure.

5. Gain Media Exposure
Gaining media exposure isn’t as hard as it seems. Being visible, having a clear voice, and creating a large amount of value are all key to gaining media exposure. There are easy ways to consistently be positioned in front of the media. Being a constant presence coupled with the content you develop can make you a highly sought out expert.

Here are a few ways to do position yourself to be seen by the media.
• Press Releases – either written by you or someone else
• HARO – Help a Reporter Out
• Interviews – give an interview or interview someone else
• Articles Writing
• Blogging
• Guest Blogging
• Host an Event
• Appear on Radio / Talk Shows – can be online
• Host an Event
• Participate in a Panel Discussion
• Write a Letter to the Editor

6. Repeat! Often!
Being a thought leader in your area of expertise isn’t as hard as one might think. By following these 6 easy steps, offering high value, and being patient and persistent, your marketing can position you as a leading and highly sought-after thought leader.