Leadership. Thought leadership. If you're skimming content from the business and marketing industry blogs, you're probably feeling a little overwhelmed with the sheer level of coverage on this topic.
2016 has even been dubbed the “Year of Thought Leadership,” and a quick Google search on the term will deliver 16 million entries for you to peruse.
At the same time, true thought leadership is still in short supply. There will never be a shortage of demand for insightful commentary, just as the world will never get enough of quality books (e- or otherwise), great speakers and spirited conversation. The thirst for excellence is in our DNA.
In my 16+ years of experience in working with truly extraordinary leaders from both emerging enterprises to the Fortune 500s, I can state one thing unequivocally:
Some of the most insightful and brilliant leaders I have worked with honestly think they truly have nothing to share with the world. It's one of the rare times that it's a pleasure to tell someone they are wrong. They absolutely have much to share, and you do, too.
Before I tell you the three compelling reasons you need to work with the media if you want to earn your bona fides as a thought leader, I'd like to reassure you that you very likely have what it takes to become one of these rare beings yourself.
This is what I tell people who are hesitant to consider their insights media-worthy to the rest of the world:
A thought leader is someone with subject expertise, who is generous in applying their knowledge to educate, engage, inspire and explore.
In other words, this isn't about being the top expert, or a great salesperson. Actually, thought leadership isn't about sales at all. It's about exchange and education, which ironically is the most effective lead generation tool in the world.
Use your industry, solution or product knowledge in such a way that you are inspiring conversation, thinking and learning. You don't necessarily have to have all the answers, but knowing the questions to ask, and being able to offer a reasoned look, is key.
So, the big question is, where do you take this thought leadership? The social world of owned media under your control is great: blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, all good. Speaking engagements and white papers? Equally good and necessary. However, earning a place in a journalists' heart (and column) with your thoughtful commentary is brand, engagement and search engine gold. Here's why:
Three Key Reasons to Earn Thought Leadership Placement:
Impartiality is credibility:
It's fine to paint yourself as a thought leader. However, when an impartial journalist decides your thinking is valuable enough to include in his or her story, well, your thought leadership stock just soared.
Having a trusted third party validate your insight and thinking delivers gravitas in a way that patting your own back never could. It also requires a higher standard of excellence. Clear writing, citation references and spelling are all minimum requirements to pass muster with a journalist.
The world's bigger than your backyard:
Telling your story to people you've already connected with – through newsletters, blogs, social interaction – is critical. They are your community, and they are important. But, engaging with a journalist or editor means getting in front of a whole new community – their readers and viewers – in an impartial venue, and in the social media they interact with. The responsibility that comes with this opportunity is to offer valuable insight and be prepared to engage in dialogue across the media outlet's digital and social channels with engaged readers who may want to interact with, or challenge, your work.
There's SEO and digital gold in those words:
How does Google rank all of those Tweets, Pinterest posts, and Facebook comments? Frankly, there's some, but not too much, SEO firepower to show for all of that engagement.
Google has put tremendous emphasis behind what is commonly called “earned media:” the impartial publication of the journalists' word. If you do a web search on a company or public figure's name, you're just as likely to see a rich return of top media coverage results as you are to see an official website or social channel. Yes, that Wall Street Journal or Forbes win may work harder for you than your company URL as a credibility-builder for your marketplace.
From better search rankings to SEO-worthy backlinks, publication of your insight and expertise yields dividends that will keep paying you in thought leadership interest for literally years to come.
So, take a deep breath, reach out to that key journalist or editor, and offer up some media coverage-worthy insight based on your hard-won industry insight. You and your search engine rankings will be glad you did.
Communications expert, speaker and entrepreneurial mentor Pam Abrahamsson is founder of PRA Public Relations and award-winning thought leadership communications counsel to Fortune 500 and emerging enterprises.