GG’s David Kang offers the basics on building a thought leadership strategy that cuts through the noise.
Thought leadership has become a buzzword in communications. The phrase is so commonplace that many leaders take it for granted; others understand it’s important but don’t know how to develop a strategy around it.
Put simply, a thought leader is a person or entity that others turn to for guidance and expertise, or a recognized authority who can influence public opinion. A smart thought leadership strategy is essential for any company or organization seeking to grow its reputation, gain market share, and attract business—especially in crowded fields. But how do you build a long-term plan from scratch? How can you differentiate your organization from competitors who are already well-established in the media? How do you sync your thought leadership strategy with the company’s overall communications plan?
Thought leadership isn’t about making noise for the sake of it. You should be guided by your overall business or organizational objectives. Are you looking to attract donors, generate B2B client leads, or grow your pool of talent? Narrowing down your goals helps to define the audiences you should target and the topics you should prioritize.
For example, if your goal is to attract grants in biomedical sciences, it’ll be important to reach public and private funders and grow your recognition as an expert in topics like drug trends and cutting-edge technologies.
Based on your key business goals and areas of expertise, determine where your target audience is and the publications they trust. Top-tier media appearances in national publications such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal will undoubtedly reach a wide audience and enhance your profile. However, depending on your business goals, it can be equally effective to build a consistent presence for key audiences in industry-specific trade publications, influential podcasts, or social media platforms.
Regular contributions to trade publications, blogs, and niche platforms can steadily build your credibility in a targeted way.
For instance, a business school aiming to establish its authority on AI research and promote new educational coursework may want to consider targeting trade publications read by prospective students, penning op-eds, or partnering with well-known industry leaders to host topical webinars.
Selecting the right spokespeople is crucial to an effective thought leadership strategy. Elevating your C-suite executives is a no-brainer, but don’t hesitate to include emerging leaders within your organization who bring a unique perspective from their work. Consider levels of expertise, communication style, and comfort with public speaking to develop a spokesperson matrix that matches the right opportunities with each spokesperson. Consider media training for both newer spokespeople to help find their voice and for experienced leaders to help hone their interview skills.
Take, for example, a nonprofit seeking media coverage to add public pressure to an advocacy effort around an upcoming piece of legislation. For a mainstream news publication, the CEO or Executive Director might be most appropriate; they are likely to be comfortable speaking to a broad audience and engaging people at a high level. But for a local politics podcast or radio program with an audience of political insiders, a rising star in the policy department might be more effective at getting into the weeds on the issue and building long-term relationships with reporters.
There’s no shortcut to becoming a thought leader. Design a strategy that will cement your spokespeople as authorities over time, with a steady pipeline of tactics that will keep the momentum going. Expert commentary pitching, op-ed and byline submissions, podcast appearances, and speaking opportunities at conferences and events are all ways to steadily build individual and organizational profiles and keep them in the spotlight. The more you do it, the easier it will become to secure placements and the more influence your brand will command.
These building blocks are key to designing a thought leadership strategy that lays the foundation for long-term communications success. But don’t forget that creating the strategy isn’t enough: now you’ll need to execute it!
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