Small business leaders typically hold many titles. Every day, they operate as CEO, CFO, product development lead, collections agent, human resources manager, IT support, and public relations spokesperson, among others.
While accomplishing all the tasks associated with those titles can often be overwhelming, some small business leaders find themselves flirting with the idea of adding “thought leader” to their already long list of titles—and with good reason. Becoming a sought-after thought leader is a proven way to give your business an edge.
How becoming a thought leader boosts business potential
In recent years, the business environment—particularly for small businesses—has changed as buyers have become more empowered. Many consumers are unwilling to make a purchase based solely on a company’s advertising and will instead conduct additional research to find reliable and trustworthy information.
As small business leaders become thought leaders, they establish themselves as a source of reliable and trustworthy information by positioning themselves as individuals focused on helping consumers instead of just making a sale. As a result, they cut through the clutter in a way that captures consumer attention.
Additionally, the content thought leaders produce through writing blogs and articles, presenting at conferences, and speaking on podcasts provides value far exceeding traditional marketing. The portfolios thought leaders create have a long-term value that can manifest, for example, as the top results on search engine results pages for years to come, highlighting how thought leadership fuels a more impactful and sustainable marketing strategy for small businesses.
Thought leadership also helps to build relationships, which is crucial for the success of small businesses. This is true not only with other professionals but also with consumers who look increasingly to thought leaders as an authority in a world overflowing with fake news. Small business leaders who emerge as thought leaders can more easily grow their professional network, making it easier to attract talent and investors.
While entering the ranks of today’s thought leaders can be highly beneficial for small business leaders, it also requires an investment. The following are some key steps required to achieve this goal.
Always be looking for opportunities to contribute
As you begin establishing yourself as a reliable thought leader, opportunities to share your insights will eventually come to you. But achieving that level of notoriety will take some time. To start, you’ll need to create the opportunities.
Some of the best opportunities for sharing early on will be on your own platforms and social media channels. Launch a blog on your company’s website, start sharing videos on TikTok or YouTube, or post actionable posts on LinkedIn. The proactive work you do in these areas will create a portfolio that can draw outside opportunities to you.
Once invitations to contribute content start coming in, take advantage of every opportunity, even if it is only marginally related to the areas you are focusing on. Limiting your focus is essential to developing your expertise, but passing on opportunities because they aren’t in your sweet spot will limit your exposure. Remember that a two-star opportunity could lead to a five-star opportunity if you show up and show off.
If you are working to establish yourself as a business finance expert, for example, appearing as a guest on a podcast focused on startup strategies will be a perfect fit, whereas contributing to an article on Tesla’s plummeting stock prices might seem like a waste of time. However, you could make a connection by sharing some lessons business leaders can learn from Tesla’s financial woes without trashing the brand or getting too political.
Never ignore feedback
Strengthening your position as a thought leader will require constantly refining your content and the way you deliver it. As you engage in the refining process, feedback will be your best friend. It lets you know what is landing and what lingering questions are out there that you could provide answers for.
Engaging with feedback can also help you create a community. Sharing your thoughts is only half of the thought leader journey; the other half is attracting followers who look to you for leadership. By responding to feedback in a thoughtful way—whether it’s a question at a conference, a comment on a social media post, or an email prompted by a recent article—you foster the type of connections that create thought followers.
Share with transparency
Becoming a sought-after thought leader requires more than just sharing insights; it also involves cultivating a unique voice and perspective. After all, your prospective followers can get insights from artificial intelligence. You also need to come across as an authentic thought leader if you want to build connections that will benefit you, your company, and your industry.
Sharing your journey as transparently as possible is one of the best ways to be seen as authentic. Don’t just share what works. You also have to share the struggles you faced and overcame to figure out what works.
Small business owners seeking to become thought leaders must remember that today’s consumers are more empowered than ever. If the ideas you share don’t align with your actions, they’ll figure it out. You’ll need to commit to authenticity to establish trust and build a following.
Becoming a sought-after thought leader doesn’t come easy, but it can be very valuable for small business leaders seeking to differentiate themselves from their competition. By being authentic, tracking with feedback, and never missing an opportunity to join the conversation, leaders can create the momentum needed to become a sought-after voice in their industry.
David Watkins is a publicist with Otter PR, an award-winning media relations agency. He has extensive experience in public relations, account management, and journalism. David’s PR insights, which have been included in Forbes, Mirror Online, and PR Daily and featured on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy” with Andy Cohen, can help you get powerful brand authority for your startup.
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