This is my blog. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My blog is my best marketing asset…I must master it as I master my life.
This is not the only social business and social media marketing blog on the internet…far from it.
But this blog is ours, and each and every word is direct from our brains, to our fingertips, to you.
Today’s Topic: Thought Leadership
“Thought leadership” is a term that gets tossed around too frequently. It’s talked about as if it’s something you can just pick up at the store. “Honey, while you’re out can you grab some more toilet paper and some thought leadership?”
Thought leadership became a buzzword, and buzzwords can make very complex things seem simple, because anyone can say it. But thought leadership isn’t a product, it’s not something you do for a week and then move on.
What is a Thought Leader?
Simply put, a thought leader is a recognized expert or authority on a subject matter. But to become a recognized authority typically takes time and consistent contribution. In some rare cases, someone may burst onto the scene with exceptional brilliance that changes everyone’s perspective and is rightfully anointed as a thought leader.
Yet for all the talk of thought leadership at companies, only a relatively small number have mobilized their teams, implemented a process, and set out to consistently create a conversation around a subject matter. Corporate blogging has not nearly reached the heights that it could and part of it is that too many people think that writing one article makes them a thought leader.
Thought Leaders Think
Everyone wants to be a thought leader, but not everyone wants to think. Did you catch that?
Thought Leadership isn’t about talking, it’s about thinking. It’s not about being the encyclopedia–unless you are THE DEFINITIVE encyclopedia. It’s not about putting out the MOST content, it’s about putting out the BEST content.
Being a thought leader is about thinking about a subject in a way that causes other people to think about that subject through a new lens.
If you really want to become a thought leader you need to “do the work.”
No one gets to the hall of fame just because they put on a uniform. You don’t show up in the history books because you think you’re great.
Learn to Love the Blog
There’s far too much talk about engagement for my liking; not because I don’t value engagement or because I’m a naysayer, but because it overshadows other important conversations. For every conversation about a blog or an email newsletter, there are 15 conversations about Facebook page engagement…and that is just silly.
Today’s post is a call to arms. Today’s post is a challenge to get your company blog up, running and leading the way.
So what’s stopping you from becoming a thought leader?