Thought Leadership 101 – How To Become A Thought Leader In Six Months
- Feb 16, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 21, 2024
Written by: Barry Raber, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Has someone suggested that you become a “thought leader?” Have you considered the benefits of becoming one, or how to go about it? A thought leader is someone who becomes known as a subject matter expert and sought out or relied on for their experience sharing. Becoming one can improve your influence in your field and within your company.
I decided to go for it six months ago and have already seen some pretty good results. I was initially inspired to produce thought leadership content as a way to give our company an advantage on Google Search.
During a search engine optimization meeting at my company, we were brainstorming ways to improve our website’s visibility on Google by getting more links to it. My teammate, Steve, suggested I write some articles for high domain authority magazines, because those links would give us a big leg up in search results. I loved the idea of powerful links giving us an unfair Google Search advantage over competitors.
Enter imposter syndrome. As I explored the idea, I didn’t think I would have anything to write about that anyone would be interested in reading or benefit from. On top of that, I considered myself pretty bad with grammar and writing cohesively, plus I had no idea how to go about being published. Essentially, a trifecta of hurdles to overcome.
Coincidently, I attended an event where I saw my friend, Kent Lewis. I recalled Kent was a thought leader in the SEO world and asked him about it. Turns out, Kent has published hundreds of articles, has a LinkedIn following of 20k+ people, and has given over 500 speeches. He offered to become my thought leader coach.
The desire to help my company beat its competitors outweighed my trifecta of doubt by about two pounds, so I plowed forward.
The day my first article published on Inc., I felt a huge rush and validation that maybe I do have something worth sharing. When I shared it on LinkedIn, people started liking the article, commenting how they loved the ideas and planned to implement them. Some even asked follow-up questions. I was helping people — and that lit my fire.
Over the course of six months, I published 20 articles in five publications, developed a website to showcase the effort, and recently applied for that Wikipedia page.
Beyond strong links to the company website and hopefully an unfair search advantage, I discovered I enjoyed the process and had a lot more experience to share than I thought. Thought leadership can bring the fulfillment of knowing you are helping others, and if you wanted to get famous or make money with it, you certainly could try that, too.
Oh — but it will cost you some money. You can hire a public relations firm to do all this stuff for about $5k a month, or you can do it yourself, like I did. In the DIY scenario, you will need to pay for a mentor or coach, editor or speech coach, magazine memberships, and website design.
Here are the steps I recommend for becoming a thought leader:
Find a mentor to coach you. Find an existing thought leader to coach you step-by-step. They don’t have to be in your thought space. Kent Lewis is outstanding. He suggested most of the tips below, plus cost-effective strategies. He charges for his time, but he talks fast, types fast, and knows what he is talking about. The tips you get from someone who has been there and done that are invaluable and will save you a crazy amount of wasted time.
Have professional pictures taken. You need more than a headshot. Many professional photographers offer a business photo package. Style yourself in whatever clothes or settings make sense for your expertise. For example, I had a one-hour session with three costume changes in various settings in and around my office building (a WeWork-type space). The high-quality head, standing, sitting and waist-up shots will serve to support your new, higher public profile.
Flush out what you know. Your mentor can help by interviewing you about your specific knowledge realms and identifying material that would be the most powerful to share. For me, this fell into three buckets of topics in which I had strong experience and was reasonably confident talking about. Ask yourself, what are you known for? What do people count on you for? Where is your knowledge exceptional enough that you feel like you could give a speech on it?
Pick a lane. There are two paths for establishing thought leadership: writing and speaking. Determine which one of these is the most attractive to you. You will likely do both in time, but it's best to start with the one you are most comfortable with. If you choose the speaker route, find either a strong, connected editor or a TED Talk speaker coach. You might benefit from a speaker school. Kent loves Global Speakers Academy (for EO members only), but there are many TED talk and speaker coaches. If you choose the speaker route, you could also podcast or participate in panels. If you prefer writing, connect with a freelance editor to help grow your skills and gain confidence. Many editors working for magazines are actually contracted freelancers, so aim to find one with connections to publications you are targeting. My editor is Anne-Wallis Droter of Wordsmith, and she is fantastic. I write the basic article, and she edits it to make more sense and meet publication grammar standards. When I send a draft for her to edit, it often comes back with more red than black text. It’s still my message, but it sounds so much better.
When publishing, consider your options. You don't always have to go through the front door when submitting articles to outlets to be published. I tried it dozens of times, and all I got was crickets. Many editorial outlets have contributor programs or a paid membership side door. Forbes calls them Councils, and Business Journal has Leadership Trust. You apply to join, and if qualified, you can publish an article per month on their platform. After I joined, things really started rolling.
Get over discomfort with self-promotion. If you want to help as many people as possible with the thought leadership you’ve shared, you’ll need to promote yourself and your content to help them find it. I was raised in the Midwest; avoiding attention is hardwired in me. But you have to promote yourself and your ideas to get people to look or listen.
Leverage social media. Once you publish, although the platform you choose may promote your content, it is mostly up to you to amplify your impact. Share your material on your social media channels. LinkedIn offers both significant readership and potential connections. Get a premium membership and make a habit of inviting connections continuously to build your network. I went from 500 to 2,000 connections in six months, so it takes time. You can also join LinkedIn groups and post articles there, which can expand your reach.
Develop a website or blog to showcase your work. You don’t want the content you create to be one-and-done; you want to build a repository of your thoughts. Develop a branded blog or website to park your material so it is always available through Google search and links to your site in all subsequent articles. I created mine using a Squarespace template: realsimplebusiness.org.
Legitimize yourself through “Best Of” lists. As you build a presence, people will reach out and nominate you for “Best Of” lists. Examples include Top 100 Magazine lists of professionals. After applying, if you are accepted, you pay, and they craft a bio of you to include in their online publication. You’ll find many options and price points that are negotiable. Inquire about details and weigh your options. A few mentions will serve to build credibility in your field.
Source more material. Assuming you are still active in your field, as you start to publish and enjoy success with your content, it will spark more things to write about. I thought I had only five articles in me, but additional ideas occurred to me as I showered, worked out, drove to work, and talked with colleagues. Look for thoughts or ideas that are novel, question common thinking from a contrarian point of view, and consider what might produce a thought-provoking reaction.
I’ve discovered an amazing payoff beyond my initial link-building motivation. When someone tells you they read or heard your ideas, implemented them, and are way better off because of it — it is an almost indescribable feeling.
I believe one's value in life is dependent on how much value they create for others. It’s true in every kind of relationship. Thought leadership is a great way to use what you’ve learned throughout your career to give value beyond yourself and your company sphere. Why not give it a shot?
Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Barry!
Barry Raber, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Barry Raber is a serial entrepreneur, president of Carefree RV Storage, a 22-year member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), the founder of Business Property Trust, and an EO Portland Entrepreneur of the Year. He shares his successful business secrets at Real Simple Business.
