10 Essential Steps to Becoming a Thought LeaderAli Schwanke & Tyler SprunkSimple Strat

What is a Thought Leader?

A thought leader is an individual or firm that is recognized as an authority in a

specialized field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded.

Example

Seth Godin

Why is he a thought leader?

What is the #1 cardinal rule of thought leadership?

Thou Shall Not Call Thyself a Thought Leader.

Thou Shall Influence Others to Become a Thought Leader

Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Industry

THE 10 ESSENTIAL STEPS TO

Review the Thought Leadership Framework

STEP 1:

Thought Leadership Framework

WHAT YOU KNOW

WHO CARES

WHERE THEY’RE LOOKING

It leads to trust and increased visibility in the C Suite.

But it must be backed in expertise and authority.

WHAT WHO WHERE

Take Inventory of Your Current Evidence

STEP 2:

1. Speaking Engagements2. Written Articles3. Mentoring4. Community Involvement5. Social media posts6. Q&As 7. Videos

Already have?1. Certifications2. Places You’ve Been3. Trends You’ve Identified4. Experience5. Etc

Qualifications?

Excellent example.

Do Your Audience and Persona Research

STEP 3:

Buyer Persona• Traveling Terry

• 40 years old

• Travels twice per year

• Married with 2 kids

• Feels like traveling “keeps her young” while bringing her family together

• Struggles finding kid-friendly activities that her and her husband also enjoy

Buyer Personas > Target AudiencesUnderstanding Your Audience

Target Audience• Females

• Age 30-45

• Like to travel

• Married

• 1-2 Children

1. What are you in charge of or expected to manage?2. What are your top three goals at work?3. How do you measure success? (What metrics do you watch most closely?)4. What are your top three challenges at work?5. Who do you frequently interact with at work?6. How hard is it for your organization to change or adopt new initiatives? 7. What methods of communication do you prefer to use? 8. Where do you go to get answers to questions about your job or industry?9. What are some things you wish you knew more about regarding your industry?

Basic Questions to Build Buyer Personas

Pro Tip: Interview your best customers + your salespeople

A Buyer Persona from Real Life

• Young owner of a small roofing company• Age: 35• Wears many hats and gets his hands dirty• Prefers email and texts• Willing to change if he can afford it• Prioritizes need-to-haves over nice-to-haves• Will do research before buying

Goals:• Grow the company• Increase sales• Maintain or improve profitability

Challenges:• Competition• Employee / crew quality• Inexperienced with leadership

Snappy Sam

Brainstorm the “where” of your thought leadership

STEP 4:

Brainstorm your content and angles

STEP 5:

10 Ways to Be a Better Leader

Must be willing to be vulnerable, take a stand, and express a different view.

7 Ways I’ve Screwed Up as a Leader

Source: LinkedIn

Build an architecture, process and team

STEP 6:

Writer Promoter

Editor

DesignerVideo/Photo

How do you capture ideas?

How do you plan? Do you manage a calendar?

What tools do you use?

What types of content will you be creating?

What are the headlines to consider?

Where will this content go?

Does this appeal to my primary audience?

Is it backed in truth? Or opinion?

Who else could contribute to this to make this more solid?

What platforms will this be released?

What are the calls to action from this content?

How else can this content be repurposed for maximum ROI?

Determine templates for brand consistency and to create trust.

Analyze and update the basics

STEP 7:

WebsiteSocial media descriptions

Print designWriting style & grammar

CTAs

vs.

Identify your entry points, start small, and be consistent.

STEP 8:

Imperfect consistency is better than perfect inconsistency.

Collaborate and share (don’t be afraid to ask)

STEP 9:

• Influencer quotes and contributions• Employee perspectives• Industry reports• Cross-medium partnerships• Podcasts• Interviews and Panels

Create a promotion plan for each piece

STEP 10:

Sample Promotion Plan Template

Final Tip: Double down on what works, or re-release under different headlines/angles.

Resources and hacks to make your thought leadership journey easier.

BONUSES!

Promote quickly

Q&A?

Want a copy of the slides? Email ali@simplestrat.com