Earned media isn’t always characters and emotional appeal. While that is an important aspect of drawing journalists in, organizations also need to have strong leaders to call on – with strong opinions. Thought leadership is growing in popularity in the earned media realm. It’s when organizational leaders share specialized knowledge, an original perspective or informed insights to establish themselves, or their company, as a credible voice in its field.
Agencies like Daigle Creative specialize in structured communications strategies that help position organizational leadership as leaders in their industry. Through various steps and avenues, we help businesses build credibility and increase visibility. We’re here to partner with you to find your voice and share your expertise.
It’s all about contributing something meaningful to a conversation. You’re there to offer valuable insight, not just promote your company or a service. (However, that is a plus we oftentimes add in.) You might not think your organization has a “thought leader,” but chances are you do. They are your:
- CEOs and executive directors
- Subject matter experts
- Program directors and service providers
- Researchers and academics
- Professionals with firsthand experience in their fields
Thought leadership helps organizations build trust, raise awareness and contribute to conversations that matter to their audiences. And it doesn’t require creating something entirely new. It’s about strategically sharing what you already know.
First, what does thought leadership look like? In its simplest form, it looks like a media interview and expert commentary. This is a CEO providing insight on breaking news, policy changes or emerging trends. It also looks like a mental health professional discussing anxiety during back-to-school season. Subject matter experts should be readily available to journalists who need credible sources on a number of topics.
Op-ed and contributed articles are another form of thought leadership. These written pieces give leaders the space to offer a distinct perspective on an issue relevant to the organization’s mission or expertise. Organizations can use these opportunities to explain a problem, challenge a common assumption or propose a solution. An example looks like a credit union executive writing about barriers to financial access.
Other forms of thought leadership can be as simple as a LinkedIn article. You don’t need to be “published” to be a thought leader. Share observations, explain industry developments and offer professional insights on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Newsletters and blogs also give audiences practical information that demonstrates an organization’s knowledge.
Lastly, speaking engagements and panel discussions position leaders and subject matter experts as knowledgeable voices at professional gatherings. Just sharing research, reports and original data with journalists can position your employees as thought leaders.
Why do all of this? It builds credibility. Sharing useful, informed perspectives can help audiences understand an organization’s expertise and why its work matters. These perspectives demonstrate real knowledge opposed to simply claiming to be an authority. Thought leadership also creates additional media opportunities. Journalists may find someone for their story via an op-ed in a newspaper or a LinkedIn post that popped up in their online search. It works across media types – TV reporters find experts in written articles and print journalists may see an expert on TV.
It may be an obvious one, but thought leadership increases visibility. The expert commentary in the newspaper, radio interviews, and website blogs can introduce an organization’s perspective to audiences beyond its existing customers. Not only that, it differentiates you from the competition. Original insights can help an organization stand out in a crowded information environment.
The best part about thought leadership is that it doesn’t require a new campaign, major research project or significant budget to begin. It only requires identifying the knowledge and experience you already have. Start by asking yourself some of these questions:
- What questions do clients, customers, community members, or stakeholders frequently ask?
- What issues does the organization understand better than most?
- What trends are its employees noticing?
Then, determine who your audience is. This could be potential customers or clients, donors and supporters, policymakers or industry peers. Tailor the topic and format to what that audience needs to know. Customers need practical information that helps them make informed decisions, while policymakers want to hear evidence-based perspectives on issues affecting their constituents.
The next step is to develop a clear thesis. What exact point do you want to make? Or what is the one opinion you want to get across? Think of something beyond general statements that anyone in the industry could make. And ensure you can back it up with data, research, firsthand experience and real-world examples.
Thought leadership will only make waves if you connect your expertise to timely conversations. Monitor relevant news, research, policy developments and awareness months to tie your expertise to the issues people are already talking about. Beyond writing, it’s important to prepare spokespeople in advance, so they’re ready to go when a journalist reaches out.
Thought leadership may seem like a lot of work – that’s because it is! That’s why working with a seasoned agency can make all the difference. A PR professional can help turn an organization’s knowledge into a structured communications strategy by proactively researching relevant topics and news trends and developing key messages. Additionally, agencies have the bandwidth and expertise to draft content that reflects the expert’s knowledge as well as prepare spokespeople for interviews. You don’t have to do it alone.
Thought leadership should be an ongoing effort to share useful, credible perspectives. You already have the expertise. A clear strategy transforms that expertise into stronger visibility and meaningful media opportunities. Ask yourself: What topics do we want our organization to be known for? Then reach out to the team at Daigle Creative to discuss future thought leadership opportunities.