Every entrepreneur is aware that establishing oneself as a thought leader in their industry is one of the most important steps to take to expand their company and raise their brand’s profile. For instance, we have all gazed in awe at the CEO who posts sage advice on LinkedIn or been impressed by the illustrious names of the people who create our preferred bulletins and podcasts.
When it comes time to establish your legitimacy and discover your audience, it may appear unthinkable to figure out how to begin looking for either of those things. These days, social media platforms are extremely competitive; the question is how one can differentiate themselves from other users.
The good news is that there are strategies you can employ to raise your profile and ensure that others take notice of what you have to say. It takes commitment and a lot of hard work to become a thought leader, but if you have the correct tactics and an honest approach, you can achieve this goal. Continue reading for five essential pointers on how to establish yourself as a leading voice in your industry.
Step 1: Find Your Unique Tone of Voice
Defining your voice is an essential first step toward becoming a strategic thinker, and should be done before beginning any of the other steps. These days, audiences are acutely aware of inauthenticity and are quick to spot false positivity or inaccurate knowledge. Whenever you share your insights, make sure to do so in a way that is authentic to both you and your area of expertise. This is important whether you are discussing past failures, uncertainties, or weaknesses.
In a similar vein, the only way you will truly differentiate yourself from the majority of people is by being authentically you! Leaning into the aspects of your personality that make you unique, such as your sense of humor and your creative vision, will set you apart from other people and help you build a following that is engaged and loyal. Do not make the mistake of attempting to model your behavior after those already working in the field. The original idea will always be successful.
Step 2: Make Conscientious Use of All Available Platforms
After you’ve established your perspective, the next step is to figure out how to use your newfound knowledge and understanding across the various social platforms. You’ll want to communicate your ideas in a variety of different ways across each social platform while still staying true to your overall message because the vast array of social platforms available today each has very various uses and audiences.
For example, the majority of content on LinkedIn is presented in the form of text, with some room reserved for image and video posts. Focus on the community aspect, as this is also a platform designed to encourage engagement from other users and inspire them.
You might want to move with trending sounds and memes or tell stories from your point of view in short clips if you use a video-first platform like TikTok or Instagram. The best practices for these platforms are completely different from one another. In addition, if you post on Twitter, you should compose your messages so that they are succinct and consist only of text. Do your research (and use them) on the various platforms before you post anything, and avoid using a blanket approach that tries to address all of the platforms’ unique challenges.
Step 3: Hear What Other People Have to Say
The term “thought leader” may give the impression that you will always be the one to take the initiative in a discussion; however, it is important to keep in mind that you must also make time to listen to others. Learning new things and expanding your expertise should be a priority if you want to maintain your position as a leader in your field. Make space in your life to broaden your mind by doing things like reading books and articles and respecting people who have different points of view. This will allow you to stay at the top of your game.
Never pretend to have authority or knowledge if you don’t have it, as this is another crucial component of effective listening. It’s totally fine if you don’t feel comfortable discussing a certain topic! Your viewers will appreciate you more if you can acknowledge the information gaps in your knowledge, especially if you can take criticism constructively whenever it is directed toward you.
Step 4: Evaluate the Components of Success
When you’re working to build your audience and your brand, it’s crucial to take a step back periodically and assess what people find meaningful. Are there particular aspects of your message that seem to be receiving more positive feedback than others? I was wondering if any particular questions keep coming up.
Be sure to include any statistics and feedback from your audience in your posting schedule so that you aren’t just talking to yourself in an empty room. Because your audience wants to have the impression that they are participating in a conversation that goes in both directions, tailoring your message to what it is that they want to know is essential to maintaining an engaged audience relationship over the long term.
Step Into Reality for the Fifth Step
Although social media, blogs, and podcasts are essential for thought leadership in this day and age, it is still important to step away from your computer screen every once in a while. Real-life conversations can provide significant benefits to the growth of your thought leadership and illustrate to online viewers that you care about the field in which you operate.
Attend events such as conferences and panels related to your industry, and make the most of the opportunities to network with other people. Even something as simple as setting up regular coffee dates is a wonderful way to make time for in-person conversations. Even though it might appear to be simple to build your brand online, the reality is that being an entrepreneur relies heavily on having conversations with people in person. Because of this, you must schedule time in your schedule to meet with people in person.
