The Case for Thought Leadership Marketing

Thought leadership is becoming one of the most powerful and effective strategies marketers can embrace to cut through the clutter and get noticed in today's increasingly competitive marketplace.

This is a time when small businesses are facing increased competition. It's harder to get noticed because the world has gotten "noisier." Traditional marketing methods like advertising, direct mail, cold calling -- or just sitting around and waiting for the phone to ring -- just don't work anymore. Consumers are now inclined find companies on their own, and on their own terms, often through a search engine.

Thought leadership marketing is becoming de rigueur in our age of increasing buyer distrust, an expectation (fostered by the Internet) that we should get a free sample of products and services before we put down our money, and an overall expectation that marketing claims are suspect, or meaningless, and that businesses should show, rather than tell, when making a case for their products and services.

Thought leaders contribute in meaningful ways to their broader marketplace. They demonstrate a commitment to their communities. They give their inside knowledge of their industries freely, and generously, and help members of their target market make informed decisions. They earn trust and develop a reputation of authority and leadership that is recognized among all influencers in their respective industries.

Many of my future posts will discuss thought leadership: defining it as a concept, highlighting what works in pursuing a thought leadership marketing strategy, and it's overall role in the Get Slightly Famous marketing model. I'll also be profiling companies of all sizes and industries who are living the thought leadership mindset. Stay tuned!