5 steps to creating and implementing a thought leadership strategy

Steps to Creating and Implementing a Thought Leadership Strategy 5

Presented by:

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Meet your thought leadership tour guide:

Josh Johnson Vice President, Influence & Co.

What is Thought Leadership?Thought leadership is leveraging one’s expertise to

position oneself as a resource and authority in a specific field. Oftentimes, this is accomplished through

content marketing.

What is Content Marketing?Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and

consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving

profitable customer action.

So, why does all of this matter?

The conversion rate for brands that use content marketing is six to seven times higher than

traditional marketing tools. (Aberdeen Group) !!

Clients

Leads

Content matters because…

Content marketing costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and generates about three

times as many leads. (Demand Metric)

Content matters because…

On average, you are 858 percent more likely to generate revenue from an inbound lead than

an outbound one. (HubSpot)

Content matters because…

Likelihood of revenue

generation from outbound

Likelihood of revenue generation from

inbound

Why do people love using content?

Enhancing Credibility

Building Brand Awareness

Generating, Nurturing, and Converting Leads

Educating and Retaining Customers

Attracting Talent, Partners, and Investors

Expanding Network Boosting SEO Managing Reputation Creating Marketing

Assets

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Through content marketing and thought leadership, you have the ability to distinguish yourself as a

subject matter expert, which directly impacts your business.

Credibility AwarenessPrestige & Reputation

So, how do you get started?

First and foremost, like anything in business, know the result you’re hoping to get and have realistic expectations of how to achieve that. !

Step 1

Step 2Start with your audience, not you. Develop a persona (or three) representing whom you’re talking to.

Step 3Choose the publications your audience is actually engaging with. Niche, industry-specific publications are great outlets to hit your target.

Step 4After determining your audience and goals, start to think of topics that will be meaningful and engaging to your audience.

Step 5Get to work! It’s finally time to start writing. Make sure you edit and polish your work. Send it to the publication/editors and be sure to follow up.

Don’t forget!After all of your hard work is complete it is important to

leverage and distribute your own content.

Have your marketing people use it in their other campaigns.

Put your content in email n e w s l e t t e r s o r d r i p campaigns.

Make sure your salespeople send your published content to leads to help them address and overcome objections.

Add the badges to your site.

Put article’s links in your email signatures

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So, how has Influence & Co. leveraged our client expertise through content?

Meet Stephan AarstolStephan is the CEO and founder of Tower Paddle Boards, an online, manufacturer-direct brand in stand up paddle boarding. Tower Paddle Boards was invested in by Mark Cuban on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and was named one of the show's “Top 10 Success Stories” by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Stephan’s Goals with Influence & Co.

Position himself as a successful entrepreneur and

business expert to lend credibility to his current and

future businesses

Some of the ways Stephan has benefited from his content:

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Content shared via social media sparked conversations with his

audience.

Google Rel=”Authorship”

Tags provided SEO benefits.

Badges on personal and company sites

enhanced his credibility.

His content was used to nurture

investors & potential partners

Highlight publications that Stephan as been featured in: !

Meet Andrew AngusAndrew Angus is the founder and CEO of Switch Video, a video animation company that produces simple videos that "explain what you do" in an engaging and compelling format.

Andrew’s Goals with Influence & Co.

Position himself as an expert, in front of medium to large

companies, in online video creation and the brain science behind creative, effective 60-

second pitches through engaging video content

!

Some of the ways Stephan has benefited from his content:

!

He built a blog following by

reposting article links with brief

summaries. !

He sent published content to current leads resulting in

more sales.

His published content resulted in an increase of natural inbound

leads

Highlight publications that Andrew as been featured in: !

Want to learn more?

Josh Johnson Vice President, Influence & Co. josh@influenceandco.com 314-601-4849

Contact Josh to discuss how we can help you.