Written by: Vickie Sullivan | November 21, 2017
When Is Thought Leadership a Priority?
You know thought leadership is an important branding tool. But let’s face it: There are five ways to spend every dollar you have, and 10 ways to spend every minute in your day. So, how do you know it’s the right time to spend time and energy to make sure you’re ready for prime time?
There are two crossroads that will test how well your thought leadership is packaged and branded:
• Before you launch new marketing tools. A lot of people redo their website or write that book only to be disappointed later when the market ignores them. Yes, it looks like the train is leaving the station. But remember you are driving that train. It’s easier to adjust your brilliance before the market puts you in a box than after you cement your “nice to have” position.
• Before you step into the spotlight. Often, thought leaders launch a media-based “passion project” that gets a lot of attention but very few opportunities. (Also known as “fame without fortune.”) What happened: buyers like you but don’t know what to do with you, so there’s no reason to consider you when a need arises.
Listen: Why folks wait too late to brand their thought leadership
It’s easy to focus on activities that look like results—it’s the comfort zone for folks who just want to “get it done.” When you determine your best platform before “getting out there,” you align these efforts to our best marketplace. And when you are aligned, killer opportunities come to you.
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