I’m Not Content with Content
I use the word “content” easily a dozen times on an average day, but I don’t like it. It conveys an underlying belief that websites, databases, and electronic files are containers just waiting for something to come along and fill them, like stuffing in a pillow or mud in a hole.
Thought Leadership’s Superpower
While thought leadership works for many reasons, one simple reason is the most fundamental. Thought leadership works because people trust people.
Thought Leadership and Employee Engagement
When creating distribution plans for thought leadership content, make sure to include your own employees in the process. All too often, companies leave it to their employees to find published thought leadership on marketing channels. Some attempt to share with employees on an internal communications platform such as an intranet or Slack. These efforts seemingly treat employee engagement as an afterthought.
Thought Leadership Challenges Your Whole Strategy
Thought leadership strategy forces you to ask what you can say about yourself that is true, and what you do in the world to make it true. These questions span an entire organization. Answering them and then doing something about them unmistakably requires the input of people empowered to make executive decisions and lead towards change. Including top company leaders in thought leadership strategy discussions takes the best advantage of this transformative opportunity.
Being Part of the Conversation
Some topics become so central to the conversation in a particular industry that it makes sense to have a point of view even if it does not track directly back to specific products or services. Within financial services, those topics include topics such as digital assets; AI and automation; diversity, equity, and inclusion; COVID-19; and ESG. Failing to have a point of view on these can make you seem out of touch.