Thought leadership can be an important strategy for building trust in your brand among the media and your target audiences. But if your company is falling into one of these common thought-leadership quagmires, it's costing you time, money and potential business.
- Being on Social Media Just to be There - Social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and others can be powerful tools in your thought leadership arsenal, but being on social media just to be there is a waste of time and resources. Understanding each platform's unique strengths and weaknesses will help focus your efforts and ensure you're engaging your target audiences in relevant, meaningful ways to get the most out of your investments.
- Phoning It In - Executing a successful thought-leadership campaign requires 100-percent buy-in. Prominent thought leaders build their platform by being available, engaged and compelling. They employ proactive outreach strategies and can be relied on to provide unique, insightful perspective on the news of the day in a timely manner.
- Talking about Everything - If you don't have something you're dying to say, then don't say anything. Your thought-leadership messages should stem from issues about which you're both passionate and well-informed. Talking about issues that aren't relevant to your work or industry trains audiences to tune you out. In the worst cases, it risks putting your organization at the center of a controversy it has does not want to be part of.
- Waiting for the "Big Hit" - Everyone wants to be in The New York Times, but getting there takes time and hard work. A strategic thought-leadership campaign begins with a realistic understanding of where your company or organization stands in the media, and builds that profile sustainably by developing a consistent, trusted presence.
- Misunderstanding the Media - In most cases, thought-leadership strategies aimed at changing the conversation are designed to fail. Successful campaigns are built on a solid understanding of the news cycle. Rather than trying to break the cycle, successful thought leaders develop innovating strategies to break into the cycle and set your company or organization apart.
Pinkston is ready to help you avoid these common pitfalls and implement a strategic thought-leadership campaign that will broaden your media platform and strengthen your brand identity among key audiences. Review our clients and case studies to read about how we've helped others like you. To learn more about how to be sure your company's thought-leadership strategy is providing the best results possible, contact us today online or by calling us toll-free at 844-4PINKSTON (844-474-6578).