One of the most important – and one of the newest – elements of a modern marketing strategy is Content Marketing. The idea is that if your “content” is everywhere, then would-be clients would be easily attracted to you.
Unfortunately, many marketers miss a crucial aspect of this: that the content must be valuable in the eyes of the reader; it must be insightful, new, and demonstrate thought-leadership. If it doesn’t do this, the reader won’t make the direct connection between the content, and your expertise. And they certainly won’t be asking for help.
Thought-leadership is the fundamental underpinning of content marketing – but how does one develop it?
Some ideas:
- Read outside your professional area of knowledge: magazines, history, science, academic journals, daily newspapers, blogs, and more.
- Register for seminars and courses, take certifications, and learn from people who are experts in areas related to your own. You can then connect the dots between this new knowledge and your area of expertise.
- Take greater responsibility on the job, thereby enriching your practical knowledge, outside of your usual day-to-day.
- Write. Not only does this help synthesize your ideas, but it is the first step to gaining feedback from others.
- Join a group that puts your ideas to the test, both through discussion and debate.
More than any of these ideas, however, is the importance of actually spending time thinking. Becoming a thought-leader without giving yourself ample time to think is impossible.
This week’s action plan: Whether you aspire to thought-leadership or not, thinking time often gets squeezed away by urgent deadlines and other priorities. This week, schedule time to think – at least five hours. One hour each day is a very small investment for thought leadership… and to make better decisions.
The Make It Happen Tipsheet is also available by email. Go to www.RandallCraig.com to register.
Randall Craig
@RandallCraig (follow me)
www.RandallCraig.com
www.108ideaspace.com
www.ProfessionallySpeakingTV.com
Look around: who are the Social Media go-to people in your office? Look around again, and identify the people with the strongest business acumen. In almost all organizations, the first group is younger, with-it hipsters, while the second group is typically much older. Getting these groups on the same Social Media strategy page can be challenging at best: the knowledge gap is too wide.
Two questions: Must this always be so? (no) And is there something that can be done close the gap? (yes)
For an organization to fully take advantage of the opportunity of the social web, the strength of both generations must be harnessed. Here are a few ways to intentionally close the gap:
- Start with a Social Media plan: The act of putting one together results in significant knowledge transfer between the two groups. Once complete, the plan can guide both the younger person’s priorities, and the older person’s expectations.
- Training: A casualty of tough economic times has been the investment being made in people. Investing in business training for younger employees means better decision-making. Social Media training for more senior employees means better questions – and better management.
- Reverse Mentoring: So often, mentoring relationships go in one direction: from senior to junior. For the first time in many years, younger employees can switch it up, adding value (through Social Media knowledge) back to their older colleagues.
- Connect with experience: Sometimes an outsider can bring a new perspective – and a common vocabulary – to an organization. Whether it be in an internal group setting, or listening to a speaker at an outside conference, learning together helps build shared organizational knowledge.
This week’s action plan: The most successful people realize that everyone is a teacher, regardless of role or level of experience. This week, consider your gaps, whether it be in Social Media or some other area, and find yourself a mentor. Before you do this though, look for someone you can help first.
Note: The Make It Happen Tipsheet is also available by email. Go to www.RandallCraig.com to register.
Randall Craig
@RandallCraig (follow me)
www.RandallCraig.com
www.108ideaspace.com
www.ProfessionallySpeakingTV.com
