Archive for September, 2009

Great examples of two different thought leaders

In the past 24 hours I have come across two great examples of thought leadership aimed at the SME market.

The first is blogger,  Chris Brogan  http://www.chrisbrogan.com/ I subscribed to his newsletter and in his latest article, he recommended a site called Small Biz Survival  http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/ .  What struck me about both these sites was the wonderful abundance mentality when it comes to sharing useful information.  Both characteristics of true thought leaders.

For all those aspiring thought leaders out there I suggest you visit these sites to gain a view as to how powerful a) online can be as  a repository for thought leadership content, and b) how generous both sites are in the way the discuss and share solutions with their target audiences – no strings attached.

Chris advises businesses, organizations, and individuals on how to use social media and social networks to build relationships and deliver value.  Becky McRay started Small Biz Survival because as she says on her site, she is “a small town entrepreneur.  I write about small business and rural issues, based on my own successes and failures.”

Here are two thought leaders who have built a niche for themselves in their respective areas of expertise by following the basic steps of driving a thought leadership position.

If you have any other examples you’d like to share of people like Becky and Chris, please let me know.

Is thought leadership coming of age?

I would like to draw your attention to a post written by Blair Currie the CEO of Aegis Media in Japan at  http://tinyurl.com/lljhdg . In it he talks about his ten predictions for 2010.  But what caught my eye were two points in particular:

Disruption will be the norm. With an abundance of choice, products and services need to be even more extraordinary to stand out and succeed. More attention and reward will be given to those who can find greatness within or outside market norms. The need to be more inventive will make creative destruction the norm rather than the exception. Consequently, effective change agents will be in increasing demand.

 Brands will grow up. People will expect brands to do more than simply satisfy their basic needs. Brands will need to appeal higher up Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs. As a result, brands will take on different roles in society supporting an increasing range and depth of CSR programs.  

Both of these have serious implications for thought leadership and how a) one differentiates ones brand and b) the need to position it in such a way that at every level – consumer, government and employees - the company is seen to be striving to deliver to their audiences something of value beyond what they sell and something which aligns with the values and aspirations of society.

It’s what I call the social license to operate which is quite distinct from the regulatory license to operate.  Social license to operate signifies going beyond what is required by law.  It challenges companies to always go one step further, the extra mile. 

Why? Because that is what society has come to expect and that is what consumers are starting to demand of their suppliers of goods and services.  

The other reason is that if a crisis hits the company has some sort of responsible brand shield which can, depending on the crisis, to some degree either buy them time or soften the consumer/societal backlash.

What does this all have to do with thought leadership?

Precisely the point that great thought leadership ideas are vested in the values of the company which should these days be inextricably linked to the good of greater society, employees and the community in which the company operates.  We’ve all heard the expression ‘No man is an island’.  Well no company is an island either.

By understanding the needs, fears and desires of the society in which you operate and specifically those same issues with your direct target audience, you/the company are in a far better position  to delivering a thought leadership campaign which hits the mark.

If you’ve seen or had experience of this, please share it with me.

The evergrowing need for thought leadership

Strong opportunities for thought leadership

Today, more than ever, there is an even stronger link between management philosophies, company values and customer expectations, and how these impact company or brand marketing campaigns.

One of the questions you should be asking is whether your communication or marketing campaigns and brand strategies are delivering authentic, sustainable value to your brand’s audience?

If your campaigns are merely ticking the traditional marketing box the challenge is to find that true differentiator, something that will set your point of view and ideas apart from your competitors.

Corporations face a growing need among consumers for brand authenticity and informative content from which will help them make up their own minds. More and more customers and clients are wanting and, in some cases, demanding true engagement with their brands.

With the expectations and buying patterns of these customers aligning more closely with their values, it provides fertile ground for exploring your thought leadership campaigns.

True thought leadership can add real and sustainable medium- to long-term value to a company’s brand and its customers.  It presents the brand in a refreshing way and in turn sets it apart from its competitors. It also has the significant effect of gaining the long-term trust and loyalty of the brand’s audiences – a compelling quality in today’s highly competitive market.

Thought leadership should drive sales but not be its sole focus

Ultimately you want your thought leadership to drive sales but that shouldn’t be your sole focus.  It is my view that the focus of a thought leadership campaign should be to add value to your customers lives by doing something which aligns closely with your (the company’s) values and in the process touches a cord in your customers hearts and minds that says to them “I feel good doing business with these guys.  They add value to my life.  They get me.”