Top performers have figured out a way to differentiate themselves by connecting with buyers using new ideas and knowledge delivered through thought leadership publications. Leading sales reps and CMOs are now sharing industry expertise through unique angles to achieve success with online consumers. Sharing compelling insights and industry knowledge has become a way to open doors and increase engagement levels with customers. Are you a thought leader in your industry?

According to DemandMetric, marketing through thought leadership publications generates 3 times as many leads and costs 62% less than normal marketing methods. The value of information has increased, and knowledgeable marketers and sales reps now understand that presenting something of true value can make an impact with digital consumers.

Let’s look at the top 5 ways you can become a thought leader in your industry.

  1. Take a Chance

By developing your own unique voice you can strike the right chord with audiences. Top performers have learned that delivering industry knowledge in a unique way means taking a chance, and creating a unique voice with a unique angle means presenting information in a different way. Take a chance with your voice. The more engaging your language, the more customers will want to read your publications.

  1. Build Dialogue

By understanding the needs of your audiences you can build meaningful conversations with them. Your ability to understand what those needs are is a demonstration of how well you understand your customers. The better you are able to engage with them the more they will interact with you. Try to spark a conversation. Get your prospects and customers to feel like they are part of a community.

  1. Establish Authority

Incorporating industry knowledge into your publications is a way of letting your prospects see you as an authority figure in your industry. Authority is one the most important ways to establish relationships with prospects; and that can be accomplished by customers seeing you as the go-to resource for industry information.

  1. Inspire Trust

Effective content marketing has the power to influence consumer buying behaviours. The ability to convert prospects works when content speaks in a voice that inspires trust. Focus on delivering real knowledge before publishing. Take stats and figures from your industry and your own company and let it do the talking.

  1. Timing

Timing plays a big role in moving business relationships forward. Understanding what type of publication should be used at what time is an important component of building long-term relationships. The idea is to target the right customer at the right time using the right message. And that means understanding your audiences’ needs and delivering publications at the most opportune time.

Key takeaway

The advent of thought leadership and its effects on consumers has produced so much information on the Web over recent years that audiences and prospects are becoming constantly saturated by content. The variety and choices that are available make it harder for new players to grab the spotlight. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the principle that quality information will always win out. Those who have something of value to say, and can say it in a unique way, can gain recognition and respect to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Are you a thought leader seeing positive results from your publications? Perhaps it’s time to polish up your thought leadership strategy. See what other thought leaders in the marketing automation industry are saying.