Being a true thought-leader

Thought-leadership content is an effective way to position clients as experts in their field. It is also a very impactful way of showcasing a human face to a company. A well-placed and engaging thought-leadership article can have a positive direct impact on brand reputation and awareness.

But what makes effective thought-leadership? And how can your PR consultancy help you harness the power of your by-lined articles?

Here are our top three tips for maximising the potential of your thought-leadership campaigns:

1 – Have an opinion

No publication wants generic copy where spokespeople sit on the fence, especially when it comes to breaking news and industry trends. Your spokespeople need to have an opinion and they need to have facts to back it up. The most effective PR consultants will be able to help you shape your opinions into engaging copy that plays into your wider brand messaging and business goals.

Take aviation as an example. Right now, the industry is suffering under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic. It would be easy for brands to retreat from the media spotlight when times are tough, or to avoid saying what needs to be said. But that is not what RedCabin CEO and founder, Monica Wick, did. Her thought-leadership article for the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) spoke about the industry’s urgent need for increased collaboration to speed up its recovery from Covid-19.

It is a difficult topic that needed to be treated carefully but by being brave and eloquently expressing her opinion, her article was read and shared by C-suite executives at many of the world’s biggest airlines, OEMs and suppliers – gaining positive traction across the social media and digital landscape.

2 – Write like a journalist

While having an opinion is good, how you express it is equally as important. Thought-leadership articles need to be written to journalistic standards: narrative structure, storytelling and factual evidence are core components of any impactful by-lined article. Being able to write and think like a journalist is key to not only creating brilliant copy but also convincing editors to publish your work.

For many companies, having a dedicated PR consultancy that lives and breathes the industry is a godsend; especially when it comes to crafting creative campaigns built around thought-leadership articles and securing their placement in industry-leading publications.

3 – Keep it objective

By-lined articles are not sales pitches and should focus on trends and current topics impacting your industry and the wider world. Any publication worth its salt nowadays will want exclusive and objective copy, written to their editorial style. While some may allow a ‘soft plug’, the PR benefit of thought-leadership comes from being published in your target media and visibly seen to be tackling an industry issue.

Do these three simple things and your thought-leadership will go to the next level – and your spokespeople will be the talk of the town!

Want to discover how we can help you create and execute impactful thought-leadership campaigns? Get in touch today on 0333 444 0468 or via enquiries@xl-comms.com.

Liam Andrews

https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-andrews/