The Age of Thought Leadership

This eZine is the third in the series of steps that make up the marketing process. Familiarity and Information are the steps that follow Attention. Because these two are so closely connected, I'll cover them in this one issue.

Where did that old saying "familiarity breeds contempt," come from?

My guess is that it was coined by a cynic who felt that the better we know people, the more likely we are to find fault with them.

This may be true for some people and some situations, but as far as promoting your business is concerned, I've found just the opposite to be true.

This weekend I spoke at the IMC (Institute of Management Consultants) Confab. It's a conference of about 200 management consultants looking to improve their practices.

And I'm finding that familiarity is a very positive factor.

Many people there knew me from my weekly eZine, others had attended my teleclasses and others had purchased my online products. I felt like a celebrity! Some people approached me with ideas for joint ventures and wanted to brainstorm.

Let me tell you, familiarity is a whole lot better than obscurity!

A big part of marketing yourself is simply doing everything you possibly can to increase your familiarity or visibility. It's a process that needs to be ongoing.

I'm sure you know all the things to do - from networking to speaking to publishing online and off. By becoming known as an expert in your field, you increase your familiarity and trust level with prospective clients.

One of my colleagues, Steven van Yoder, who also presented at the conference, talked about 'thought leadership marketing' - a mindset based on earning trust and credibility, and building recognition as a trusted resource by educating your prospects, rather than marketing at them.

Yoder talked about going beyond familiarity and incorporating more valuable information in your marketing. It's no longer enough that people know who you are or have met you and feel you are a business person with integrity.

They need to become familiar with how you think, what you stand for, new concepts you've developed and the outcomes you've delivered for your clients.

On the surface this doesn't sound too hard. However, it takes some concentrated thinking to communicate those ideas.

But if you're going to really stand out in the age of thought leadership and become familiar and credible to your prospective clients, you really don't have a choice.

Where do you start?

With a single article. It can bridge the gap between an initial connection with a prospect (attention) and a meeting to explore working together. This might happen on your web site or in a face-to-face meeting at a conference:

Prospect: "What you do sounds very interesting. Do you have more information?"

You: "Yes, I've written an article titled 'The Seven Management Mistakes that are Killing Productivity.' Can I send you a copy?"

Prospect: "Sounds intriguing. Sure, please send it to me."

You: "Be happy to. And then I'd like to get back to you and find out more about your business."

Prospect: "Great, I look forward to speaking with you more."

This is the process of thought leadership in action! You have an interested prospect and you provided some valuable information, paving the way for follow-up.

Repeat this scenario in dozens of different ways (articles on your web site and eZine and distributed to other sites, transformed into presentations, blogs and teleclasses, etc., etc.) and before long, you're known as a thought leader!

In other words, don't wait until you have your "grand business model" all figured out. Write something, today and get it out there tomorrow.

Next week I'll take this to the next level - how to create a deeper experience of you and your business for your prospective clients.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: To develop trust and credibility these days you need to become a thought leader. You do this by utilizing familiarity and information to get your ideas in front of your prospective clients.

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What does it mean to you to be a thought leader? What have you done to take the plunge? Please share on the Blog.

Comments

[Michael Kaselnak]

Hi Robert, I could not agree more. Consistency breeds credibility. If your teenage son wants to go to a concert with his friends. You use the fact that he never makes his bed as an example of why you do not think he is responsible enough to go to the concert.

Now of course he's going to make his bed tomorrow. Do you now consider him responsible? No, it will take a continued and consistent effort on your son's part before you believe he is responisble.

It is the same way with the way we communicate to our clients. If we are consistent in our message and regular in its delivery, we will see the results in the trust that they hand over to us.

Mike Kaselnak

[Susan Kruger]

Hi Robert,

As a subscriber and student of yours for nearly six years, I have internalized your message about the importance of writing. I have only been in "e-business" a few months, but have been faithfully writing my ezines. Recently, two different people approached me about joint ventures, so I packaged together a few ezine articles for a "free bonus" that will be valuable to their clients, yet serve as a friendly introduction to me and my services. Best of all, these did not require any additional work for me.

At the request of a magazine publisher, I am writing monthly articles for elementary students (younger than my original target market of middle school students.) In 12-18 mos, I can compile those articles to create a new product for parents/students in an earlier phase of school, which can also develop faithful clients as the students grow a little older.

Writing seems to have an exponential power because these connections first became "familiar" with me through my articles. These steps are baby steps, but they are momentum!
Thank you,

-Susan Kruger