Branding Your Company as a Thought Leader
Some companies are regarded as an industry thought leaders. The media contact them for interviews; they’re invited to speak at conferences filled with ideal prospects and their names are all over the Internet as many websites, bloggers and social media give them valuable exposure. Everyone knows their name, and they get all the business they can handle.
Thought leaders get noticed by offering information, insights, and ideas. They market themselves by earning trust and credibility, which easily attracts prospects, clients, and customers across all stages of the buying cycle.
Thought leaders not just get more business but the right business-and they don’t have to work so hard to get it.
It’s harder to stand out, let alone thrive, as a generic business. If you are a mere “management consultant,” a humble “trade association,” or a nondescript “financial advisor,” you risk fighting it out over price with look-alike competitors.
Thought leadership helps you break out of the anonymity trap. In a world where product characteristics are easily copied, or perceived to be minimal, thought leadership communicates your individuality–something that nobody else can communicate.
Thought leadership centers on sharing your knowledge and expertise. You seek opportunities to be seen, read, and heard – frequently in a variety of formats – by the people who matter most to your company. Instead of being seen as just another vendor vying for your customers’ limited funds, you are a trusted advisor who easily stands out from a crowd of cold callers.
Client Results: MCorp Consulting Becomes a Thought Leader
MCorp Consulting is a customer experience management consulting firm that measures company brand reach within a particular marketplace. MCorp needed to establish its foundation as an industry thought leader, boosting its visibility and credibility around customer experience in order to bolster its sales and marketing efforts.
Get The Word Out helped MCorp develop a Thought Leadership Program driven by publishing, public speaking and online visibility. We focused on positioning MCorp’s founder as a rising voice in the field of customer experience management, assisting MCorp in molding and articulating its ideas within industry forums, publications and websites.
Over a period of six months, Get The Word Out helped MCorp secure five articles in top industry publications, including Brandchannel.com, 1to1 Media and Loyalty Magazine and secured two speaking opportunities at top industry conferences, establishing MCorp’s credentials as a rising voice and influencer in customer experience management.
Thought Leadership Programs are full-service programs. We work in tandem with your marketing and sales team, handling each component of your program including project management, writing, editing, media relations, search engine optimization, graphic design, and multimedia production.
Thought Leadership Programs are results-oriented. We’ve helped dozens of clients, from professional firms to global companies, embrace our comprehensive Get Slightly Famous ™ Marketing Model to boost lead generation, sales, and higher profits.
Thought Leadership Programs pursue objectives that advance your marketing needs and goals. Over the years, we’ve helped clients:
- Research, define and establish ideal target markets and industries
- Refine a core marketing message and company positioning
- Publish articles in targeted media
- Develop and implement a public speaking strategy
- Publicize events and other company programs
- Develop white papers and other credibility enhancing materials
- Implement online prospect attraction strategies
- Create multimedia including podcasts and online video
Client Results: National Cooperative Business Association
The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) wanted to promote the cooperative industry within the United States. Get The Word Out implemented a comprehensive Thought Leadership Program centered on traditional and online media, showcasing the contributions co-ops made to the US economy in light of the economic crisis in Fall 2008.
Our strategy showcased several cooperative sectors via a NCBA Cooperative Speakers Bureau, where we provided media training to NCBA experts and presented them to the national media around issues related to cooperative banking, small business purchasing and healthcare.
A video Credit Unions: The Better Choice was produced to support our media outreach goal encouraging consumers to consider credit unions over commercial banks. Our efforts led to a major story in the Wall Street Journal, mentions on dozens of consumer websites and speaking opportunities for NCBA members.
Position Your Company as a Resource
Thought Leadership Programs begin with a Get Slightly Famous ™ Market Assessment. Using our proprietary method, we develop an understanding of your business and industry — how you work, how you are unique, what you are currently doing to promote yourself, and what is newsworthy about what you do.
Content Marketing
Thought leaders distribute useful information that educates their target market without sales pressure. We help you develop appropriate content marketing strategies that establish your reputation while attracting prospects, generating media interest, encouraging blogger relations, and boosting search engine rankings.
Online Presence
We help you turn your website into a source of industry education. We then expand your web presence by publishing your content on websites that reach your best prospects and key audiences while cultivating backlinks from top industry websites.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
We pursue a content-driven search engine strategy that integrates basic keyword optimization to ensure that your blog posts, articles, white papers, and/or videos are search optimized. Because generating links from relevant websites is a primary focus of SEO, we distribute your content to blogs and websites that apply to your industry.
Media Strategies
Newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media still influence anyone with a direct impact on your business. Media coverage gives a level of credibility rarely equaled by new online media.
We have a track record of positioning clients as media experts. We connect you with editors and journalists who cover your industry, turning your knowledge into a halo of authority.
Client Results: Applied Process Technology
For the past few years, Applied has utilized the first-rate public relations services of Get the Word Out Communications. During this time, we have witnessed the power of the “Get Slightly Famous” philosophy, which emphasized the value of press announcements, placing articles in key trade journals, and positioning our top executives as experts in our industry.
This approach provided the best value for our marketing dollar and translated into industry recognition that helped position our company as an innovator of “best available technologies” for emerging water treatment challenges. Best of all, we’ve experienced an increase in sales inquiries and orders.
Susan Foster Marketing Communications Manager, Applied Process Technology, Inc.
Public Speaking: the fastest way to establish thought leadership. Public speaking is a powerful way to establish your company as a thought leader. We identify and present your company to conferences, trade shows and speaking opportunities via delivering keynotes, leading panels and or delivering workshops.
What You Can Expect
Results
Depending on individual circumstances, clients experience results within 6 months after we start working together. The duration of a Thought Leadership Program is usually from 6-to-12 months.
Customized to Your Needs, Budget and Goals
This is not a one-size-fits-all program. We tailor Thought Leadership Programs to your particular budget and marketing goals.