Cultivating Grace in Thought Leadership
What does it mean to talk about graceful thought leaders? What could thought leadership have to do with grace in the first place? And what would it look like to step away from spamming, pitching, shouting in crowded places? Your thinking and attention might just feel…better I’ll be writing about the why, what, and how […]
Balancing Innovation and Advocacy
Startups in B2B are justifiably very focused on being in “build mode.” But they shouldn’t lose sight of how to be in “communicate mode” as well. Many founders are not even naturally inclined to be vocal advocates. But when you’re innovating, you also have to be a clear voice on why the problem you are […]
Embracing Playfulness, Flexibility, and Resilience
Be an octopus. No, not putting your (unwanted) arms and hands everywhere. But like this: The octopus is PLAYFUL. They have been observed short-circuiting their tank lighting, spraying water at people, and throwing items. They are masters of mimicry. They even seem to prank other animals. The octopus is FLEXIBLE. They can unlock cage doors […]
Decoding the Myth of Data-Driven Objectivity
Relying on data is often nothing more than outsourcing your subjectivity. Data doesn’t say anything. People say things. Saying things takes sense-making. Sense depends on human context.
The Power of Thought Leadership for High-Stakes Decisions
One thing B2B marketers often get wrong—they use generic, mass-market tactics for small-to-mid-sized businesses when their buyers are large enterprises. They put traffic ahead of trust. This mistake seems more common among smaller and newer providers, but it happens elsewhere, too. The thing is, the buying decision for a high-stakes, high-ticket purchase doesn’t work like […]
Breaking Free from the Commodity Box
So many thought leadership efforts get stuck in the commodity box. So how can they break out and keep out? First, focus on insight. Make sure you’re not just creating safe or informational content. It’s easy, but low value. Instead, help people rethink an issue. Next, make your POV personal. The best thought leadership shares […]
Prepping for Thought Leadership Success in 2024
Now is a great time to take inventory of your thought leadership capabilities ahead of detailed 2024 planning. Here are several core questions you should be asking yourself now:
Beyond Metrics, Embracing Conversations
Here’s my challenge to you as you think about how to measure thought leadership outcomes in 2024. Stop focusing on metrics like views, clicks, likes, and leads. Stop worrying about SEO. Instead, start having conversations. Ask your sales team, “Did you use this in a meeting? How did it help you? What else would help […]
A Strategic Roadmap for Marketers
Marketers can take a practical step towards building 2024 thought leadership TODAY with one simple action. Schedule a 30-minute call with client-facing subject-matter experts. If you don’t have names, find them out. The agenda is to ask them about what questions clients have started asking lately and what trends they see emerging. Develop and share […]
2024 Thought Leadership Strategy
Here we are in September, and yes, it is time to start planning your approach to thought leadership in 2024. I’ve noticed companies that don’t have a plan in place before the start of the year tend to get stuck and not produce anything until much later in the year. Companies with a plan in […]