Here's how you can craft a successful thought leadership communication strategy.

As Stephen Covey says, "Begin with the End in mind". So, it is important that you clearly identify on what are the key goals that you wish to achieve with your contents. These goals should not from your perspective but, from the audience perspective. It should answer the question of WIIIFM ( What Is In It For me ? ). Once you have identified the top goals, the flow, the actual content and communication approach can be put in place. So, begin with the end in mind.

Start by identifying your unique expertise and the key messages you want to share. Create high-quality, valuable content that showcases your knowledge and insights, such as blog posts, articles, videos, and podcasts. Share this content consistently across various platforms where your audience is active. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, participating in discussions, and networking with other leaders in your field. Monitor your performance and adjust your strategy based on feedback and analytics. Stay authentic and provide genuine value to build credibility and influence in your industry.

Before creating your contents as a Thought leader a proper research need to be done in terms of who are you planning to target. It includes the Demographics ( aspects like location, age, education, gender, knowledge level etc.), Psychographics ( their beliefs, values, interests, attitude etc. ) and the Context of your content presentation ( in person Vs online , formal Vs Informal, Interactive Vs Non Interactive etc.). By understanding your audience, you can create contents that will be closer to their hearts instead of talking at a very high , generic, theoretical level. This will help you to reach them much faster than a generic approach.

As content consumption changes, it's imperative that you make every effort to BUILD an audience that will resonate with you. Intentionally crafting authentic and passionate messaging that organically catches fire is not easy, but if you truly believe in your cause, you must trust the process. Structure, logic, and consistency will help with building authority and credibility, so I highly encourage anyone who is looking into launching a thought-leadership strategy for themselves to be mindful of their identity, gain clarity on what they stand for, and fine-tune their messaging until there is no room for ambiguity.

Value is the main key. The old adage of “what’s in it for me” needs to be the first thought when approaching content to be distributed to the targeted receiver. How will we reach them with an original message that gains their attention in an increasingly crowded environment where people are bombarded with constant “noise” that affects their ability to adequately consume your message? It has to have an instant resonation that makes them feel it was made just for them. It all goes back to understanding the audience and entrenching in the marketplace. Producing compelling, ongoing content that draws them in and connects to their needs/wants/desires is the true art form of effective messaging.

Leverage existing networks: Connect with peers, colleagues, and industry professionals through social media, networking events, and conferences to reinforce your position as a thought leader. Forge new connections: Actively participate in networking opportunities to build relationships with individuals in different sectors or with varied experiences, expanding the diversity of your network. Collaborate with influencers: Partner with prominent industry experts, authors, or speakers to create content or host events together, mutually benefiting from each other's audience and expertise. Engage with industry forums: Participate in panel discussions, webinars, or online groups to share your perspective join valuable conversations.

In this world, where it is multi- generational / cultural, where there is a urge of wanting to know more, but sometimes do not know how to use those information, as most of them are nice to know information, rather need to know, which is more of infoxication and it is sometimes hard to communicate the strategy / objective / goal and importantly getting their conviction. What works well based on my experience is to "Keep it Short & Simple" (Kiss) and as a leader it is important to filter the noise and focus on the "End objective" and most importantly having a clear and detailed plan on the "what" is to be communicated & "How" is to be communicated, sometimes even simple silence is effective in a communication.

A thought leadership strategy should be super simple and answer these questions: What is my main objective? Who is part of my community? What can I bring to the table?