PrintEmail

Do you want to be known as a "thought leader" in your industry?

Of course you do!

A thought leader is essentially a trusted resource. And, in an information economy, a trusted resource is extremely valuable. It doesn't matter what industry you're in - whether you have a Fortune 1000 company or a bakery in a small town - thought leadership will propel your business in ways that you could never imagine. For example, here are three benefits of becoming a "thought leader"…

Why You Want to Become a Thought Leader

1. Prospects will prefer you. The more expensive the products and services, the more prospects

will want to seek out recognized leaders. They want to know that the provider is well established and can demonstrate expertise. They want someone who can provide reliable answers and someone who will continue to solve problems and provide cutting-edge information long after the purchase.

2. You will be recognized as a central source of information. When customers, prospects and the media need to know something that involves an industry, they'll think first of the company or expert they perceive to be the thought leader. People invite thought leaders to speak at high-profile functions, present at trade shows, get interviewed and write articles, opinion pieces and books.

3. Dominate the search engines: Incoming links are one of the key ways to increase search engine optimization. Thought leaders who take advantage of online opportunities such as article marketing will develop a following, increase their company's online visibility and at the same time improve their SEO.

If you write and submit articles the right way - you can become a thought leader fast.

So, how can you become a thought leader fast?

Top 7 Tips to Help You Become a Thought Leader Just By Writing and Submitting Articles Online

1. Write articles on a consistent basis.
To be a thought leader - you need to consistently articulate and convey insightful information that listeners and readers value. This means, you should be writing articles - if not on a daily basis - then a weekly basis. These articles should be used for article submission. They should be on your blog. They should put into an auto-responder series. And, they should be turned into products.

2. Give away your best tips and advice.
Truly insightful information is a rare commodity. So, if you reveal some of your best secrets that no one else is sharing, you will automatically become a "thought leader." Plus, if the information you're sharing is hot, prospects will think, "Wow! If he's giving away this information for free - I wonder what I will learn if I get his products or consulting services!" They'll be drooling to get onto your list, learn more about you and your offerings - and most importantly - buy from you. So, if you want to be a thought leader is then you have to be eager to give information away.

3. Be motivated by generosity, not self-interest.
People are more likely to follow altruists - and they instinctively know the difference. Don't ruin your article marketing efforts by writing an amazing article - and then try to sell them in the bio box.

Earn your prospect's respect first by telling them how you can help them - and then invite them to get a free special report or other call-to-action that reinforces the fact that you are a thought leader. Then focus on selling them.