You cannot claim yourself to be a thought leader, but by effectively communicating through the media, you can get there. In this blog we will look at the role of thought leadership, how being positioned as an expert positively impacts your strategic business goals and how a specialised PR agency can help you get there.
We all admire those who are experts in their fields. They are the people in our industry that we look up to because they have something of value to say and we trust their opinion. They have an understanding of their sector or market and can offer insights into trends and market forces that may affect their business. They are the go-to people when journalists need an opinion on something; be it a global ransomware attack, new online payment platforms or the impact of software applications.
Most business owners, managing directors and CEOs will have a deep understanding of their business and the sector in which it operates. This knowledge often goes beyond their specific business and extends to the broader sector in which they operate, such as market trends, impending legislation that may affect the industry, new technologies, and so on. This knowledge base can be an untapped resource for businesses and prospective customers.
So how can this knowledge be harnessed and used constructively to achieve business goals? This is where a specialist PR agency can help. A PR agency will recognise the various knowledge resources within an organisation and how those people can contribute to the company’s media image. The PR agency can then secure opportunities that will give the expert within a company a platform to communicate their knowledge. This could be anything from taking part in an interview for an article on a specific theme, or producing a blog on a newsworthy topic.
Expert opinions tend to carry more weight and value than a simple plug for the company’s products or services; they show a deep understanding of not only the company’s offering, but the industry as a whole.
The results of this can be significant for the company and the expert as an individual. As the individual builds their profile through the specialist PR agency, they will start to be seen as the person to approach for comment and opinion in their particular area. Customers and potential customers, meanwhile, will see that the firm has a high level of knowledge and understanding of its field.
Over the years we have had many clients show that they are thought leaders in their particular sectors. Pat Larkin, CEO of Ireland’s leading information security provider, Ward Solutions, is often asked to provide his insights on cyber security matters – be it the latest global data breach or Ward’s own research. Peter Keeling, CEO of Diaceutics, the Irish medtech company enabling better patient testing globally, regularly provides data-backed commentary on precision medicine. And Francis O’Haire, CTO of specialist IT solutions distributor, DataSolutions, frequently offers his thoughts on new technologies that enable business growth.
These are just some of the thought leaders who we help make an impact in their respective industries. If you would like our help positioning you as an expert in your field please contact us.