What is Thought Leadership in PR copy and why is it important?

Thought Leadership in PR copy is what sets companies apart from the competition. It demonstrates expertise by sharing valuable information, ideas and opinions. It’s called Thought Leadership because it shapes industry conversations which in turn build awareness and trust.

When you’re browsing through the trade magazines, some articles might stand out and capture your attention more than others. Occasionally you might find a feature about precisely the product you need and are ready to buy now, but more often than not you’ll skim through the pages to get an overview of who is doing what.

The articles that often stop us in our tracks are the ones that offer something new. Perhaps an innovative idea or an interesting insight, or it might give us a forward-thinking solution to an age-old problem.

Is Thought Leadership right for my business?

Yes!

When I put the idea of Thought Leadership to clients sometimes, they’ll feel a bit uncomfortable with the idea. They don’t think their company is big enough, they don’t think they are clever enough, or they don’t feel they have enough to say. Some don’t believe that anyone else would want to hear what they have to say because they’re not a market leader yet.

But these are exactly the kind of people readers want to hear from. If you have been in the industry for a while or you are an expert in your field, and you have an opinion or a view on the market, you can use Thought Leadership in your PR copy strategy.

Differentiation through Thought Leadership PR copy

There are not many markets that aren’t fiercely competitive, especially as, at the time of writing, the global economic landscape remains uncertain. Thought Leadership is an important strategic tool that can be used by individuals and businesses to stand out, gain trust in the market, and support success.

If you look through your industry’s trade press now, you will probably find a handful of people that appear everywhere. Individuals that are giving their opinions and often pushing boundaries in their field, or people providing expertise and guidance time and time again. They didn’t start out as the authoritative voice in the industry. Gradually, with consistent coverage, these people become increasingly influential.

The success of these individuals and companies then filters into a cycle of magazines and audiences wanting to hear more from them. They become the leading voice in their area of the market and people want to hear what they have to say.

Is Thought Leadership restricted to PR copy in trade magazines?

Absolutely not.

Longer pieces like blog posts or feature articles in trade magazines are a good place to start when it comes to Thought Leadership because you have a higher word count to explain your opinions and build a picture of your expertise. But the more mileage you can give your Thought Leadership PR copy, the better. You can break it down and use it in your content marketing for example, you can use it for the basis for podcast discussions, or e-mail marketing, or even as the subject of talks at industry events.

The only restriction to Thought Leadership is the time and effort it takes to pull these articles together. It takes time to come up with the ideas, to do any necessary research you need to back up your opinion or to help make your point, to write a full-page article or blog post, and to edit it to make sure it’s valuable for your audience and publication-ready for the magazines.

A dedicated PR copywriter with experience in Thought Leadership PR copy can be a hugely valuable asset if you don’t have the time, resource, or expertise in-house to translate your thoughts, opinions and advice into engaging copy. They will ghostwrite it too, so the article will still be in your name, so you can take all the credit for sounding authoritative, without spending hours writing the articles yourself.

A game changer for PR copy

Thought Leadership is a powerful marketing strategy that should not be underestimated by any business, no matter how big or small, well-known or not. Over time it can transform your marketing and attract the right customers, suppliers, and talent to your business.

PR copy that utilises Thought Leadership can be a game changer for companies with something valuable to say, and remember, if you are an expert in your field, you will have something valuable to say.

For help with your Thought Leadership PR copy, contact me today at [email protected]