Thought leadership has been a popular branding and marketing method for the past few years: It’s the practice of creating and disseminating original content for blogs and social media platforms that builds brand consciousness in the minds of a target audience. It’s a great way to soft-sell your expertise to prospects and clients so that they’re more likely to buy from you when the time comes.

Recent data shows that thought leadership can give B2B companies an edge over the competition. According to a recent Edelman-LinkedIn study, 88% of decision-makers say that thought leadership can enhance their perception of a brand, and nearly half said it influences their purchasing decisions.

Here are five ways to leverage your expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader in the promo industry.

1. Figure out where you want to focus. Consider specific aspects of the industry that you can speak to. Is there an area that you have a passion for? What are your differentiators? What do you find most fulfilling about the business? Make sure it’s a subject that will resonate with people – education- and marketing-wise – and plan out the directions you can take. That will give you plenty of opportunity to generate content, including blog posts and videos.

2. Determine which platforms to use. Pick two or three sites you think would work well for you and your audience, and make adjustments as necessary. Definitely consider Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and perhaps Instagram if there’s a visual component to your content. Each platform requires different structure and tone, so while you can use the same content across sites, it should be formatted for each. Start with blog posts and tweets, and expand with videos and podcasts. Consider a service like Hootsuite for managing content in multiple places.

3. Be clear and authoritative. Write in uncomplicated language and avoid weak phrases that undermine your expertise, like “I think” or “In my opinion.” Be definitive in your statements, and don’t get too deep in the weeds. Keep content “snackable” – most people want quick hits they can consume fast with obvious takeaways. A winding narrative could overwhelm your audience and they’ll click away before arriving at your main point. Make it short and concise, and cover distinct topics each time.

88%
of decision-makers say that thought leadership can enhance their perception of a brand, and nearly half said it influences their purchasing decisions.

(Edelman-LinkedIn)

4. Be vulnerable, and don’t self-promote. It’s OK to inject humor and some self-deprecation into your posts, as long as it doesn’t undermine your authority. But people respond well to and connect with humanity. Find a balance between being human and expressing your expertise. And key to being a thought leader is backing off self-promotion and selling. Discuss your experience with what you’re covering and educate your audience, but avoid the hard sell of your products and services. That will turn people away.

5. Post with consistency. You don’t have to post every day, but you should post reliably, especially as you build a following. Once you have a growing captive audience, they’ll be anticipating your posts and videos. Once or twice a week at the same time of day should suffice, perhaps with smaller content pieces (like tweets) sprinkled in between to keep your brand top of mind. But don’t try to make a brand-new TikTok every day.