Achieving thought leadership in your field

The problematic definition of thought leadership

What is thought leadership? Many mistakenly assume that thought leadership means being in the limelight. As such, they will often pay for stage time. Some might buy advertorials in a magazine, sponsor an event in exchange for a prominent speaking slot (or even an award), or pay a blogger or influencer to post positively about their organization or product. 

Are such people thought leaders? Here’s a hint: Thought leadership does not - and will never - involve you paying for anything. If all it took was capital to become a thought leader, then all the Fortune 500 CEOs would be routine fixtures in their respective fields. But we all know that this is not the case.

The true meaning of thought leadership

Thought leadership, in short, must be earned. That's why thought leaders come from smaller, up-and-coming companies, or even complete upstarts, like the founders of startups. They set the discourse in their industry and lead the discussion, even in the midst of building their organization. This is the meaning of thought leadership. 

How does one go about earning - and just importantly, maintaining - thought leadership? You need to give people in your field a reason to listen. This notion is of course deceptively simple, and easier said than done. 

If thought leadership was just about providing content worth a person’s attention, then every business leader with expertise to share would be a thought leader. But again, we all know that this is not the case. People who are extremely knowledgeable about their industry are routinely overlooked in favor of those who may have less. 

Bookshelf PH will package your thought leadership in a way that appeals to your peers, all while staying true to your personal branding. This can take the form of articles, blogs, white papers, and even a book. What's important about these efforts is that they coalesce into something greater: They each direct signposts to you as a person worth paying attention to. There are several benefits to actively building your thought leadership.

Thought leadership gets your audience to take notice.

Many well-meaning business leaders are routinely ignored. It's not just about expertise, after all. You need to sell your ideas through storytelling prowess.

This is where we excel. Bookshelf PH helps you cut through the noise by establishing your company’s identity through a variety of thought leadership activities, including publishing blogs and articles that discuss about pressing issues, unique insights, and other relevant topics in your industry.

No matter the content type or channel, we make sure your thought leadership stands out from the crowd. When others stop to listen to you in an era of infinite noise, you know you're doing something right.

Thought leadership brings you the attention of decision-makers.

Thought leadership marketing generates more inbound leads, boosts your following on social media, and ultimately increases your business sales and revenue. For further proof, a 2020 Edelman-LinkedIn Thought Leadership Study found that 88% of decision-makers say thought leadership can be effective in enhancing their perception of an organization, while 48% of decision-makers say that thought leadership can influence their purchasing decisions. Need we say more? 

Thought leadership creates a flywheel for organic coverage.

Successful thought leadership has a snowball effect. At the beginning, you'll need to exert more effort in the form of outbound content. But once this starts rolling, it'll get easier and easier. People will start approaching you to request your participation in their content, such as everything from podcasts and blogs to newspapers and shows. This level of exposure in turn leads to even more media opportunities.

We kickstart and accelerate this avalanche of coverage through thought leadership that is consistently high-quality, attention-grabbing, well-written, and full of insights.

Our insights into thought leadership

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Our marketing solutions

In addition to thought leadership, we offer several complimentary marketing solutions for brands and business leaders.

  • Media relations

    Put your company in front of readers as you get featured through our existing network of journalists and writers around the globe.

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  • Social media marketing

    Provide your audience with engaging content and boost your brand's following across all your social media platforms.

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  • Content marketing

    Produce the regular content you need to engage your followers, turn them into leads, and convert them into customers.

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