Thought management content material is a good way to indicate off your experience, develop your community and
increase model consciousness on your firm.
As a founder or govt in a high-growth know-how firm, you doubtless use your experience to assist prospects and drive income daily. That qualifies you as an issue skilled.
What if you happen to might seize a few of that experience and share it with a related neighborhood or viewers?
That’s what thought management articles are all about.
In This Article
What Is Thought Management Content material?
Thought management content material is written, audio or visible media that firms use to set themselves aside by demonstrating experience and sharing distinctive views on a specific subject of curiosity to their audience. Thought management offers worth that audiences can’t get anyplace else.
Thought management articles are often authored by a specific govt or one other worker, with that particular person’s title because the byline. When you have a advertising skilled in your crew, they could assist with the writing course of.
In lots of circumstances, firms will pitch these articles to media shops, hoping that the thought positive factors traction with a brand new viewers. But it surely’s additionally advantageous to put up these concepts by yourself as weblog posts or long-form LinkedIn articles, both in your firm web page or your private profile.
A profitable and well-executed thought management content material technique can assist:
place your organization as an authority on a sure subject;increase model consciousness; andexpose you to potential new prospects, buyers and companions.
Qualities of a Nice Thought Management Content material Technique
Nice thought management content material tends to share 4 qualities:
Unique: Readers need one thing new — not a regurgitated thought or a proof of a extensively held perception. Attempt to take a brand new stance. In case you’re writing a couple of frequent subject, develop a nuanced perspective. Thought-provoking: Make your viewers really feel one thing whereas they learn. Don’t be afraid to problem norms and tackle issues in your trade. Predictive: Don’t cease at “This development is occurring…” Inform your viewers how issues will proceed to vary or what development is arising subsequent. Non-promotional: This holds true for any thought management articles that shall be pitched to a media outlet. Your aim is to share experience, not promote your individual services or products. Keep away from phrasing resembling “At our firm, we’re doing XYZ.” In case you’re posting in your firm’s weblog or on owned social channels, it’s advantageous to be a bit extra promotional — however hold targeted on the large concept.
Methods to Create Thought Management Content material
Creating thought management content material is a five-step course of:
Concept Era and BrainstormingOutlining and WritingEditingPitchingPromoting and Repurposing
1. Concept Era and Brainstorming
You’ve obtained to begin someplace!
Begin by figuring out your subject. Maybe you might have an overarching take in your trade, a technical perception associated to your market or a technique for buyer acquisition. Subsequent up:
Arrange a brainstorming session. Don’t be afraid to ask a pal or colleague to brainstorm the thought with you. Oftentimes, we do our greatest pondering in a free-flowing dialog. Strive recording your self to seize these off-hand pearls of knowledge.
Be ready however versatile. Let your massive concept come to you. You would possibly begin with an concept in thoughts, however as you communicate, one thing new pops into your head.
2. Outlining and Writing
Now it’s your job to show a dialog right into a coherent article.
Construct a top level view. This isn’t at all times vital, however it may be useful. Be sure to’re heading in the right direction earlier than you spend hours writing.
Write on your meant viewers. Communicate the language of your audience, even if you happen to’re undecided which media shops shall be fascinated with your put up simply but.
Write a blurb about your self. This blurb is a useful paragraph for the start or finish of your article. It might appear unnatural to talk about your function, background, earlier accomplishments, and so on., however it’s vital for the viewers to know why they need to belief your tackle this subject.
3. Enhancing
It’s at all times useful to have one other set of eyes in your article.
Discover a trusted editor. Whether or not that’s a pal, colleague, advertising professional, and so on, you’ll want somebody who may give you trustworthy suggestions.
Don’t over-edit. Attempt to hold your modifying circle small; the extra individuals concerned, the more durable it’s to agree on a last draft. Good is usually the enemy of excellent; just a few considerate drafts are higher than a number of back-and-forths.
4. Pitching
Not all thought management content material shall be pitched to a media outlet; it’s completely advantageous to publish the articles by yourself channels. In case you are looking for media involvement, it’s greatest to:
Write an summary. Ship a brief electronic mail that shortly summarizes your article and why it will resonate with a media outlet’s viewers. Journalists want electronic mail pitches which might be 100 phrases or much less, however solely 13% of pitches are this size, based on Plotlights.
Goal area of interest/trade shops. Even if you happen to write a spectacular put up, Forbes and TechCrunch most likely received’t be capable to publish it. And plenty of giant shops function on a pay-to-play construction. At no cost engagements, goal smaller information shops and commerce publications that your audience is more likely to go to. In case you’re writing about growth, go to dev publications. In case you’re dishing on MarTech, look to an outlet that appeals to advertising professionals.
Construct relationships with reporters. A media outlet would possibly decline your thought management article. Possibly it wasn’t the correct match, or the timing was poor. Keep good relationships in case your subsequent piece is up their alley.
5. Selling and Repurposing
Thought management content material can solely be groundbreaking if it’s learn and shared by many.
Share via owned channels. Begin by selling your article by yourself social media channels – whether or not that’s a private LinkedIn profile or your organization’s account. Embody sufficient info in your social copy to get the message throughout by itself.
Be a very good accomplice. In case your media outlet accomplice is posting the story, make sure to remark and like their posts. Don’t be afraid to drop the hyperlink within the feedback of different related posts as effectively. This helps place your organization within the dialog.
Discover methods to repurpose your content material. You’ve labored onerous in your thought management; don’t let it fade after one put up. Break up the content material into smaller items for social media, document a podcast rehashing the thought or add a singular spin to generate an organization weblog put up. Now’s your likelihood to be promotional via your owned channels.
4 Thought Management Content material Examples
Listed below are 4 thought management content material examples printed by York IE’s Advisory as a Service shoppers:
Methods to Repair The Damaged Fundraising Course of for EntrepreneursOutlet: Crunchbase NewsAuthor: Jason Furtado, CEO and co-founder, Shoobx
Distant Work Has Many Advantages. However It May Be Higher — and Extra Enjoyable.Outlet: BuiltInAuthor: Scott Smith, CEO, CloudApp
How Human-Augmented AI Will Rework UX ResearchOutlet: Quirks MediaAuthor: Nitzan Shaer, CEO and co-founder, WEVO
When Innovation Isn’t Sufficient: Pharma’s Subsequent FrontierOutlet: LinkedInAuthor: Michael Sheeley, CEO and co-founder, Nurse-1-1
Getting Began with Thought Management Content material
Now that you simply’ve learn some thought management content material examples, it’s time to present your self a platform to share your distinctive views. Begin jotting down your concepts, seize a pal to brainstorm with and get began!
