5 Thought Leadership Hacks Every Communications Professional should know
I’ve worked on my fair share of thought leadership projects over the years. Every single one has been a major investment for the company and the communications team. If you’re making that investment I want you to get the most bang for your buck. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for your next project:
Start with the headline
That’s right - start at the end. At the outset of the project draw up a list of headlines you think your CEO would love to see in the New York Times and pitch them to key senior leaders. This is a really helpful exercise for getting clarity on messaging, outcomes, and content before you’ve spent any money.
Make a time series
If you’re commissioning research make sure it’s something that works as a time series. That way you can keep doing the same research year after year and show how things are changing over time. After a bigger upfront investment, the research should become more affordable in subsequent years and you will be able to draw more insights from the content. It should also make things easier for your communications team who can build on their experience each year, rather than starting a new thought leadership project from scratch.
Don’t do the work in-house
Communications can be a crisis business and it’s hard to make a thought leadership project happen if there’s no hard deadline. Partnering with a research company or a university department for research will keep timelines on track and add credibility to your data.
Create separate studies for key markets
If you work for an international company your international markets will love you if you can create some research that’s local. They will be much more likely to share any insights in presentations and speeches if they apply to their local audience. It will also mean that when your CEO does a local office visit they have something relevant to say about that location. An approach that’s global and local is a win-win all round.
Work with a great design team
If your graphics person is kind of meh, don’t be afraid to look externally for someone who can create awesome infographics, slide decks, and even an interactive microsite… all on brand, of course. How you present any new data or research will have a direct bearing on impact and accessibility so it’s worth making the added investment.
