| Lately the age-old business dilemma of how to stand | | | | ignorance of where to begin. Yet embarking on just |
| out from the crowd has been haunting companies | | | | two simple stages will get the process moving in the |
| and professional service firms more than ever before. | | | | right direction, building confidence as the effort |
| All too many firms nowadays look too much alike, | | | | succeeds. |
| with marketing strategies seemingly unable to | | | | Stage One: Publish your ideas as articles in business |
| distinguish them from their competition. Glossy | | | | publications, a seemingly daunting task until this |
| brochures, snazzy websites, press releases, | | | | challenge is broken down into baby steps. First |
| advertising: when everyone employs the same | | | | compose a list of article ideas that align with your |
| methods, everyone ends up vying for the same | | | | business objectives, asking yourself: Which services |
| narrow window of client and prospect attention. | | | | do I most wish to promote? What expertise/service |
| To escape this marketing black hole, many companies | | | | do I most want to be known for? Are there services |
| have adopted an uncommon strategy that elevates | | | | even my oldest customers may not realize my |
| both principal and firm above the fray. This approach | | | | company has to offer? Your answers will translate |
| positions the firms expert professionals as thought | | | | into publishing ideas. |
| leaders. | | | | Next, after answering such questions, go searching |
| Names of superstar thought leaders are not only well | | | | for an editor who sees a fit for your ideas with her |
| known but the stuff of legend: Bill Gates, Tom | | | | publication. Pitch to magazines read by |
| Peters, Richard Branson, Martha Stewart, to name a | | | | decision-makers who typically hire your firm or by |
| few. Rather than abandoning marketing to a | | | | referral sources that can spread word of month |
| marketing department, they inject themselves into | | | | about your firm. Create this list using library |
| the heart of the process, churning out books, articles, | | | | directories or by searching the Web. |
| conference speeches, media interviews to keep their | | | | Whats important to realize at this point is that |
| visibility machines boiling. Amid the resulting | | | | business editors out there regularly depend on |
| excitement and industry debate, they simultaneously | | | | professionals just like you to feed them publishable |
| personalize their company, expand their products | | | | ideas. After all, they only can know what to publish in |
| exposure, and deepen both market share and loyalty | | | | their pages as a result of input from those of us on |
| from their customers. | | | | the front lines. So dont underestimate the |
| Richard Branson, for example, has taken his Virgin | | | | publishability of your day-to-day knowledge, |
| conglomerate literally to new heights by attempting | | | | expertise, value or insights. Ideas that might seem |
| such stunts as piloting an air balloon around the world. | | | | mundane may be viewed as among the best-kept |
| Martha Stewart, despite her legal troubles, has made | | | | leading edge secrets in the business world when you |
| herself and her firm rich beyond words by melting | | | | share them with an editor. |
| away the branding lines that traditionally divide a | | | | After you getting published, Stage Two involves |
| companys products from a CEOs personality. These | | | | speaking at business events. Some engagements |
| are only two examples of results the process can | | | | may come about because a conference planner read |
| produce. | | | | your article and invited you to come and speak about |
| This capacity to reach beyond traditional marketing | | | | it, but most gigs will get arranged when you actively |
| approaches is available to us all, a process that only | | | | leverage your published works. Send email |
| needs to be committed to and then implemented | | | | announcements to your business e-list, send a news |
| within often-ignored channels. There are two main | | | | release announcing your published articles, post the |
| vehicles to employ: (a) publishing articles and/or | | | | article on your companys website, pass out your |
| books, and (b) delivering talks and presentations. | | | | article to customers, colleagues, prospects, |
| Such center-spotlight marketing attracts attention | | | | employees, even vendors. Dont sit around and wait |
| and recognition from a target market in ways that | | | | for people to see it, instead leap into action, insuring |
| more commonplace marketing tools cannot attain. | | | | that your work gets read. Build a buzz! |
| Dan Cassidy, President of Argus Consulting Ltd | | | | At your actual talks, always distribute your article for |
| (Concord MA), for example, has published many | | | | free, promoting your availability as a speaker too. |
| articles in leading HR and benefits planning journals in | | | | And when you get offered any kind of speaking gig, |
| the US, Canada and the U.K. Attendant publicity | | | | dont turn it down! Larry Winget, a highly sought-after |
| around these publishing credits has led to Cassidy be | | | | motivational speaker, has stated, The very best way |
| interviewed by such high-profile media outlets as The | | | | to get speaking engagements is to simply go out and |
| Street.Com, Institutional Investor and Wall Street | | | | speak! Exposure breeds exposure, exponentially |
| Journal Radio. | | | | growing your speaking schedule. Speaking can then |
| As a result, Cassidy is known beyond the borders of | | | | lead to more article assignments as you never know |
| his own client/prospect community for a higher-level | | | | when an editor may be sitting out there in your |
| benefits planning expertise. To capitalize on this | | | | audience and loving what you have to say. |
| heightened credibility, he never fails to calls attention | | | | By taking these actions, your credibility, and that of |
| to these media credits whenever strategically | | | | your firm, will leapfrog you over your competitors. |
| advantageous occasions arise, such as during a trade | | | | Third party endorsements from publications and |
| show, marketing campaign or in the midst of an | | | | conference planners will solidly establish you as an |
| actual sales call. | | | | author/speaker and a leading thinker in your field, |
| Given thought leadership's competitive advantages, | | | | elevating your firms services as well. Once this |
| taking the plunge would seem to be a no-brainer. Yet | | | | happens, bona fide thought leadership will have |
| many consultants and companies hesitate out of fear | | | | officially arrived. Once that happens, enjoy the ride! |
| that the process will not work for them, or out of | | | | |