Facebook makes us feel that thought leaders emerge overnight. What we frequently fail to see is all of the hard work behind the scenes. To grow your thought leadership you have to start with a "Why", create your own digital story, build and engage your audience, and establish leadership in the industry. It is a long and grueling process that requires clarity, commitment, consistency, and communication.

1. Circles of Influence: 4 stages of
establishing your thought leadership
Maria Dykstra

2. Thought Leadership
“A type of content marketing where you tap into the talent,
expertise and passion within your company to answer the
biggest questions on the particular topic for your target
audience”.
~Michael Brenner

3. Marketers trust Thought
Leaders 10x more than they
trust corporate blogs
People are 10x more likely to
share content from an
influencer than a corporate
blog
10x

4. 4. INDUSTRY OUTREACH
3. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
2. YOUR STORY: Your Narrative
1. YOUR “WHY”
4 Circles of Influence: From internal
“Why” to Industry Leadership

5. 1. Your “Why”
Most Crucial of All Circles: helps achieve
internal and external clarity required for
commitment to the process
➔ Internal: Brand Definition and
Messaging
The “Why” Behind your brand &
Hedgehog concept: Passion,
Competency, Economic Drive
➔ External: Market Situation
Industry trends, niche audiences and
micro-communities

6. “Great Leaders must have
two things:
A vision of the world that
does not exist yet and the
ability to communicate
this vision clearly”
~ Simon Sinek
Tip
Define your own “why”
and your vision with
Golden Circle by Simon
Sinek and Hedgehog
concept by Jim Collins

7. Sir Richard Branson.
Known for more than the Founder of
the Virgin Group with 400
companies...
An adventurous traveler who made
many world record attempts, a
relentless philanthropist and a
humanitarian working to solve difficult
world conflicts.
Tip
Understand your
passion and drive that
will help you persevere
through multiple sets
backs you will
experience along the
way

8. 2. YOUR STORY: Your Narrative
2. Your Story
Create your narrative and tell it consistently
across all available channels
➔ Authority Website
Your messaging, social proof, awards,
publications
➔ Social Media Presence
Consistent branding across social
media profiles; integrated narrative and
inluencer content
➔ Content Strategy Well planned
editorial calendar, strategy, asset map
and distribution plan

9. “You have everything you
need to build something
bigger than yourself…
starting a blog is
everything you need to
know about marketing”
~ Seth Godin
Tip
In a crowded market not
standing out is the
same as being invisible.
Focus on producing
remarkable content,
measure effectiveness
of your communication
and adjust accordingly

10. Barbara Corcoran is not
only good at selling
appartements...
Long before she became a Shark Tank
celebrity she realized that getting press
was good for business. She launched
the Corcoran report, a bi-annual
summary of New York real-estate
trends

11. 3. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
3. Audience
Engagement
Your audience lives in micro-communities.
You must make a conscience effort to find
them and engage them in a conversation
➔ Community outreach
Be a leader of a niche community, lead
the movement, make yourself known
➔ Audience growth and
engagement
Connect, Contact and Converse with
other Influencers and general audience

12. “We are moving from a world
where computing power was
scarce to a place where it is
limitless, and where the true scarce
commodity is increasingly
human
attention”
~ Satya Nadella
Tip
Gaining Influence is
now synonymous with
building community

13. Brian Solis is a
recognized keynote
speaker also known as a
digital futurist
He warned us of the attention deficit
back in 2010. He is focused on the
future of marketing that will be about
creating meaningful experiences
Tip
Focus on experiences
and connections above
all. Lead your audience
towards common goal
and vision

14. 4. INDUSTRY OUTREACH
4. Industry and
Media Outreach
Presence at the events and coverage in
media further establish your position as the
thought leader
➔ Industry and Event Leadership
Seek opportunities to influence the
entire industry via engagement in key
industry partners, milestones and
events
➔ Earned Media
Engage with top journalists, bloggers
and influencers and use their platform
to share your message

15. “Every niche has influencers who
have cultivated huge audiences.
Your goal is to borrow
that audience and credibility”
~ Andy Crestodina
Tip
In the past earned
media was traditionally
referred to as media
relations, Modern
definition of earned
media includes
connection with
bloggers, influencers
and investors