Public relations can be distilled into multiple facets. From speaking with the media or liaising with clients, it always goes back to the core message of the business you represent. 

Thought leadership is a mix of almost every aspect of PR. From messaging, design, and strategy all the way to media relations and demand generation. It matters because it is the most important method for building a strong brand. 

But successful thought leadership is more than a keyword or one opinion piece. It must be tirelessly looked after, refined and refreshed to ensure it aligns with your business values and the state of the industry.

This is the purest essence of the message that you are trying to get across. It’s the expertise that separates your client from the rest. In a crowded tech market, nailing thought leadership is, these days, increasingly difficult, but a much more worthwhile experience.

Below are a few tips to ensure your thought leadership isn’t the same old cookie-cutter message plastered across every other tech firm. 

1. Detail

You can be forgiven in tech for using a plethora of acronyms, expressions and buzzwords. It’s par for the course! However, that can’t detract from what those words actually mean. The more detail you can provide about your business or technology without compromising on appeal or interest is key to dominating your chosen space.

2. Consistency

Those working in comms and content creation seem to believe in the one-and-done rule of messaging. They’ll work tirelessly, devoting hours to an exclusive thought leadership piece, only for it to be placed, published and moved on like yesterday’s news. 

If you have a message that you truly believe is important, you need to be getting it out there as often as possible. That’s not to say you must repeat yourself or syndicate the same thing over and over. Rather, ensure your message is distilled for the relevant opportunity. And if you’re struggling to repackage your message, we have tips on how to do that too. 

3. Share

It’s one thing to have strong thought leadership, it’s another to see it in action. Blogs on your website, or a hashtag, while helpful, are just not enough. You must see how your message resonates with the media, the wider industry and your competitors. No publications interested in meeting with your SMEs? Maybe it’s time to find an aspect of your message that is more appropriate to the news cycle. Can’t seem to get across to prospects how you’re different from your rivals? Use your own carefully crafted message, with familiar and simplistic language, to separate yourself from the pack. 

Remember, original and organic thought leadership does not come from prayer or voodoo magic. It comes from a steady combination of creating additional value for your business and building knowledge surrounding your industry and the wider conversation.