How To Become a Thought Leader In Your Industry

Becoming a thought leader could be very profitable in many industries. How do you cross the line from an individual working in a field to the person peers listen to for advice and encouragement? There are several schools of thought as to how an individual can become a thought leader in their particular industry.

Compose a Blog

Creating a blog can help a person in a field become an authority if done well. If the blog contains useful information and great advice, the site could become quite reputable among industry peers. It will need to be shared via social media to gain in popularity so that it reaches the correct audience. Sharing the blog via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other similar social media platforms could help an individual quickly become well known among the industry.

Join Industry Groups/Organizations

An individual wanting to become a thought leader could also benefit from being a leader in the industry organizational ranks. Most professions have industry committees or groups that meet to discuss practices and ethics. Even if it’s a volunteer role, joining such a group could propel you to the forefront of the industry as a thought leader.

Participate in TV/Radio Interviews

While it’s not often easy to accomplish, being the go to person for the local news media in your profession is an opportunity to also become the local thought leader. For example, an attorney could potentially be the analyst a television station calls upon during a major court case. Such a stint on television would provide ample opportunity for that attorney to gain major exposure among his or her peers.

Host Free Forums/Town Hall Meetings

Another way to become a thought leader is to allow local residents to participate in a forum or town hall meeting that you host. You could provide free food and drinks in exchange for the opportunity to discuss ideas and promote your own agenda. This could be done among your industry peers or people who aren’t in your profession. A good example might be a realtor who invites other local realtors to share ideas on what is currently working in the industry. By playing the role of the host, the individual gains respect and mediates the meeting as the thought leader.

Getting Involved In Politics

There are many successful people from different walks of life who use politics as a way to further promote their own business or vice-versa. A doctor, attorney or lawyer might opt to run for a political office. That run, whether successful or not, allows the candidate to reap more exposure for their particular industry. The media typically indicates what industry a political candidate is from if not a career politician. This allows the individual another opportunity to become a thought leader in their respective field via a different approach.

Jonah Engler is a successful entrepreneur, investor, franchise owner and coffee lover who hails from New York City.