From manufacturing to professional services to health care, every industry benefits from subject matter experts (SMEs) who are willing and able to share their knowledge with their peers. SMEs offer invaluable expertise and leadership gained through real-world experiences.
In learning and development (L&D), this is especially true: L&D leaders face unique challenges in their roles, from gaining a seat at the decision-making table to engaging disengaged learners. Thus, it’s vital that L&D SMEs share their thought leadership with other, especially newer, professionals in the field. Doing so not only benefits their peers, but also positions SMEs themselves as valued thought leaders in the field.
So, how can you become a thought leader in L&D to expand your reach and use your expertise to influence the industry for the better? Let’s dive in.
What Is a Thought Leader?
First, let’s consider what it means to be a thought leader. Training Industry defines “thought leader” as “a person or organization that is widely recognized as an expert authority in a given field to whom people turn to for guidance.”
In L&D, there are primarily two types of thought leaders: those looking to build their personal brand, including consultants and L&D professionals working within buy-side organizations (i.e., organizations that do not sell training products or services) and those looking to build their business’s brand (i.e., individuals working for suppliers of training products and services).
Essentially, anyone with expertise and knowledge of L&D trends, challenges and solutions can become a thought leader or influencer in the industry.
8 Ways to Build Thought Leadership
Now that we’ve determined what it means to be a thought leader, consider the following tips for sharing your thought leadership in L&D through content marketing and other opportunities.
1. Home in on your expertise. Start by determining your area of specialization. For instance, you may work for a learning technology solutions provider and be an expert in optimizing learning technologies. Or you may be a consultant with experience in starting your own training company. Finding your niche will help to define your brand so that you can target the right audience and make more meaningful connections.
2. Maintain a blog. Start a blog to share your thought leadership with others. Publishing frequent blog posts on topics aligned with your area(s) of expertise will help you gain followers, thus expanding your reach and further positioning your brand as a leader in the industry.
3. Speak at industry conferences. Speaking at virtual or in-person events is another way to showcase your thought leadership in L&D. Prioritize speaking engagements at conferences designed for your target audience and determine presentation topics based on your subject matter expertise and ability to provide value. Speaking at industry conferences also allows you to connect with attendees and build meaningful relationships with other thought leaders.
4. Write for industry publications. Writing for industry publications, such as TrainingIndustry.com, Training Industry Magazine, TD Magazine, Training Magazine and others, can help to establish yourself as an L&D thought leader. When selecting a topic to write about, consider its relevance to your audience as well as its timeliness and impact on the industry at large. The best articles leave readers with clear answers to their questions along with strategies and tools that they can apply on the job. For example, an article about how to implement a new learning technology would need to address common challenges associated with learning technology implementation and provide clear solutions that can help. Additionally, as a best practice, share the articles you write with your network on social media and in email newsletters.
5. Be active on social media and answer people’s questions. Build your presence as a thought leader and expand your network by connecting with other L&D professionals on social media — especially on LinkedIn. Post about industry trends, share tips and tricks, and answer people’s questions where you feel you can add value. Doing so can help you become a “LinkedIn influencer” and make valuable connections.
6. Start a podcast or guest speak. Starting a podcast offers you a platform from which you can share real-world expertise, stories and more with your followers. It can also help you gain new followers by expanding your reach. You might also consider guest speaking on existing L&D podcasts that already have a dedicated following.
7. Create great content. Great content helps to establish your brand’s voice and deliver value to your followers. If you don’t have the bandwidth to create a variety of your own content (e.g., infographics, articles, e-books, videos, webinars, podcasts, etc.), engage with and promote existing content created by reputable sources. Great content also provides the fuel needed to drive impactful content marketing efforts that could result in new leads and other opportunities for your business and/or for making valuable professional connections.
8. Make sure people can find your content. Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential in making your content discoverable. Some foundational SEO best practices include: Doing keyword research, incorporating relevant keywords into headings, titles and throughout the body of the content, including internal and external links where applicable, and finding opportunities for other industry websites to link back to your content for expanded reach. Other ways to ensure that people can find your content include paid ads and partnering with other websites that share your target audience.
Why Is Thought Leadership Essential for Your L&D Brand?
Sharing your thought leadership is imperative in positioning yourself and/or your business as a trusted expert in L&D. It allows you to:
- Build brand awareness and credibility.
- Drive lead generation.
- Establish trust with your target audience.
- Build your network.
- Increase your brand’s visibility across multiple channels.
By implementing the content marketing strategies and tips outlined in this article, you will be well on your way toward becoming a trusted thought leader in L&D.
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