Thought leader month is coming to an end so I thought I would share a list of some of my favorite thought leaders. If you recall, thought leaders are respected experts in a topic or field that offer useful, engaging, and valuable content. The content piece is what makes these people or companies thought leaders. They influence through the information, education, or insights they provide.
A thought leader can be an expert in all kinds of topics, issues, industries, or even minutia. It can be as broad as the topic of marketing to as niche as the topic of BookTok marketing on TikTok. The possibilities are endless.
But this list will not be. Here are just some examples of the thought leaders I seek out for information regularly and the topics they cover.
Marketing Strategy — Seth Godin: I’ve mentioned Seth Godin before. His books are easy to read, actionable, and informative. He is the only blogger I’ve ever read that can make his point in under 500 words. I aspire to do that some day.
Digital Marketing — Neil Patel: His Marketing School podcast is short, snappy, and actionable. His blogs are usually very information, although the constant pop-ups drive me crazy. But he knows his stuff.
Marketing based on human behavior – Daniel Pink: I read his book Drive in graduate school and it really changed my thinking about marketing. Marketing should always be rooted in human behavior, otherwise it’s just noise.
Entrepreneurial innovation – Gary Vaynerchuk: I can only take him in small doses, because he is relentless on social media. But his books are always a fun read and he always comes from a place of kindness. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is my favorite.
Psychology of work — Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and his podcast WorkLife is fun and really interesting. It helped me navigate the pitfalls and opportunities in workplace politics by understanding why people act the way they do at work. I still listen to it even though my office politics days are behind me.
Introverts — Susan Cain: Her book, Quiet, was a game changer for me. That book made me and millions of other introverts feel better about who we are. And it gave us the tools we needed to navigate life, work, home, and relationships. Her resources are always approachable and informative.
Women in the workplace – Lean In/Sheryl Sandberg: I discovered Lean In doing research for clients. Then read the book and followed the cause on social media. I use their research often because it is always timely, relevant, and very in depth. They certainly have their thumb on the pulse of women right now.
Companies can also be thought leaders if they regularly produce content their customers find useful. For example, REI, published the Expert Advice blog, that provides tips and knowledge on cycling, camping, backpacking, and other outdoor activities. Also, AMX offers an online platform for small businesses called AMX Business Class that published articles, videos, podcasts on leadership, marketing, managing money, getting customers, and company culture. I am helping Calldrip, a sales call response SaaS, become thought leader in their market by writing blogs, articles, and ebooks for them.
I could go on but I know you’ve got things to do. 😉 I hope I’ve given you some relevant examples of thought leadership and you can see how it can be an impactful method of boosting your brand and building a reputation as an expert. If you’d like to talk with me about your thought leadership needs, contact me today!
