Putting Your Ideas Out Into The World

Running a commercially successful Thought Leaders Practice means you are always putting ideas out into the world and responding proactively to people's responses to them.

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Running a commercially successful Thought Leaders Practice means you are always putting ideas out into the world and responding proactively to people's responses to them. If you keep at this, you will start to see 'windows of opportunity'; WOO moments appearing in your week. Responding to these WOO moments should be your highest priority commercial activity.

The process starts when someone responds to an inspirational moment, typically a piece of work you generously put into the world.

Your marketing and positioning efforts do the job of inspiring people to connect with you. They may follow you, message you, comment on a platform or download something from your website. Sharing what you know generously with the world will create a positive buzz about your work. It doesn't take a long time to get the buzz about you started and handled well, it will continue to grow over time. This reputational capital is precious and something to manage over the years of running a thought leader's practice. It's why you refund troublesome people, avoid lawsuits and conflicts and work super hard to be aligned with your work.

You commit to your work and 'the work' of your practice that goes way beyond each piece of work you do. A client cares about the piece of work you deliver, you care about that and the whole body of work. Many people suggest you are only as good as your last job. In a practice, you want to realise that each moment you deliver something to a client contributes to the global perception of you and your work. You don't dial in jobs, prepare poorly, or turn up shabby in any way. Running a practice is a high-performance, deeply accountable way of being.

The activities that help inspire people to connect include:

• Recording videos and posting them on social  
• Creating and sharing white papers
• Writing blogs
• Sharing newsletters
• Being a guest on a podcast
• Producing your own podcast
• Speaking at industry events
• Doing work that generates more work.

When you are 'commercially attractive,' people will reach out. It would help if you noticed when people connect. Many thought leaders are so in their heads that they miss when someone says 'hey!'.

Pay attention to:

• A comment on social media to a post
• An email saying thanks for that newsletter
• A text message saying I heard you did 'X' the other day
• Or any moment when someone compliments you on something.

It's good manners to say thank you when someone compliments you. It's good business to allow the gift of connection a chance to grow into something more. Use these openings as a chance to advance your relationship. There are many ways to do this, and your style and preference matter. Here is a scenario that acts as a guide.

Let's conceive that someone says they liked your newsletter. You might respond with something that upgrades the value offered.

'Thank you so much. I produced this video that goes into the topic in more detail. Here's a link to it if you are interested. Let me know if you have any thoughts after watching it.'

But then, add one more call for response or call to action, remembering that your job is to advance the conversation and the relationship, not resolve a task.

'I notice you are in banking. Did the Royal Commission shift your business landscape much?'

Essentially, you are moving from public comments to private comments. From a public remark on a LinkedIn post to a direct In-mail message.

From sparking an interest, meeting a need, demonstrating value, and building an authentic connection.

With love,

Some ways we can help?

1. Get a copy of our book The Thought Leaders Practice. Request a copy here.
2. Invest in our Foundation Program and learn our curriculum in your own time and at your own pace. Sign up now.
3. Join our online Business School and start making money as you make an impact with the work you were born to do on the planet.  Join our next discovery session.