- by Alena Hitzemann, Associate Web Editor

"Thought Leadership" is an interesting concept.

It's one of those buzzwords that seems quite evocative and important; what marketer, after all, doesn't want to lead people's thoughts? But by definition, it's also ephemeral. Anything related to how people think, process, and absorb information can't be easy to understand, or easy to do.

I discovered this for myself this week, as I researched the idea and practice of thought leadership. BMC has a Thought Leadership Program, a Thought Leadership Page, and a Thought Leadership Council- all of which are ready to embrace Web 2.0 to expand and further their influence. Enter our Web Strategy team. I've been thinking about what "thought leadership" really means, its best practices, what channels it can and should leverage, and how to integrate it into a greater social media plan.

This is a big concept and a big conversation, and like I said, it's only been a week. But I've started to condense the ideas and suggestions that I've read into some bigger buckets which seem to capture the keys to thought leadership success.

1. Provide what users need and want, not what you want to give them.

• Don’t advertise!
• Tell them relevant, informative things they don’t already know – educate them
• Help them solve problems in new ways – be helpful in addition to valuable
• Produce quality content

2. Be innovative.

• Promote forward-thinking, “out of the box” ideas
• Identify what the competition is missing and address it
• Be creative in as many ways as possible

3. Communicate.

• Use a consistent, unique and confident voice
• Convey personal passion and market insight
• Practice two-way communication – ask questions, listen and respond
• Admit when you’re wrong and work to improve

4. Build a reputation.

• Identify your target audience and speak to them, not the whole world
• Align industry trends with user and business needs
• Be generous with your insights, ideas and resources
• Aim to sustain leadership once obtained

I'm sure there are many more. I intend to learn how to use these ideas to really make a Thought Leadership program sing- I'll keep you updated.

Helpful resources on building thought leadership:

Thoughts on Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership Alone is Not Enough

13 Essentials for Thought Leadership Marketing

How to Use Thought Leadership to Build Brands and Nurture Leads

Build Thought Leadership Through Social Networking

Building Thought Leadership Online: The Power of Recognition

5 Tips on Becoming a Thought Leader