Opinion leadership in public relations
Why do companies need to have thought leadership as part of a tech public relations campaign?
For many companies, corporate reputation is not built solely on product range or customer base, but also on the credibility of their management team and their vision within the industry. This is particularly true for organizations seeking funding or exit, or for companies where a key differentiator is their specialized expertise.
A good way for organizations to achieve this differentiation is by concentrating some of their public relations efforts around senior thought leadership and building the profile of a senior figure or figures within the company.
Thought leadership activities will build a profile outside of the commercial media and take a company’s messages to a much broader audience within the national and broadcast media. To support thought leadership activities, companies can position their spokesperson as a true industry guru and go-to commentator on relevant topics.
What is thought leadership?
Thought leadership can be in addition to a company’s existing public relations activity or an independent campaign. The most important thing is that the activity is aligned with the business requirements of the company. The activity typically revolves around raising the profile of a company or a senior executive (for example, a CEO) within the commercial, national, and broadcast media, through a series of high-level tactics. The key objective should be quality, not quantity.
To achieve this goal, a company must agree on its main business messages and hot topics that will resonate with a business audience with its public relations agency, and then that agency will reach out to the media. Examples of leadership activity could include securing profiles on CNBC or on the FT, speaking opportunities at relevant events, signed op-eds on trade titles, letters to the editor, and business-focused award entries. The coverage received is an ideal marketing collateral and a great proof point of business success.
