Every founder wants their startup to be noticed. They want people to stop. Pay attention. And get passionate about an idea that they believe will make a significant impact on society.
And why do you care what other people think?
You care because the more people get behind you, the larger your audience and reach. Reach equals exposure. Exposure equals interest. And interest equals investors.
Good marketing efforts are important, but with tight budgets and large expenses, it’s hard to garner the attention you want with your limited resources.
That’s where thought leadership comes in.
As founder/co-founder/CEO, you are in a unique position to own the space, position yourself and your company as a leader, future, and trendsetter.
Investors are turning towards more than just a solid business plan (although don’t under-estimate its importance); they want to invest in the people they believe in. Investors are looking for startups with a solid foundation of experts in their field, with a breadth of knowledge that spans the industry.
A thought leader is someone who holds a unique perspective on a particular topic (or topics) based on their skill set, experience, or intelligence and who shares their thoughts and opinions with the public, mostly through various social media platforms.
If you need any more convincing, check out this study by Edelman showing:
55% of decision-makers say they use thought leadership content as an important way to vet business.
Becoming a thought leader
Start by creating your own calendar, writing your social media posts, and organizing your content in advance. This allows you to keep true to your authentic self while giving you the space and time to organize your thoughts and opinions.
Set aside a certain amount of time a week to create your posts. The benefit of a fixed time is two-fold. It ensures you keep your thought leadership efforts alive, and it protects you from the one thing that is guaranteed to ruin everything. Overthinking. Overthinking will drag you down and drain your enthusiasm. Thought leadership is content that comes from you. Authentic, genuine, and individualized.
During the initial stages, your thoughts might feel rough, and somewhat fake. Persevere, it’s o.k. Especially if sharing your opinion publicly doesn’t come naturally to you, this is all a part of growth. Remember to imagine yourself talking to your audience in person. This should take away the fear of sharing in a permanence forum.
Thought leadership is the golden ticket you’ve been searching for. Optimizing your skills and knowledge will prove to investors to trust your startup in a way that no elevator pitch will.
Best of luck on your journey. Great things are in the pipeline for you. We can feel it.