In today's crowded digital landscape, thought leadership has become a critical differentiator for brands looking to establish authority and build meaningful connections with their audiences. At Now We Collide, we've witnessed firsthand how powerful thought leadership can be when executed properly, and how challenging it can be to implement effectively.
Many industry leaders recognise the value of thought leadership, with 55% of executives expecting it to improve brand sentiment and 48% anticipating it will generate inbound inquiries. Yet the path to becoming a recognised thought leader is fraught with obstacles that prevent organisations from realising these benefits.
The External Expert Approach: A Winning Strategy
We've pioneered a distinctive approach to thought leadership that moves beyond the traditional model of positioning internal executives as the sole voices of authority. This strategy has proven transformative for numerous brands across different industries.
Rather than limiting conversations to internal perspectives, forward-thinking companies are developing platforms that bring together diverse external experts, creating rich ecosystems of insights that position their brands at the center of industry conversations.
Our partnership with Goodman Group on their "Thought Starters" series exemplifies this strategy. Rather than limiting the conversation to Goodman's internal perspectives, we developed a platform that brings together diverse external experts, from MIT logistics specialists to World Green Building Council directors, creating a rich ecosystem of insights that positions Goodman at the center of industry conversations.
This approach has proven transformative, enabling Goodman to become a nexus for forward-thinking discussions on sustainability, AI, and supply chain innovation without the pressure of having to be the sole authority on these complex topics.
Overcoming Resource And Expertise Constraints
Over half of organisations struggle with resource limitations when creating effective thought leadership content. Our solution involves identifying and featuring global thought leaders who can provide genuine insights on topics relevant to a brand's customers.
By featuring specialists like Nicole Büttner, Founder & CEO of Merantix Momentum, discussing AI implementation in supply chains, or urbanists like Prof Greg Clark exploring how digitisation is driving city changes, brands can create value-rich content without the internal resource strain of developing all expertise in-house.
This external expert approach addresses another significant hurdle, the expertise gap that 26% of organisations report as a barrier to creating high-quality content. Instead of struggling to develop comprehensive expertise across multiple domains, companies can leverage the knowledge of established authorities, creating content with unmatched depth and credibility.
Creating A Thought Leadership Ecosystem
The content quality issues that plague many thought leadership programs stem from several common pitfalls. Successful thought leadership strategies focus on creating an ecosystem of complementary voices that:Building Strategic Expert Networks
One of the most valuable aspects of the external expert approach is the development of networks that extend far beyond traditional industry boundaries. These networks typically include:Cross-Pollination Of Ideas
The external expert strategy enables something rarely achieved in traditional thought leadership programs: the cross-pollination of ideas across different domains. By bringing together experts from seemingly unrelated fields, like urban planning and AI development, brands can generate unique insights that wouldn't emerge from siloed conversations.
This approach has allowed companies like Slack to explore how workplace collaboration intersects with employee well-being through their "Future Forum" initiative, which involves studies, research papers, and events that provide solutions for modern work-life problems.
Measuring Ecosystem Impact
The difficulty in measuring thought leadership's impact often leads to underinvestment or abandonment of promising initiatives. With an external expert approach, successful brands create metrics that capture not just content engagement but also ecosystem growth:The Path Forward: Building Your Expert Ecosystem
Establishing thought leadership through an external expert strategy requires a mindset different from that of traditional approaches.
Based on our success with various clients, we recommend:
Conclusion
At Now We Collide, we've seen how the ‘external expert’ approach has transformed thought leadership from a marketing initiative into a valuable industry resource for numerous brands.
Are you ready to elevate your brand through a strategic thought leadership program? Let's collaborate to build an expert ecosystem that showcases your brand's unique position in your industry while delivering measurable results. We are here to help.