Easy Ways to Boost Your Authority as a Thought Leader

By Jennifer Andrews, M.Sc., MBA | August 23, 2023

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You’re an expert. The “go-to” professional in your space. Not just anyone can achieve this, so if this is you, congrats!

But there comes a time when you aspire to get to that next level of thought leadership. Maybe you want to:

• Launch a business
• Attract more customers
• Climb higher on the career ladder
• Gain new opportunities (e.g., speaking, becoming a board member, securing investment, etc.)

This has certainly been the case for the 70+ entrepreneurs I’ve worked with as a consultant and mentor. Most are business owners who realize they can’t rely on word-of-mouth inquiries anymore and need to create visibility that brings new opportunities.

How Can Leaders Get to the Next Level of Visibility?

It all comes down to authority – how you’re noticed and perceived in the market for the value you bring.

It has less to do with the company you’re affiliated with, but instead the personal element you bring as a professional individual.

The good news is, there are simple, yet powerful, ways to boost your authority. Read on to learn how and reach your goals.

First, Know Exactly What You Want to Achieve

One time, I worked with someone who wanted to bring awareness to their start-up. They started a podcast, launched a website, got active on social media. It was going great until it became clear: none of these activities were actually attracting new business.

Once we started working together, we determined that their customer base makes decisions not from Instagram, but through relationships and partnerships. We changed the strategy to focus on acquiring new customers, rather than social media clout and ended up seeing traction.

Before doing anything, get crystal clear on exactly what you want to achieve. Do you want to get 100 new leads in the next 6 months? Secure one speaking engagement per quarter to drive sales? Whatever it is, write it down and use that as the goalpost from which all your marketing activities are based.

Think of Yourself as a Brand

If the idea of having an online “persona” makes you squirm, you’re not alone. Most people I work with either A) didn’t come up in the digital marketing era (and therefore don’t think it’s important), or B) are too afraid to put themselves out there.

Both are valid concerns, but in today’s competitive landscape becoming overrun by AI, it’s exceedingly tough to get noticed. But the technical professionals who create a consistent identity online have more visibility, opportunities (customers, higher job titles), and earning potential.

How to build a memorable, noticeable brand for yourself:

• Create a consistent visual identity
• Decide on 1-3 topics you’ll talk about (and why)
• Have a call-to-action – what precisely do you want them to do once they know you?
• Use media to amplify your message – think LinkedIn (more on that later), article writing, speaking, webinars, video

Proactively Go Where Your Audience Is

With your strategy set, you can quickly identify where your ideal customer spends time online and off – and then deliberately show up there.

If you’re a B2B scientific company, you’ll want to consider:

• Trade associations and industry organizations – figure out which groups your target audience is a member of, then join and have an active presence there.

• Media websites – which news sites are the pillars of your industry? Actively read these, form relationships with the editors, and pitch your company to author an article (more on pitching down below).

• Events – the big trade shows are obvious, but why not attend smaller conferences and events? You will have a better chance of standing out and building relationships with the hosts and participants.

• Social media – there is a 99.99% chance that your ideal customers are on LinkedIn and using it to find people, companies, and opportunities – including you! Jump to the next section to learn how to leverage it.

Make LinkedIn Your Best Friend (and Superpower)

You know those people you see posting on LinkedIn regularly, week in and week out, that always seem to be “there?” This is no accident, and it’s for good reason.

LinkedIn is the most powerful social network for lead generation and thought leadership in the sciences and other professional industries. But did you know only 1% of its 900 million users actually post?

This creates an incredible opportunity for you to stand out and gain the attention of your audience. I have practiced this myself as a marketing consultant and gain regular referrals and introductory calls from LinkedIn. I also help other business owners do the same.

To fully get the most out of LinkedIn, create a plan for both publishing and outreach/networking. This can look like:

• Posting your ideas and perspectives 1-2x per week
• Connecting with 5-10 relevant people per week
• Commenting on others’ posts 3x per week
• Sending 2-3 introductory direct messages to relevant connections per week
• Maintaining your company page by sharing and re-posting

I covered LinkedIn in more detail in my book, Scientist to CEO, so check it out if you want a roadmap to follow.

If you can maintain a similar cadence over 6-12 months—with your strong personal brand shining through the whole time—then you will see the opportunities come in.

Pitch Yourself Silly!

This step sounds great on paper, but how many of us make a dedicated effort to proactively pitch ourselves for media exposure?

It can be uncomfortable and time-consuming, but pitching yourself is an absolute must to increase your authority quicker than any other activity.

Remember: the world is waiting to hear from you. How can you add value if your audience doesn’t know about you?

Make a list of places you would like to strategically appear, then write a compelling pitch email or LinkedIn message to editors/hosts/writers for things like:

• Podcast guesting
• Guest article writing for industry media websites
• Speaking spots at a conference
• Serving as a panelist at an event
• Hosting a webinar with an organization
• Delivering a keynote

Take action. You’ve got this.

Final thoughts

By being strategic, understanding exactly what you want to achieve, and taking action, you will be in a better position to step into that new echelon of authority.