This one is for Thought Leaders who produce resources (my word for information products) for their followers: Beware of the kind of product you produce so that your prospective purchasers can’t valuate the product just on the type and nature of the product. Here’s an example: What’s the price of a paperback book? Likely, your …
I spent a lot of days in very competitive industries, where it was always a “zero-sum game.” If somebody bought from me, they either wouldn’t or couldn’t buy from my competition. We could label that as some sort of rough ’n’ tumble business practice, or simply recognize that’s the way it is with a lot …
Do you like to pay attention to all the productivity literature out there? I do — well, some of it, anyway… Some books and articles are great and helpful; others, not so much. Truth is, a lot of it provides just a shade or two different form of self-gratification than certain “men’s magazines.” The only …
I’m often asked “one thing” questions. You know, “what’s the one thing I need to know to…” type of stuff. Everybody wants the magic “one thing.” One thing to do to lose weight and get in shape. One thing to do to get rich. One thing to do to… and so on. But if you’re …
Fasten your seat belt, because this is going to be a fun one. Last week, I talked about how in thought leadership, we make two sales: the first is the “sale” of your expertise, and the second is the actual product or service we sell. Basically, you get a customer before you get a sale. …
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I wanted to take this lovely Friday to talk to you for a moment about the business of thought leadership. Specifically, there is one thing that is very different about this business than other businesses. In thought leadership, we have two sales: The first sale is selling our own expertise and our fitness as a …
Here are the two most deadly words to Thought Leadership: “It depends.” As an expert, you know, of course, that oftentimes it does depend. And it depends on a lot of variables. After all, expertise is the land of, “trust me, it’s complicated.” But for the people that need a Thought Leader, that answer simply …
A lot of would-be Thought Leaders have a very transactional view of their business: The Thought Leader provides life-changing information, and the customer pays for it. Truth is, you’re also building a culture within your followers — a feeling of association and fraternity that will provide massive value to your customers in addition to the …
Thought Leadership really is 3D chess. You’ve got to manage several goals and priorities within your thought leadership business, and achieving that balance can be daunting. The first part of the challenge is knowing all the elements you have to manage. You can’t manage something that you don’t know exists, or that it should be …
There’s a trick that all the best Thought Leaders know, and today, I’m going to teach it to you. Abraham Lincoln knew it. William Randolph Hearst knew it. Heck, even Donald Trump and Joe Biden know it. You might know it, too, but you might not be using it. If you want to speed up …