As a consultant you are constantly reading and reviewing the latest products, books, and websites that are related to your field of expertise. What many don’t know is that you can use the research you already are doing to position yourself as a thought leader in your area of consulting to your customers.
You know the drill, there is always THE book everyone is reading. This is usually the book that becomes part of the popular jargon used by your customers, and becomes almost an obligatory read after the title enters the vernacular in business conversations. Next time, make those Tipping Points, Long Tails, and Purple Cows, work for you and take your consulting from Good to Great by blogging about them! Hey, you will end up talking about them anyway, why not lead the conversation instead of just being another follower?
Why not read the popular books before your customers do and write a brief review about them and post it on your blog (with an affiliate commission link to the book for an added benefit)? That way when people search for the book, they may come across your review on search engines. They might even be introduced to your blog when seeing the familiar popular title and your review in an internal company email or newsletter.
The same principle applies to news articles, blog posts from other business leaders, and those handy websites you find on the Internet. You can unpack a few pros and cons about the new products or services in your field in blog posts and get readership too.
Make your blog a place where people can stop by and see the solutions that will help them in their business. You are already reading and reviewing the leading ideas and products anyway, talk about them on your blog, and soon you will also be associated with the top business ideas in the minds of your customers. If you are not already staying up on these things, a blog could be just the thing to help you bring more discipline to your marketplace research.
When customers see your blog as a place to get the latest information and you become the person who takes them on a guided tour of the leading thoughts in your field. It won’t be long before your are fixed in their minds as a thought leader too. Because you are!
