In an increasingly saturated market, standing out is more challenging than ever. Manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to differentiate their brands from the competition.

Today’s consumers and business partners are looking for more—they want to engage with knowledgeable, innovative and forward-thinking brands. Plus, the entire B2B buyer journey has changed. Today’s buyers are often 75% of their way along their buying journey before they talk to anyone in sales. This makes effective pre-sale thought leadership more vital than ever before.

Thought leadership allows companies to showcase their expertise and unique perspectives, positioning themselves as authorities in their field. For manufacturers, turning SMEs into thought leaders is a powerful way to achieve this differentiation.

Becoming a thought leader doesn’t happen overnight, but the benefit of all the hard work you must endure along the way is well worth it for your brand. After all, every prominent industry figure started as someone exceptional or knowledgeable at their job who began sharing valuable insights about their industry and gained a loyal audience behind their brand. These actions turned them into reputable thought leaders.

SME vs. Thought Leader: Understanding the difference

An SME is an individual with deep knowledge and expertise in a particular field or industry. They are the go-to person for specific technical information, capable of providing detailed insights on complex topics.

A thought leader, on the other hand, goes beyond just possessing knowledge. Thought leaders share their expertise with a broader audience, offering innovative ideas, challenging the status quo and providing solutions to industry-wide challenges. People recognize thought leaders as authorities and influencers in their field, shaping industry trends and driving conversations.

Transforming SMEs into thought leaders offers numerous benefits for manufacturers and brands:

• Enhanced brand reputation: Thought leaders elevate the brand’s reputation by associating it with expertise and innovation, reinforcing trust among customers, partners and stakeholders.
• Increased visibility: Thought leaders often have a broader online and offline following. Their insights and opinions deliver greater visibility for the company.
• Competitive advantage: By positioning SMEs as thought leaders, manufacturers differentiate themselves from competitors who lack thought leaders in the industry.
• Talent attraction and retention: A company known for its thought leadership is more likely to attract top talent. Employees want to work for companies seen as leaders in their field, where they learn and grow professionally.
• Customer loyalty: Thought leadership fosters deeper customer relationships by providing valuable insights and solutions.

How to Turn an SME into a Thought Leader

Turning an SME into a thought leader requires a strategic approach. Here are some steps manufacturers must take to achieve this transformation:

1. Identify and empower the right SMEs: Not every SME has the potential to become a thought leader. Identify those who not only have deep expertise but also have the passion, communication skills and willingness to share their knowledge.
2. Develop a content strategy: Work with SMEs to develop a content strategy that aligns with their expertise and the company’s goals. This strategy includes creating blog posts, white papers, case studies, videos, webinars and social media posts.
3. Encourage public speaking and event participation: Encourage SMEs to participate in industry conferences, webinars and public speaking events and then give them the necessary support, such as presentation skills training, that they need to succeed.
4. Leverage social media: Social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, are essential for building and maintaining thought leadership. Encourage SMEs to share their insights and to engage with their followers on LinkedIn.
5. Build a personal brand: Thought leaders need a solid personal brand that reflects their expertise and values. Help SMEs develop their brand by optimizing their LinkedIn profiles, creating professional headshots and ensuring consistency in their messaging across all platforms.

Thought leadership is aprocess that requires continuous effort and refinement. Monitor the impact of your thought leadership efforts by tracking such metrics as content engagement, follower growth and speaking invitations. Use this data to refine your strategy and ensure that SMEs are continuously evolving as thought leaders.

Thought leadership is good for business

Thought leadership helps manufacturers differentiate themselves, build trust and drive business growth. By identifying and empowering the right SMEs, developing a content strategy, leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and continuously refining their approach, manufacturers successfully elevate their SMEs to thought-leader status.

This transformation not only enhances the reputation of the individual expert, but also contributes to the overall success and credibility of the company in the marketplace. By the way, your team at RH Blake helps manufacturers turn their SMEs into thought leaders. Contact us to learn more.