How to avoid mission failure
WHAT NOT TO DO
How do you build a thought leadership campaign that’s robust enough to win and retain your audience's attention?
Thought leadership projects are often large and complex. And like anything with multiple moving parts, there is scope for things to go wrong.
Here we share four of the most common mistakes that we see in thought leadership projects, along with some thoughts on how they can be avoided.
FOUR COMMON MISTAKES
Questionable research
Research is the backbone of original thought leadership, whether it be quantitative, qualitative, or something a little more technical. Our research says that poor research is the number one complaint from audiences, and is a huge factor in whether or not thought leadership makes an impact.
Don’t let your research let you down; ensure that it matches up to the quality of the content you produce.
Uninspiring visuals
Today’s business audiences want big ideas delivered with impact, and that means you need to engage their eyes as well as their brains.
Visual storytelling and information design are key. Interesting data visualisation is just as important as visual storytelling when it comes to making your thought leadership engaging.
Lacking practical guidance
Actionable insight is what drives thought leadership. Companies need to provide solutions to their clients using campaigns that hook the audience, and thought leadership is no different. If there are no key takeaways, what’s making the readers come back for more?
Unengaging insights
Make sure that your content is laced with interesting narrative and storytelling. Your copy should be a joy to read – not a chore.
Your concluding comments knit your thought leadership campaign together, and will linger in your readers’ minds longest – ideally. Make sure that your conclusion isn’t too heavy; reflect on the points made rather than introducing new ideas. It should round off your campaign with key takeaways and an inspiring call-to-action to ensure maximum resonance.