How to be a thought leader – Northern Lights PR newsletter

January 2015

Happy new year to you! This newsletter should give you a few ideas for the year ahead – and do read our blog on what we think are the business opportunities for 2015.

How to be a thought leader – social media makes it easy

Being a ‘thought leader’ may sound rather grand, but if you are any good at your job there is a high chance that you are one.  But … are you recognised as one?

Three questions to ask yourself

• Do your customers or clients come to you for your advice or thoughts?
• Are you regularly thinking of ways to improve things for your customers, clients or in your sector?
• Do you read widely and discuss issues in your sector or job role?

If you said yes to all three, there is no doubt you will have ideas and tips to help others – and could be classed as a ‘thought leader’.

With social media you can now position yourself easily and quickly.  A blog should be your starting point (read our ebook on business blogging which shows you what you would write about); create debate and discussion on Twitter and LinkedIn and use the blog as part of your new business generation activities.

We can help you to create your personal brand, set up and write a blog, polish your media and presentation skills, find speaking opportunities, write white papers and lead discussions and make sure all of this helps you to win new business – or any other objectives you have.

Read more about thought leadership in this blog.

Pat Chapman-Pincher – futurist, technology and business thought leader

If you want to see thought leadership in practice, we are delighted to be working with Pat Chapman-Pincher – she is keen to use her expertise and thought leadership to help chief executives and boards to understand technology and its impact.

Have a look at her blog (click on the image below), launched a few days ago and do contact Pat if you want to understand how artificial intelligence could be transforming – and threatening – your business in the very near future.  She is a thought provoking speaker and highly experienced chief executive and board mentor.

Tennis at The Palace

We have just started working with Strawberries & Cream, the company that is staging Tennis at The Palace, a prestigious tennis tournament from 12 – 14 March 2015 at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi with tennis legends including Tim Henman, Richard Krajicek, Pat Cash, Younes El Aynaoui, Mansour Bahrami, Peter McNamara, Mikael Pernfors, Jana Novotna and Marion Bartoli.

Our role is to create content for social media – including interviews and videos with stars – and build relationships online for sponsors and supporters.  Follow them on Twitter @PalaceTennis.

Social media workshops

We are finalising dates and venues for a new series of social media workshops in the UK and the UAE – details will be sent out next week.

In addition we can run bespoke workshops at your business premises for up to 20 people

• Social media risks and opportunities – for your board and executive teams
• Executive communications skills – including impact from media and presentations and your online activities
• LinkedIn to win business – typically for sales and business development teams
• Think like a search engine – cross-business opportunities to get to the top of Google
• Thought leadership and strategic blogging
• Introduction to Twitter and Google+

… and many more

Wishing you every success for 2015 and we look forward to helping your business achieve your key goals this year.  Call Victoria Tomlinson or Ben Pindar on +44 1423 562400 in the UK or in the UAE call Vania Henry on +971 50 415 0751 or Victoria Tomlinson on +971 50 678 7229.