Offering thought leadership to differentiate yourself from competitors is essential for any leader wanting to stand out from the pack, and especially for those in the crowded professional services landscape.

Much of it comes down to what we call the thought leadership trifecta: mastering agenda tracking, defining your expertise and finding your voice so you can share meaningful opinions.

In a world that risks becoming derivative and uniform (as more and more people make heavy use of ChatGPT instead of unpacking the world of knowledge and expertise in their own brains), mastering this trifecta helps you stand out from the crowd.

Thought leadership isn’t just about offering insights – it’s about positioning yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry. Exercising and highlighting thought leadership is an essential strategy for brands, influencers and organisations seeking to stay relevant.

Crafting compelling thought leadership content does not come easily to all. That’s where a skilled PR agency can help.

The clients we work with are globally and nationally leading accountants, lawyers, engineers, architects and business advisors.

Smart people. Busy people. They have great insights but sometimes struggle to find the time to understand how their thoughts fit into the broader industry context, let alone to get their thoughts recorded or down on paper.

That’s where we can help. At BBS we work closely with our clients to help them establish a thought leadership trifecta framework.

Here’s how each of these elements – agenda tracking, defining expertise and finding your voice – can be leveraged to help you become a true leader in your field.

Agenda tracking: staying abreast of the public conversation

This is all about tuning in to the pulse of your sector by understanding national and localised debates, legislation and the trends that shape your industry.

We work with clients to help them keep on top of what’s currently relevant, what’s being discussed and what’s next on the horizon.

This means tracking industry and mainstream media discussions, attending events, following parliamentary debates and enquiries and keeping an eye on social buzz so we can anticipate opportunities for our clients to step into a conversation and make meaningful commentary – before others do.

We do this daily for ongoing clients including RSM Australia, Barry Nilsson and Vantage Performance. Whether it’s sustainability, gender equity, tech innovation or the rise of remote work, identifying these trends early gives you a platform to influence and lead the conversation.

Expertise: the backbone of credibility

The Australian market values authenticity, expertise and innovation, with expertise being a cornerstone of any successful thought leadership strategy.

Just having opinions doesn’t make you a thought leader. It’s about having insights that come from deep knowledge, experience and research.

Many potential thought leaders have the expertise but don’t have the time to flex this muscle in the public domain.

While they may focus on creating white papers and research reports, or speaking at events, BBS takes the burden of tracking outlets for them to broadcast their thoughts, organising podcast guest speaking spots or interviews and columns with relevant media outlets.

The credibility you gain when you are positioned as an expert in your field helps you stand out in a crowded market and add something fresh to the national dialogue.

Be bold: strong opinions spark dialogue

Opinion is the element that separates a passive observer from an active influencer.

It’s OK in the professional context to have diverse or bold viewpoints, if they can be backed up with data, reasoning and personal examples.

Thought leadership must come with a unique perspective and include a viewpoint that challenges the status quo and adds something fresh to the conversation.

We work with clients to provide a safe space for them to share and develop their opinions, helping them to carve out a distinctive voice, shape discussions, and lead their industries.

Our advice is to focus on issues that are important to your clients and their audiences, to use data and case studies to lend further weight to your opinions, and to engage with critics or those with an alternative viewpoint in a professional, thought-provoking way.

The key to success is balancing all three parts of the thought leadership trifecta: keeping track of the agenda, deepening expertise and becoming comfortable to share bold opinions that spark real conversations.

Are you ready to take your brand’s thought leadership to the next level? Reach out to us about how we can work with you to build a communications strategy that aligns with the Thought Leadership Trifecta, positioning you as a leader in your industry.