SKC Insights

Are you aspiring to be a thought leader? Being a thought leader may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Thought leadership can take many forms, but the most powerful tool in your arsenal is the contributed article. Such an article provides insights and positions you as an expert, without a hint of self-promotion. If you do it well, the benefits are aplenty, including having people seek you out as your industry’s "guru” and knowledge purveyor.

So, let’s get you published! To see your name, story and picture featured in your coveted industry magazine or even business and technology outlets like Entrepreneur and ReadWrite, here are 5 tips to getting your thought leadership articles accepted.

1. Offer Your Unique Point of View

Your point of view is not about your product. It’s your unique, even provocative perspective, informed by your experiences past and present, that are relevant enough to be part of your industry’s conversations and meaningful to your audience. Shawn Guan, CEO of Umbo Computer Vision, watched the artificial intelligence (AI) market evolve over the years and formed a unique insight on how AI will revolutionize video security. His “The Next Evolution” opinion caught the attention of Security Today which published the piece for their audience of security professionals.

2. Provide Proof Points for Your Content

Back up any claims you make with solid proof – statistics, third-party studies, your own studies, or your own anecdotes. Stellar Cyber CPO, John Peterson, saw high-profile data breaches at companies like Equifax and believed there was a better way to prevent and detect cybersecurity risks. Using examples of exactly how a network breach might occur, statistics about today’s average breach detection time, and technical explanations, Peterson proved his point in InfoSecurity Magazine that the best way to prevent cybersecurity risks is big data and AI.

3. Point Out Industry Gaps and Shortfalls

Before you can solve a problem, you need to identify it. When it comes to identifying the pain points in cross-border investment, InnoSpring Silicon Valley general manager Xiao Wang has an eagle eye. Her contributed article was picked up by business magazine Entrepreneur due in part to her pointing out the areas where regulatory tightening and foreign exchange controls caused issues in cross-border investment.

4. Offer Compelling Solutions

If you can help solve problems facing the readers of your target media outlet, it’s a win-win for everyone. An article that provides a solution creates a road map for your audience. SKC’s founder, Sharon Sim, shared with readers of Asian Entrepreneur why public relations could help Asian companies looking to expand to the U.S.. She identified the issues and laid out the benefits of having a solid PR program for market expansion.

5. Forecast What’s Ahead

It’s simple. Leadership means you lead. pointing not to what’s here or what’s behind, but what’s ahead. Readers want to know what to plan for and look forward to, and editors are always eager to take contributed articles that cater to their tribe. Apogee CTO Rajiv Shenoy’s predictions of how VR, AR, and AI would transform universities in the coming years caught the attention of Unbound, a news website covering higher education issues. He shared his forecast of what’s coming and how institutions can set themselves up for success in the future.

Ready to see your name and story published? If you start off with contributed articles, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a thought leader. And if you’re in need of a little help to brainstorm ideas, polish your article and get it printed, our team at SKC is here for you. Click the button below to talk with us, subscribe to SKC Insights, or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.