With ChatGPT and other AI tools on the rise, it is now more important than ever to convey your brand in a manner that is unique and sets you apart. A way to do this is through Thought Leadership and personal brand stories.
Unfortunately, being personal isn’t easy for most of us, especially in a business or work context. And documenting our experiences may lead to a stumbling block and feelings of inadequacy.
That’s where a Thought Leadership Writer can come in handy — to help you capture and document your original stories, forming a strong and unique connection to the work you do and the company you serve.
What Services Does a Thought Leadership Writer Offer?
As a corporate journalist, I offer Thought Leadership writing services for marketing and communication professionals in the Netherlands and beyond. I work closely with you throughout every step of the journey, helping you:
- Draft and plan an effective thought leadership strategy;
- Interview thought leaders;
- Transcribe and write up stories;
- Take high-quality photos if need be;
- Publish stories on various channels if need be;
- Track and report the results.
What My Clients Say?
“I really like the thought leadership stories written by Elizabeth. They were very well-received by our CEO, who published them on his Linkedin page and received hundreds of likes and shares. The stories are very personal and a truly interesting read. Elizabeth was also very fast with delivering the stories and travelled to Belgium to interview our CEO in-person.” — Marketing Manager.
The Versatility of Thought Leadership Stories
Thought Leadership stories, when published, should not just gain traction or go ‘viral’, and then that’s that. The beauty is that they can be re-used in various forms and adapted to various online or offline channels.
For example, a thought leadership story published on the LinkedIn profile of a senior executive can be reshared via the company’s:
- LinkedIn company page or other social media profiles;
- Corporate blog;
- Monthly newsletter;
- Employee communication channels, i.e. Yammer;
- Annual reports or ESG reports (adapted as an anecdote or block feature);
- Landing pages or web text;
- Marketing material such as banners or brochures.
The Benefits of Thought Leadership
Working with a Thought leadership writer to include engaging stories in your marketing and communication strategy can have many varied benefits:
- Gain credibility and respect by highlighting real-life stories of a personal nature that importantly link to business goals or company values.
- Saves Time and Resources by outsourcing this task to a professional and experienced corporate journalist or thought leadership writer.
- Leverage Professional Expertise by crafting engaging and informative content for your target audience and assisting executives in refining their ideas into clear, concise language.
- Bolster Brand Strength by ensuring a consistent brand tone of voice and messaging — propelling and strengthening your company’s brand profile.
- Opportunities for Collaboration may arise since stories can resonate with other companies and may lead to potential collaboration and partnerships never considered before.
- Reach a Wider Audience through engaging thought leadership content that resonates with your target audience, helping attract more visitors to your website and generate more leads.
- Boost SEO Efforts by driving traffic from a thought leadership article or post back to the company’s primary website.
My Experience as a Thought Leadership Writer in the Netherlands
The extrovert in me loves playing the corporate journalist role. Writing Thought Leadership stories is the best fun I have in my work. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know my interviewee, researching, preparing the interview questions, conducting the interview, and transcribing and writing the story! This work touches upon all of my favourite activities as a writer.
As a curious, open and considerate person with a great understanding and respect for different cultures, I easily and efficiently connect with my interviewee. I work closely with executives ensuring the right message is conveyed efficiently and in an inspiring and interesting manner that keeps people coming back!
Here’s an extract from a thought leadership piece I wrote for LinkedIn for a company in the Netherlands on the topic of sustainability:
“I’ll not lie and say we’ve always been star recyclers at home. It took us a while as a family, but we now take great care to separate our waste. I believe sustainability starts with baby steps. We’re not going to start a revolution, but if each of us takes some small steps consistently, the impact will be huge.
I recently had a conversation with my 18-year-old daughter. She wants to be ‘greener’ in her daily life. I asked her what she could do to achieve this. During the chat, I recall holding up my mobile phone and, with a grin on my face saying, “Do you know that when you use this device for hours on end, that doesn’t help when it comes to heating the planet? There are servers behind it working at full speed, burning a lot of carbon.” I then gave her some ideas to become greener, i.e. reducing time in the shower, turning off the lights when you’re not in a room, and turning down the heating. These seemingly small things need to sink in with our youth — I believe education is at the heart of sustainability.”
Here’s another extract from a thought leadership story (for LinkedIn) I wrote for a company on the topic of agility:
“When I met my wife, everything happened pretty quickly. Nine months later, I asked her to marry me. Eight months later, we married, and nine months on, our son was born, and later our daughter. And in between all of this, we moved house. Agility is a way of life for me. I thrive on spontaneity and growth, and I know if I start something and want to succeed — I can’t give up.
In fact, I encourage our employees at [company name] to do the same and be agile in their actions. I do this by setting an example. For instance, being more agile can start with a simple email. Whenever someone sends me a message, I deem it crucial to respond immediately — it’s a question of respect, and people feel their ideas are heard and taken seriously. It also shows them that we can make things happen and embrace opportunities that come our way. That’s how I like to do things.”
Keen to learn more?
Contact Elizabeth Joss, Thought Leadership Writer in the Netherlands, today. Email: info@elizabethjoss.com or via mobile: +31(0)63 125 0946.