For better or worse, a big part of my job working in PR is to establish clients as thought leaders. It’s no secret that the cannabis industry is nuanced and complicated, so having a specific, confined area of expertise within the space is expected. You don't want to put yourself at risk of saying something that might set back not only your company but the entire industry as well. In a space quickly emerging with knowledgeable industry figures, it helps to carve out your specific lane and stay in it to earn credibility and respect as a cannabis-industry thought leader. Your experience makes your opinion valuable, but it’s not the only part of the equation. Just because your company encountered a specific situation does not necessarily mean that all companies will be able to identify with that same experience. Many entrepreneurs and companies will be following in your footsteps. Being a thought leader in the cannabis space doesn’t necessarily mean that your expertise needs to be totally expansive -- and you shouldn’t fake it if it isn’t. Don’t call yourself a thought leader. Aim to provide value to the cannabis industry without referring to yourself as a thought leader, or else you risk rubbing other industry leaders the wrong way.
In a crowded market it becomes more and more difficult to stand apart. Here are four paths to thought leadership.
Opinions expressed by Green Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
“Thought leader” is a phrase I hear thrown around pretty often these days. I see it in Twitter bios, read it in marketing emails, and hear it at conferences. It seems like everyone considers themselves to be a thought leader in some way, but how does someone reach such a vaunted status?
For better or worse, a big part of my job working in PR is to establish clients as thought leaders. This is a tricky proposition in a frontier-like market that is evolving on a daily basis and crowded with companies and individuals jockeying for position. There is quite a bit of noise coming out of the space, with certain individuals throwing out wild claims that have the potential to set the entire market back.
So how can you actually go about establishing yourself as a cannabis-industry expert in a responsible way?
Related: 12 Cutting-Edge Marijuana Marketing Tactics That Work
1. Carve out your lane — and stay in it.
It’s no secret that the cannabis industry is nuanced and complicated, so having a specific, confined area of expertise within the space is expected. If you’re an expert in one component of the industry, own that space! This is your comfort zone, and even though you may be able to discuss other topics that you’re less well-versed in, be sure not to stray too far from your respective area . You don’t want to put yourself at risk of saying something that might set back not only your company but the entire industry as well.
In a space quickly emerging with knowledgeable industry figures, it helps to carve out your specific lane and stay in it to earn credibility and respect as a cannabis-industry thought leader….
COMMENTS