Experimentation with Platform and Content | Kevin Eikenberry | 408

While many things in Thought Leadership have changed over the years, one constant is the appreciation of a great subject matter expert. But how do we find those experts? To examine modern methods of developing a reputation and gaining the trust of your audience, we've invited Kevin Eikenberry, Chief Potential Officer at The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a leadership and learning consulting company. He's also the best-selling author of Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time and The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for a Remarkable Remote Leadership. When Kevin started as a speaker and consultant, thought leaders had far less options for building a platform. You could make a website, start blogging, or pay a PR firm to get your name out there - but those methods are outdated, and lack greater appeal. Modern social media offers an almost overwhelming number of options, and it's smart to utilize many different platforms to get the word out about your content. Kevin discusses the platforms he prefers, and why he's open to experimenting on new platforms. Not every platform will be the right fit, and Kevin explains how he repurposes content during his platform experiments to keep both the time and financial cost relatively low. Being on a new platform only has value if your ideal audience can be found there, and if you give them content specific to their needs. Although every thought leader has their preferred method of producing content, it's important to be able to discern whether your standard method isn't your audience's preferred medium. Kevin discusses his methods of finding out what the audience wants, and valuing the consumer's interests and needs - even if they aren't currently ready to buy. If you want a better understanding of the way a strong platform can elevate your mission and create commercial success, this conversation has tons of insights for you! Three Key Takeaways: * In order to make experiments with new platforms have value, be certain that your audience spends time there and will see your content. * Repurposing content for different platforms and mediums is a great way to save time and money. * In order to find success, you have to manage some level of commercial expertise. Your audience needs to keep your content top-of-mind!