Threading the Needle of Thought Leadership | Nora DePalma | 532

Topics like climate change can be a hot button issue in discussions.  So how can you deliver thought leadership on controversial topics without disengaging various portions of your audience? In order to thread that difficult needle, I've invited Nora DePalma to join me. Nora is the CEO of Dialogue, a modern PR firm that builds value for organizations seeking to advance climate solutions. Nora starts the conversation by sharing how discussing climate solutions instead of climate change helps to shape the conversation, allowing them to start a dialogue without turning off certain parties that might be needed in order to meet their goals. Once your audience is open to hearing what you have to say you'll need to be prepared for what comes next.  Nora explains how you need to tie activity to business outcomes and understand what action you want them to take next, moving them deeper into your content but not necessarily leading them into a sales funnel.  She shares why not every call to action has to lead to sales and why education and relationship building can be as powerful and lead to sales in other ways. Nora provides great advice and examples of how to deliver complex thought leadership that tactfully opens the door to deeper, more meaningful conversations. Three Key Takeaways: ·         In addition to understanding your audience and shaping the conversation you have to deliver your ideas with authenticity and passion.  Otherwise, they are likely to tune out. ·         Not all calls to action have to lead into the sales funnel. They can be a call to education, or to further a relationship. ·         You have to earn people's attention.  That is how you build trust and sustain relationships.