Market Eminence: A Proven Blueprint for CEOs and Founders

 1. Speaking: Transform from a Best Kept Secret to Visible Wisdom

Speaking is one of the fastest ways to earn recognition. It allows you to connect directly with key audiences, demonstrate expertise, and build trust in a powerful, personal way.

1A. Compelling Topics: Your speaking success starts with topics that matter to your audience:

• Address urgent gaps: Speak about specific problems, challenges, headaches, and risks.
• Offer fresh perspectives: Share new ways to think about old problems, backed by data, stories, or case studies.
• Deliver uncommon wisdom: Every talk should leave attendees with actionable takeaways they can immediately apply as well as new perspectives and new ways of thinking.

1B. Contrarian Messaging: Stand out by challenging conventional wisdom:

• Debunk industry myths: Highlight common misconceptions and explain why they’re holding your audiences back.
• Share bold predictions: Be willing to take a stand on what’s coming next in your industry.
• Present unique solutions: Offer approaches that no one else is talking about but are grounded in your expertise. Reframe old problems with new contexts and insights.

1C. Targeted Audiences: Speaking to the right people is just as important as what you say:

• Identify ideal venues: Focus on conferences, trade shows, and webinars where your target stakeholders are present.
• Collaborate with organizers: Build relationships with event planners to position yourself as the perfect fit for their audience.
• Engage attendees before and after: Use speaking opportunities to generate leads and nurture relationships through carefully designed follow-up strategies.

2. Publishing: Evolve from Commodity to Credible Authority

Publishing is a key tool for building authority at scale. By sharing your ideas through books, blogs, articles, and social media, you command attention and respect in the minds of your audience.

2A. Callout Content: Great publishing starts with calling out the specific problems or challenges your audience faces:

• Define their pain points: Write about the exact problems they have or results they want.
• Speak their language: Use the exact language your audience uses to describe their issues.
• Create targeted content: Address specific roles, industries, or circumstances to make your message feel personal. Make them say, “I feel you were talking directly to ME.”

2B. Shifting Beliefs: Your content should challenge assumptions and shift perspectives:

• Address myths and truths: Write articles or book chapters that help readers unlearn outdated ideas. Help them see gaps, contradictions, and self-soothing delusions.
• Offer a new lens: Encourage your audience to think differently about their challenges and opportunities. The more differentiated, opinionated, and contrarian, the better.
• Focus on root causes: Explain why certain strategies work and others don’t, adding depth to your message.

2C. Consistent Activation: Consistency is critical to staying relevant:

• Activate regularly: Don’t post and run. Proactively deploy your content in specific marketing, sales, and growth initiatives. Send to prospects, clients, partners, investors, and the media.
• Repurpose vigorously: Chunk up and chunk down. Turn book chapters into articles, videos, or social media posts – or compile blogs, articles, and newsletters into books or ebooks.
• Engage with feedback: Respond to comments and conversations to build deeper connections with your readers. Tag and reply, then engage privately via DM if appropriate.

3. Podcasting: Move from an Isolated Audience to Exponential Reach

Podcasting offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect with audiences and expand your reach, especially when paired with targeted messaging and organic conversion strategies.

3A. Narrow Niche: Focus your podcast efforts to dominate a specific vertical or industry niche:

• Research hosts and shows: Identify podcasts that align with your expertise and target audience. Play “follow the leader” with past guests in your niche to multiply your results.
• Tailor your message: Customize your content for each audience to increase relevance and impact. Show the host you’ve done your homework on their exact audience.
• Stay consistent: Appear regularly on niche podcasts to build momentum and recognition over time. Showcase interviews on your website for evergreen promotion.

3B. Scalable Attraction: Expand your audience through deliberate strategies:

• Borrow audiences: Appear as a guest on podcasts that cater to your exact target audience.
• Leverage collaborations: Partner with hosts or guests to share content across multiple channels. Use leapfrog strategies so that each podcast leads to 3-4 more.
• Amplify content: Repurpose podcast episodes into blogs, articles, video snippets, executive summaries, process visuals, social posts, or newsletter content.

3C. Reliable Conversion: Use podcasting as a system to turn listeners into leads:

• Create a call-to-action: Encourage listeners to download a free resource, watch an on-demand training or demo, or book a call.
• Prepare belief-busting talking points: Challenge your audience’s existing assumptions to build curiosity and engagement. Be unlike any other guest they’ve ever had on their show.
• Track conversions: Use analytics to measure how effectively your podcast appearances are generating leads. Use different offers that appeal to cold, warm, and hot leads.

The Three Pillars in Action

When Speaking, Publishing, and Podcasting come together, they create a powerful synergy that propels you toward Market Eminence:

• Speaking builds visibility, so you’re regularly seen by key stakeholders.
• Publishing builds credibility, ensuring your voice stands out in a crowded market.
• Podcasting builds shareability, amplifying your message and expanding your audience.

For professional services firm owners who want to stand out, get seen, and win more business, Market Eminence is your secret weapon to unleash a personal brand that drives your company brand and long-lasting results.