Thought leadership is hard wired into the lexicon of the modern marketer. We identify it in the organization. We cultivate it…capture it…package it…publish it…promote it…and monetize it.

The result is a tsunami of content that leads customers, prospects, partners and influencers to ponder what they should heed and what can be cast aside. Here are three ways to ensure your company’s thought leadership resonates:

1. Aggregate with Context. Content marketing programs often link readers to articles, interviews and research of significance. Do more than share. Explain why this information is timely and relevant.

2. Leverage Real World Experience for Credibility. Self-proclaimed pundits mask a lack of meaningful knowledge through unsupported claims and predictions. To stand apart from the me-too crowd, cite specific examples of positive outcomes for customers. Your company has worked hard to build a track record. Showcase it to demonstrate expertise.

3. Recognize the Value in Today. While the future is certainly compelling, customers only buy what they can procure now. Focus your thought leadership on how to overcome current challenges and obstacles. You’ll spur engagement.

Let’s look at examples of how companies like yours turn thought leadership into competitive advantage. Each article was published by one of Strategic Communications Group’s (Strategic) online buyer communities.

To Build the Federal Government’s Digital Resilience, Focus on Integration — by Wayne Lloyd, Chief Technology Officer, RedSeal

Redefining the Patient Journey — Q&A with Michele Perry, Relatient

How to Connect Sales and Marketing to Deliver Results — Interview with Liz Anthony, ViON

Here is a bonus tip to achieve content credibility: collaborate with partners to demonstrate market acceptance. Strategic clients Raytheon and Collins Aerospace worked together on this thought leadership article on virtual training published by the New Airspace.