Big Data, the Internet of Things, Green technology.
If you work in the world of manufacturing, this terminology is not new to you. These are what we – and every other manufacturer – believe to be the industry’s “next big thing.” Everyone is using these buzzwords and claiming to be experts on these concepts, but very few are applying them to their work successfully. It’s not enough to simply say that you have this, that and the other. Being a thought leader requires you to break away from the pack to define your own trends.
As a brief aside, I do see the irony in using possibly one of the biggest buzzwords – thought leader – in my article. But for the sake of my argument, just go with it.
To be a successful thought leader, you need to stay relevant, but also forge the path with new technologies. You must talk in terms that make sense, not just using the phrases because they’re popular. And most importantly, you must talk about solutions and how to reach them, not just the fact that you understand buzzword X, Y and Z.
Inprela client Daikin Applied is leveraging industry trends as a competitive advantage. In a recent article, thought leader, Paul Rauker, describes how the term Big Data has been misguided:
“Big Data is Big Data. But, you have to create a value-driven, executable action. Otherwise, it’s not worth anything.”
He goes onto explain how Daikin Applied is different than everyone else talking about Big Data. By making it more than just a trendy phrase, you are putting a stake in the ground. In other words, in order to stand out in the jargon world, you need to give more; more content, quality, useful information, tips, resources and knowledge.
Rauker approaches the buzz surrounding the internet of things in the same way:
“It’s interesting to see individuals focus on IoT from a definition of ‘connecting everything so systems and equipment can now talk back and forth.’ That is only the enablement piece of what IoT is. It really is about relevance. The meaning to a community. A community of interactions and information that’s being developed.”
You need to go beyond the trends and come up with interesting points of view. Knowing the target audience and conducting research that can get at their pain points and be ready to deliver solutions. Follow Rauker’s lead and you will gain more engagement and recognition.
