How can you establish thought leadership with content marketing after meeting a new contact?

Follow up promptly for sure, but personalise any content share to them. This is about showing you can give them value, not taking their time. Thinks about what they might be most interested in based on their role and anything you spoke about and tailor your response directly to them. Never send a standardised follow up.

Definitely follow up, add them on LinkedIn, comment on their posts and learn what is important to them. Then see if you can help in any way and offer value to them.

I've got this golden 48-hour rule for myself after making a new contact. During our chat, I'm like a detective, jotting down notes on everything they spill—especially if there's a problem on their plate. Quick research mode: activated. If I can swoop in with a solution, I'll fire off an email, connect on LinkedIn, and even attach some juicy content or articles that might do the trick. It's not just about follow-ups; it's about being the problem-solving buddy who doesn't just talk but walks the talk.

Follow up with them is a must connect with them on LinkedIn add a personalised note and support their post and add value without being salesy!

My view on this is to let your prospects consume their content in a way that feels good for them. When I’ve met someone new on or offline I would send them a connection request on LinkedIn. When they accept I would send them a message thanking them for connecting and opening a conversation. I would then let my consistent posting of content that adds value and let’s them get to know more build the relationship. That is how you turn a cold contact into a warm one and build know, like and trust.

Curating and sharing relevant content from others can be incredibly powerful - it adds value without feeling like a hard sell (and is also time efficient for you!). High quality segmentation and dynamic content in email marketing can also be extremely effective.

Give away the farm! Your thought leadership is hopefully already clear from your online presence and is being consistently added to. I would follow up within 24 hours with a simple connection request and a friendly message based on something they said when we met or just a 'nice to meet you'. Then, I would use any pain points I learned they have to direct some of my content for the next couple of days indirectly. Let them see you're an authority, but you can also solve issues on the fly and you're comfortable giving away a great deal of value, hence: giving away the farm!

This step is actually first step, because when contacting your potential client/customer create a content designed for them to show that you are seriously considering them and also showing them put an effort in creating a content that is actually solving their problem.

Any communication should always be intentional, customized, and in a format that is preferable to the contact. Uncovering the explicit facts as well as implied needs of a contact is important to creating and sharing customized content. As well, with email being a saturated form of communication, we can never assume the contact is going to be responsive to email. Hence, simply inquire how the contact prefers to communicate so that you can accelerate future communication as well as details.

Adding thoughtful engagement on their posts shows that you are following what they are sharing and helps to boost their content to more readers. It is also a great place to make new connections with people like them. Some of the best connections I’ve made have started in the comments section of someone else’s post.

There are several ways to engage effectively with your network. Firstly, is very important to provide meaningful and constructive feedback to your contact’s content. Secondly, it’s crucial to offer thoughtful insights or ask pertinent questions, further solidifying the relationship. Additionally, highlighting or referring to their content in relevant professional groups or forums can amplify their reach and demonstrate your active interest in promoting their work. This approach not only fosters a sense of community but also positions you as a supportive and engaged member of their network.

I'm the host of my podcast "The Small Business show" I love to invite my new contacts as a guest top share their expertise and business ventures. It's like a co-creation fest! While we're at it, I'm soaking up their wisdom and getting to know them like we're old pals. And guess what? This podcasting camaraderie is the ultimate goodwill generator. These contacts become my VIP network, more than happy to play matchmaker or drop referrals my way. It's not just about podcast episodes; it's about turning conversations into a powerful network and letting the mic be the bridge to some serious business magic.