Many of the business leaders I speak to know they need to be doing something related to content marketing or thought leadership, but they don't know the difference between the two. This slideshare was produced by Humanicity Copywriting as part of our client success series. For more content, go to humanicitycopy.com/stories/

1. Distinguishing between
TL, CM, and BS
in your blogging effort

2. If your business has a blog,
you need to understand the
difference between the
three types of content:

3. If your business has a blog,
you need to understand the
difference between the
three types of content:
TL

4. If your business has a blog,
you need to understand the
difference between the
three types of content:
TL
CM

5. If your business has a blog,
you need to understand the
difference between the
three types of content:
TL
CM
BS

6. TL:

7. TL:
Thought Leadership

8. CM:

9. CM:
Content Marketing

10. B.S.:

11. B.S.:
Did you think this stood
for something else?

12. Most marketers end up
producing B.S. even though they aim to
produce a quality piece of Thought Leadership or
Content Marketing.

13. Most marketers end up
producing B.S. even though they aim to
produce a quality piece of Thought Leadership or
Content Marketing.
And most people don’t understand that content marketing
and thought leadership are not the same thing.

14. So I’ve created a guideline
to hopefully clear this up.

15. Let’s start with
Thought
Leadership

16. Rule No. 1

17. Rule No. 1
Thought
leadership is
about calling for
change.

18. To qualify as true thought leadership, you have to
express new, controversial,
or unpopular ideas.

19. The point of thought leadership is NOT to elevate your brand.

20. The point of thought leadership is NOT to elevate your brand.
The goal is to

21. The point of thought leadership is NOT to elevate your brand.
The goal is to
define the direction in your industry,

22. The point of thought leadership is NOT to elevate your brand.
The goal is to
define the direction in your industry,
rebuild ecosystems, and

23. The point of thought leadership is NOT to elevate your brand.
The goal is to
define the direction in your industry,
rebuild ecosystems, and
introduce innovative ways to solve problems.

24. The difference between thought leadership and B.S. is similar
to the difference between being a leader and a boss.

25. The difference between thought leadership and B.S. is similar
to the difference between being a leader and a boss.
“A boss knows how, a
leader shows how.”

26. A lot of thought leadership attempts end up with an author saying exactly what
everyone else is saying, but just SAYING IT LOUDER to draw attention
to himself.

27. A lot of thought leadership attempts end up with an author saying exactly what
everyone else is saying, but just SAYING IT LOUDER to draw attention
to himself.
“LOOK HOW MUCH I KNOW. I’M THE
THOUGHT BOSS
AROUND HERE.”

28. Rule No. 2

29. Rule No. 2
Real thought
leadership
provokes a
reaction.

30. For some people, that reaction will be a
standing ovation from their
desk.

31. For others, especially insecure internet trolls, that reaction
might be to call you fat, stupid, entitled, or a bitch in an attempt to
silence you.

32. You should view this
feedback as a win.

33. You should view this
feedback as a win.
You got their attention, and now they’re taking
cheap shots at you because they don’t
have a leg to stand on.

34. You should view this
feedback as a win.
You got their attention, and now they’re taking
cheap shots at you because they don’t
have a leg to stand on.

35. But sometimes, feedback comes in the form of
your mom, or your sister, or your board chair,
or your organization’s biggest donor saying
they’re worried
about you.

36. When that happens, be respectful, hear them out, look for nuggets
of wisdomthat will help you deliver your message with the most impact.

37. When that happens, be respectful, hear them out, look for nuggets
of wisdomthat will help you deliver your message with the most impact.
But ultimately, refer them to
Rule No. 1 (and 2).

38. If you’re not provoking
the beast, you’re doing it
wrong.

39. If you’re not provoking
the beast, you’re doing it
wrong.
Thought leaders aren’t here to make nice or play by the rules of respectability.

40. Rule No. 3

41. Rule No. 3
Thought
leadership shows
how it’s done.

42. As important as it is to call out injustice and warped thinking,
it’s also vitally important to
show a better way.

43. If you’re only in this game to sow discord
and raise self- righteous hell,
you’re not a thought leader.

44. If you’re only in this game to sow discord
and raise self- righteous hell,
you’re not a thought leader.
Sorry, Alex Jones.

45. You have to offer solutions, and the best solutions come from
your own experience.

46. You have to offer solutions, and the best solutions come from
your own experience.
To be a thought leader, you first need
to be an action leader.

47. If you look through your experience, and you
can’t find anything that stands outas
unique or contrarian or innovative,

48. If you look through your experience, and you
can’t find anything that stands outas
unique or contrarian or innovative,
then you may need to accept that
you’re not ready to
be a thought leader.

49. If you look through your experience, and you
can’t find anything that stands outas
unique or contrarian or innovative,
then you may need to accept that
you’re not ready to
be a thought leader.

50. Rule No. 4

51. Rule No. 4
Thought
leadership
embraces the
humanity of the
author and the
reader.

52. It’s real talk.

53. It’s real talk.
It’s owning up to the real challenges, sharing a vision for your
plan of attack, and celebrating the wins you are truly proud
of.

54. It’s speaking from your heart,
to the hearts of your
listeners.

55. You speak with respect and compassion, but you don’t water
down your message.
b

56. You speak with respect and compassion, but you don’t water
down your message.
You speak with confidence in your mission and your methods, but with
the humility to engage in
discussion.

57. Now let’s talk
Content
Marketing

58. Content marketing is more about equipping your clients
to succeed in the status quo than it is about
speaking to your entire industry and calling for change.

59. The goal of content marketing is to
build relationships
with your ideal customers.

60. Content marketing is like the advice you’d give to a friend who
was trying to make a decision and you had expertise that
could help.

61. Content marketing is like the advice you’d give to a friend who
was trying to make a decision and you had expertise that
could help.
Thought leadership is the
rant you’d make before flipping over the desk
and quitting the job at the
unethical company.

62. Content marketing is like the advice you’d give to a friend who
was trying to make a decision and you had expertise that
could help.
Thought leadership is the
rant you’d make before flipping over the desk
and quitting the job at the
unethical company.

63. With CM, we’re looking for how-tos,
bulleted lists of practical tips,
unbiased pros & cons.

64. ● Content marketing always provides value,
never a sales pitch

65. ● Content marketing always provides value,
never a sales pitch
● Content marketing helps your customers succeed,
whether they buy your products or not

66. ● Content marketing always provides value,
never a sales pitch
● Content marketing helps your customers succeed,
whether they buy your products or not
● Content marketing offers practical advice
that relates to your field

67. ● Content marketing gets to the point quickly

68. ● Content marketing gets to the point quickly
● Content marketing saves time for you and
your clients by answering FAQs and clearing up
points of confusion

69. Some examples of CM:

70. (THIS GUIDE IS AN
EXAMPLE OF CONTENT
MARKETING)

71. Finally, we get to the
Promotional
B.S.

72. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll know
when you’ve produced a piece
of B.S.

73. The tricky part is when you mix
B.S. with some of the principles of
CM and TL.

74. The tricky part is when you mix
B.S. with some of the principles of
CM and TL.
Things get a little fuzzy.

75. You read the piece, and you realize that you’re asking
people to buy your stuff or sign up for
your event,

76. You read the piece, and you realize that you’re asking
people to buy your stuff or sign up for
your event,
but you rationalize that it’s ok because you’re
ALSO giving them good advice!

77. No.

78. No.
You can’t mix them.

79. No.
You can’t mix them.
Don’t mix TL with CM, and
don’t mix either with BS.

80. Do Not...

81. Do Not...
● Start with the question: “What message do wemost want to get in
people’s brains?”

82. Do Not...
● Start with the question: “What message do wemost want to get in
people’s brains?”
● Mix self-promotion, or event-promotion, or fundraising
promotion with half-assed thought leadership or content marketing.

83. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
Do Not...

84. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
Do Not...

85. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
● Speak for the sake of
speaking.
Do Not...

86. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
● Speak for the sake of
speaking.
● Share shallow, pump-up
content that tells a trivial
story and asks for engagement
on a trivial subject.
Do Not...

87. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
● Speak for the sake of
speaking.
● Share shallow, pump-up
content that tells a trivial
story and asks for engagement
on a trivial subject.
● Repeat what everyone else is
saying.
Do Not...

88. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
● Speak for the sake of
speaking.
● Share shallow, pump-up
content that tells a trivial
story and asks for engagement
on a trivial subject.
● Repeat what everyone else is
saying.
● Make a lame sales pitch.
Do Not...

89. ● Use a headline no one would
click on.
● Be inauthentic because you’re
afraid of how people will react if
you speak the truth.
● Speak for the sake of
speaking.
● Share shallow, pump-up
content that tells a trivial
story and asks for engagement
on a trivial subject.
● Repeat what everyone else is
saying.
● Make a lame sales pitch.
● Offer super-biased advice.
Do Not...

90. Too Long: Didn’t Read
(TL: DR)

91. Thought leadership answers questions like,
“What’s next? Why
does it matter? Why
should I care?”

92. Content marketing answers questions like,
“How do I...? What
is…? Where can I
find…?”

93. Promotional bull shit answers the question,
“Are you a self-centered,
tone-deaf blabbermouth
who wastes your
customers’ time?”

96. Any questions?

97. Any questions?
Let’s talk.

98. Any questions?
Let’s talk.
obarrow12@gmail.com