So You’re Up For a Leadership Role…

If you missed the political and pop culture bonanza that was the Democratic National Convention, you really missed out.

The event took place over a 4-day period, and featured everyone from the heavyweight champions of US politics, to the behind-the-scenes leaders of global businesses, to seemingly random social media influencers.

 Whatever your take on it, the formula is working.

The DNC taught us first-hand the power of a great leadership PR campaign. How upping the ante and anticipation on a national stage (figuratively and literally) can boost your visibility, boost your reputation, and boost your chances of landing the role.

You don't need to be running for President to take a tip or two. If you're vying for a senior or C-Suite role right now, we've cherry-picked some of the most impactful PR and communications tactics to incorporate in your campaign.

Take a look.

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#1 The Digital Presence You See.

A vast proportion of our lives is conducted online. So naturally, that's where most recruitment and vetting takes place, too.

In an ideal world, your digital presence starts years in advance. We're talking cross-channel comms (the likes of LinkedIn and Instagram, any website or online portfolio you have) that effectively advocate your real-life experience, and demonstrate a vested interest in the position or arena you want to settle in.

So if you want to become a Chief Communications Officer, for example, your content needs to show advancing ideas and a keen eye on both the industry and the discipline. You'll want to present fresh concepts, fresh takes, and leverage current news. More on that in #3.

If you have your eye on a specific organisation, the principle remains. Share their news, interact with their content, keep up to date with their products and services - even connect with members of their team. And it should go without saying, but those interactions need to be genuine, and laced with your own insights.

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#2 The Digital Presence You Don't See.

Or not on surface level, at least. This is where things become a little more nuanced and a little more career-critical. Some may call them skeletons in the closet, but any material that's out there can and will be judged.

Without getting into the moral conundrums of it, old tweets, public profiles, and out-of-context quotes can all be detrimental to your reputation. It usually comes down to the sector you're working in and just how much exposure you may bring to a brand - and vice-versa - but you need to clear this up.

In most cases, content on owned channels can be removed just like that. But if we're talking about paid or earned media, there's no erasing that; it's a done deal. In either scenario, the internet is written in something stronger than ink, and anything can be screenshot, so you should behave as if everything already has been.

This is why crisis communications need to extend past a brand entity to incorporate leadership. A great PR and comms pro will work with you to explore what may be detrimental, and develop a plan which not only strengthens your reputation right now, but prepares for any potential worst case scenarios.

If you don't have that on your roster, it' s time to consider it.

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#3 Traditional Thought Leader Tactics.

Some of our all-time favourite PR activity with all-time great outcomes. Thought leadership has gained a bit of a bad rep in the past decade (we've heard it called "cringe" on more than one occasion), mostly because a lot of the self-proclaimed aren't offering fresh or cutting takes on topics.

Bottom line, there's a big difference between publishing copy and producing true thought leadership - and we're really firm on strategizing the latter.

Bylines, newsjacking, Q&As and interviews, podcasts, and media relations: strong thought leadership is an holistic approach across all channels and pillars with the ultimate aim of building a steady, reliable reputation in the public, in the industry, and with key members of the media.

In no uncertain terms, TL (done right) gets you on the map.

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#4 Face to a Name.

In-person events have made a huge comeback - and if you have your sights sets on senior leadership or a Board role, this is one tactic that's non-negotiable.

Being a speaker at roundtables, industry conferences, or networking events enables you to show you're more than just a headshot, yes. But they're also prime locations to connect with the right people about the right ideas, and demonstrate you're as clued-in as you are keen. They give you ample material to incorporate across your comms activity, and could result in career-changing opportunities.

There is more demand to speak at an event or be a panellist now so it can take time to secure. If that's the case for you, it pays to go for smaller events at first, attend a few as a guest, and speak to industry peers about the potential.

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Get Started - Then Don’t Stop

One of the toughest parts of leadership PR is consistency.

Getting started is great, but maintaining momentum is what will ultimately lead to strong results. It will help put your name on the industry map, carve out your corner of conversations, and provide demonstrable evidence towards your leadership campaign.

To state the obvious, PR and comms becomes even more critical once you're in the role itself. That's when you can build on your experience, and both promote the brand you're working for and leverage it towards your own goals.

More on that another time.

Proof's in the pudding. And in the Democrats' case, we'll need to wait and see what November brings.