Teaching Leaders the 10-Step Process for Building Their Leadership Platforms Using Their Authorship5/3/2024  What does it take to get your message to the masses?When looking at today's top-tier thought leaders, do you often wonder how your vision can reach their heights in the social, political, or economic spheres? For today's Empowering Post, I want to teach you key principles that will help you establish your new leadership platform, starting now. More specifically, you will learn the 10-step process necessary for building your work, including:
Quite often, new leaders do not see their books as a part of something bigger. They do not treat their books as an extension of their personal or professional brand. They see it as simply a work that should easily generate income “because God told them to write it.” But when it comes to building a leadership platform that reaches the masses in the social, political, and economic spheres, leaders who experience the greatest rewards are the ones who have an entrepreneurial mindset. Nothing in this industry happens by chance or luck. There are systems, strategies, and procedures that guarantee one's success. When you understand these processes, you are better equipped to excel. And within this Guide, I will teach you how to create the road map to your success. Now, let's get started. Step 1: Examining the Overall Vision for Your Platform and Performing Backwards Mapping to Identify How You Will Reach Your Goals Back when I worked as an English instructor, our department created curriculum maps that helped each teacher deliver standards-based learning to all our students. To accomplish this feat, we performed “Backwards Mapping.” The concept is simple: to know where we want students to be, we must have a clear vision and destination. To get them to that destination, we must plan backwards. For example, if we wanted students to read 10 novels in one year, we set the destination and implemented learning objectives in a backwards motion. I want you to apply this same technique when thinking about your thought leadership. To begin, think about your vision or the overall aspiration for your work. Questions to consider include:
These are just some questions to get you thinking. And once you have a clear idea of where you want to be, you can better map your objectives, which help you reach your ultimate goals. Step 2: Forming a Strategic 25-Year Plan for Your Leadership PlatformIn the first step, you learned about Backwards Mapping. During this second one, I want to show you why success is based on how well you plan. During my bi-annual leadership convention, I teach my leader-clients how to develop a simplified business plan for their thought leadership, which is housed in our workbook, Platform Planning for Writerpreneurs. This plan template is not complicated or dense like your traditional business plans. Instead, it is based on best practices for launching your work using the virtual space. Here are the areas your plan will highlight:
Throughout the year, my leader-clients revisit this plan, updating it where needed and performing necessary evaluations to improve their performance. Together, we discuss their progress during our ongoing monthly training inside my leadership network, resulting in their long-term success. And you can do the same when you create a strategic plan based on your overall vision. Step 3: Identifying Your Core Message, Core Story, and Ideal Audience Quite often, new leaders know they want to write a book. But they don’t know which story to select. Should they write about parenthood? Should they create their memoir, even though no one knows them? Should they write about ministry, business, or any other topic? Ideas are endless. But when it comes to crafting an entire online platform around your authorship, your first book must be tailored to your audience. Here’s my example. When I first took my services online in 2015, I had already published my first book, Fear, Faith & Patience. I wrote it in response to the widespread lies from media regarding my character and my case. Now, when I had initially published the book, I made a few sales. I landed a few radio interviews. But my platform didn’t increase because of my first book. It didn’t grow until I brought my teachings regarding Christian Writerpreneurship and conservative politics to the online space. I initially began this work because I wanted to know how other Christian Authors succeeded. And when I couldn’t find one single writing coach to teach me how to generate a full-time income with my work, I turned to online entrepreneurs for help. That’s when I began crafting content that merged best business practices with Christian authorship. And in 2016, I coined the phrase, “Christian Writerpreneurship,” which slowly became a go-to term for authors of this caliber. As I shared my content (video teachings, blog posts), Christian Authors were attracted to my book-publishing lessons. Over time, my content focused on conservative politics, which catapulted my thought leadership in this sphere. In turn, my audience didn’t come to purchase my first book. Instead, I built an audience based on the needs in the market. And from that need, I carved a niche and wrote niche-based books, which resulted in my platform reaching national levels. In like manner, you want to consider the exact message you’re called to deliver. Most people won’t care about your personal life story unless they can see themselves in your story. Readers are selfish because they want knowledge that will help them directly; and that's OK. They want to know how your book will empower them. They want to know how your words will transform their lives. As a coach, I don’t use my voice, my platform, or my content to speak about myself (unless it relates to a lesson I’m teaching). I focus on my audience; and each time I deliver what my audience desires, my platform and income increase. So, as you move through this lesson, consider what story or message you will convey. From there, you are ready to move forward. Step 4: Determining How Best to Package Your Message So It Reaches the Masses So, now we come to the point where we determine how you will present your story or message to the world. Now, naturally, you will want to put your words in a book. But truth be told, the audience you have may not actually be avid readers. In fact, they may want you to deliver your message in video or audio format. They may want to engage in an online course. They may want to enjoy your message through a Twitter Class. As you consider your plans for building your online platform using your authorship, be open to the format your audience desires. Of course, still publish a book! Do not neglect that. But think about other ways to package your message. Books open other doors of opportunity at a higher level. Leaders, influencers, government officials, and more will see your book as an authority source. But while your audience may not purchase all your books, folks who value intellect will. And before long, they will invite you to speak, to train, to equip, and to host on their platforms, thereby growing yours. In the meantime, consider other formats to use that tailor to your audience. Step 5: Hiring the Appropriate Experts to Help You Manifest Your Vision I cannot tell you how many times I’ve listened to novice writers tell me, “Well, I can write the book myself and just send it to an editor later.” Beloved, no, you can’t. I know you can’t because you would have already done it. You would have already published that book. Your manuscript would be completed right now. Instead, that idea is still sitting in your head, growing crusty and old. Meanwhile, someone else has hired the appropriate training experts and is a best-selling, award-winning author. In a previous lesson, I taught you the importance of hiring a writing coach. In another lesson, I taught you about the importance of hiring a skilled editor and proofreader. There is a reason God has placed such experts on your pathway. And if you intend to manifest your vision, you need to get the right training. There is no way around it. Step 6: Constructing Ideas and Plans for Your New Book Once you’ve received the proper education and training, you will find your ideas taking flight. In other words, all the inspiration you need comes after you’ve collaborated with the right experts who will lead you down the right path. As ideas come, write them down. No matter what, do not let those ideas fall. Record them. Sometimes the ideas that come to you in this moment are actually for the future. Step 7: Promoting Your Ideas on Social Media to Garner Attention and Hype Around Your Upcoming Book All my leader-clients are shocked when I tell them to promote their book long before they write their book. And there is a reason for this. As you work on building your online platform, your audience will help inform your book’s content. For example, you are probably aware of my conservative activism on Twitter. Prior to dominating that space, I had an idea to write a book about Conscious Black Conservatism. But I wasn’t sure what needed to be in the book to make it impactful. Well, guess what? The audience I built in Twitter Class solved that problem by revealing the knowledge they needed to best understand Conscious Conservatism and its benefits. I took the idea of writing this book, told my Beloveds it was coming, and then waited for my people to reveal what needed addressing. And this is one reason why you want to promote your book BEFORE it is written. Start engaging your online audience with your ideas. Ask questions, create discussions, start a Twitter discussion every now and then. But get the people involved with your project BEFORE you construct the project. Not only will it inform your book, but it will also build buzz for your project the day you publish. (That means book sales on day one!) Step 8: Preparing to Write, Publish, and Distribute Your New Book Now that you have an idea about the message you will convey; and now that you’ve generated some ideas from your online audience, it’s time to research and write the book. Research doesn’t mean you have to find 10+ books related to your topic. Research can be social media observations, qualitative analysis (interviews, for example), journals, and more. Research is your way of discovering what is and is not present in the market. As you engage in this exercise, you will discover why writing your manuscript is much easier than you know. For example, I remember one time, I constructed an e-book in just 10 hours. But before I began writing, I performed so much research that the information flowed quickly through my fingers. It is quite possible for you to write your whole manuscript in 30-60 days. Once you’ve gone through some writing coach sessions, and you’ve performed the necessary research, your mind is ready to produce content. There are significant benefits to performing research prior to writing your book.
Once your research is complete, you can construct your manuscript with the help of a writing coach. Step 9: Creating a Powerful Launch Event for Your New Platform and Book Once your manuscript is completed, it’s time to send it to your editor. Now, remember, not all editors perform the same duties. There are levels in this process. That’s why with a great writing coach, you can save thousands of dollars on editing fees when you know how to properly construct your book. But after it is completed, once it’s been edited, the experts will help you upload, publish, and print your books. However, this is not the point where you rest and relax, Beloved. As the experts are working to finalize your project, you need to work on creating a launch event that will prepare your audience to purchase your new book. Your event can be online or offline, depending on your preference. Ideally, if you have a strong online presence, it’s best to host an online event like a webinar, a virtual summit, or a book party. Step 10: Engaging with Your Audience on a Consistent Basis to Scale Your New Leadership PlatformHere is where most leaders eventually fail. They go through the initial steps successfully. They complete their book. They host their launch event. And then the buzz dies. Suddenly, they are without sales, without interviews, and without engagement. You can avoid this slump by engaging in aggressive marketing campaigns that keep your audience wanting more. At this point, your only job as a online leader and author is to promote your book by engaging in a systematized content marketing plan. Content marketing is more than basic promotions. You won’t build an audience by randomly dropping your book cover in a Facebook group. Content marketing involves strategically curating and creating materials that provide a holistic, empowering experience for your audience. This includes blogging, podcasting, or creating a highly engaging YouTube channel. Whatever medium works for you, leverage it to the fullest to keep your audience engaged. This is how your online platform will continue growing. In Conclusion ...Thought leadership is a powerful method for elevating your platform and bringing your message to millions of people nationwide. But to be most effective, you will need proper training from an expert coach who has delivered the kind of results you desire. Beloved, in this new era, I want to teach you how to tap into your God-given abilities so you thrive as one of His leaders in the earth. Whether your vision focuses on the social, political, or economic spheres, you can fulfill God's calling on your life when you have the right spiritual and practical training to make it a reality. Today, I invite you to join our growing rank of leaders who are learning to do things God's way so we get His results. Your training is crucial to this development, and at The Felecia Killings Foundation, we've crafted a dynamic leadership program and event just for you. Register for Our Bi-Annual CCM Leadership Convention | Build Your Thought Leadership in the Social, Political, or Economic Sphere  Join Coach Felecia Killings and her guest speakers for our annual 3-day event hosted in Atlanta, GA.
Sponsored by The Felecia Killings Foundation, The CCM Leadership Convention will help rising leaders like you establish powerful thought leadership in the social, political, and economic spheres. During our intensive training, you will learn key principles that will help you bring your ideas to the national forefront. Event topics include:
Don't miss this exciting time to receive our in-person training. Our Convention Schedule Day 1 — Establishing Powerful Thought Leadership in the Social, Political, or Economic Spheres
Day 2 — Packaging Your Thought Leadership in Books
Day 3 — Packaging Your Thought Leadership in Online Courses and Coaching Programs
Register Today!
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