3 Ways To Elevate Your CEO’s Executive Brand

CEOs are recognizing the importance of improving their online presence and participating in thought leadership, but many corporate communication and marketing teams need support in this niche area of PR. 

Look no further. For the past eight years, Triple A Media has specialized in creating effective thought leadership programs for CEOs and high-level executives. We understand a leader’s reputation directly impacts the organizations they represent. Our process is designed to elevate the executive brands of your company leaders. 

Whether you’re looking to create an effective thought leadership strategy inhouse or outsource a thought leadership agency or consultant, here are three tips that will help. 

What is Executive Branding?

Executive branding is the process of creating a personal brand for a CEO or executive at your company. Rather than focusing on marketing or sales messages, an executive brand hones in on the intellect and lived experience of the individual. As such, the content generated can have a much wider reach and impact than a pure brand-based approach to PR. 

Identifying your CEO or company leader’s executive brand is the first step in creating an effective thought leadership strategy. Here’s where to start:

Identify Your CEO’s Core Area of Expertise

Every person has had a unique career journey, riddled with life experiences that have shaped their personal and professional development. When it comes to defining your CEO’s executive brand, go beyond their formal education and LinkedIn resume and find out what they are uniquely qualified to have expertise on based on their lived experiences. Think beyond their business knowledge and delve into their leadership style and areas where their expertise intersects with what’s happening in society. 

Establish Who Is Part Of Your CEO’s Core Community

A CEO’s executive brand can go places where a company’s brand cannot. Not only can CEOs reach other executives and company leaders, but their personal stories and thought leadership content are often relatable to a much broader demographic than the company’s marketing materials can reach. It’s important to keep this in mind when defining an executive’s narratives and content plan.

Define Your CEO’s Personal Style, Voice and Values  

A CEO’s executive brand should authentically reflect who they are in real life. Would others describe them as tenacious and gritty, or graceful and strong? These distinguished traits should be reflected in the executive brand presence you create for your CEO online.

Think about the tone of voice they default to and words that are part of their everyday lexicon. These details can really authenticate a leader’s thought leadership. It’s also important to think about a leader’s personal values — these should compliment, but can be distinctly different from a company’s core values.

Thought leadership is most effective when leaders aren’t seen as a corporate mouthpiece, but as relatable people, sharing real, human experiences.