One great way to get ahead in the supply chain industry is to brand yourself as a thought leader, or an authority in the field. But how? You may think that unless you run the biggest supply chain organization in the country and are often interviewed for the news, you won’t have many opportunities to share your expertise. Luckily, the Internet and social media especially make it easy. Here are five activities that will help launch you as a supply chain thought leader.

  1. Start a blog.
    Several years ago, this first piece of advice might have been to “write a book” instead. But these days, blogs get much more respect—and more readership. If you provide meaningful, regularly updated content, you’ll grow an audience. Half-hearted outsourced content won’t do the trick. Don’t just rehash what everyone else is publishing. Really try to make your content better, more detailed, more understandable. And when you launch your blog, know who to contact and where to go to help spread the word. In fact, this leads to another activity.
  1. Create or Join a LinkedIn group.
    If there aren’t any likely-looking groups on LinkedIn where supply chain professionals regularly share information and expertise, start one! Either way, be sure to participate regularly. Share links to your blog. Express opinions. Engage other members in conversations. Connect with other members on Twitter and Google+. Soon your name will become known and people may even start to come to you with supply chain questions or problems.
  1. Write for both online and traditional publications.
    Editors are always looking for great, expert content to share with their audiences. If you can pitch and sell a story and get it published, you’ll add to your credibility. Who knows, if you do it well enough, you may even land a regular column!
  1. Make Slideshare presentations.
    Slideshare generates more than 70 million views per month. If you put up a presentation or two, you can spread your name throughout the industry.
  1. Speak at conferences.
    If you don’t have trouble speaking in front of a live audience, volunteer your services as a keynote speaker or panelist to any supply chain seminars or conferences. After sharing your experiences and ideas with others, and building your reputation, you’ll meet more people face-to-face and even generate business leads.

Another great way to get your name known in the supply chain industry? Work with ZDA Supply Chain Recruiting in Denver, where we know all of the major players. Call us if you’re ready to take your supply chain career to another level.