Learn the Advanced Strategies and Processes to Become the Sought-after Thought Leader You Are Meant to Be
Discover how to turn your ideas, experiences, IP, and knowledge into practical positioning tools and frameworks that can command attention and access
Hello Aspiring Thought Leader,
First of all, I want to acknowledge that you've worked hard to become who you are right now.
It took courage for you to pursue the path you're currently on.
You've logged many hours as a coach, consultant, small business owner, executive, or expert, spending countless days and nights in front of your laptop, in Zoom meetings, fine-tuning your message and brand.
You've built a decent network. Enjoyed some client success and probably created some cool content, too.
Right now you find yourself at an interesting point in your professional journey, peering over the expanse of possibility you’d like to explore.
You know, that next level.
It's like you're standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon of your professional life and the view is breathtaking for sure.
That canyon is full of magnificent individuals who are part of a larger conversation, people that you admire because they've taken the leap.
They've put their thoughts down on the proverbial paper and changed not only their lives, but many others as well.
You want to count these people among your peers.
You want to be a part of that conversation.
But when you get close to the edge of that magnificent canyon, your stomach starts flip flopping at warp speed. That voice of doubt becomes louder in your head. Imposter syndrome is lurking in the shadows there, too.
So you retreat back to safety, that place several feet from the edge where it’s comfortable and familiar, telling yourself, "Hey, I'm doing all right. Things could be a lot worse."
And you'd be right about that.
But things could be a lot better, too.
The people you admire "out there" -- the ones who are respected for their ideas, sought out for their insights, invited to partake in panel discussions, headline and keynote industry conferences, the ones who get the choice client engagements -- were once where you are now.
The only difference between you and them is they made a decision to take the leap because what they believe to be true is too important not to see it through.
They are focused on developing their point of view about topics that matter to them.
It may be a contrarian point of view. It may be a popular point of view. It may be a new point of view or even a collective point of view.
But it's a point of view that's well-defined, showcased in an original, intriguing voice that people notice.
And perhaps most importantly?
These thought leaders share their point of view with a bigger audience. Consistently.
But -- and this is very important --
They aren't buried in their phones 24/7 churning out a gazillion social media posts.
They aren't trapped on the constant content creation hamster wheel feeling breathless, frustrated, and depleted.
They aren’t all that concerned with growing their email lists, either (although they do have systems in place).
Instead of sapping their energy on tasks that barely register on the progress meter, they choose to spend their time writing about their ideas and developing a strategy for getting them in front of the right decision makers and influencers. It could be through a book, which is a popular choice. Possibly a TED Talk. Some are prolific bloggers, emailers, newsletter writers, podcasters, YouTubers.
What they all share in common is a distinctive voice and the desire to go bigger with their ideas.
And almost all of them do that through writing.
Which is why one of the best ways to get to that next level is to become a better writer.
You may have heard that content has become commoditized. And you may be wondering, what's the point of creating more content? Isn't there enough?
Well, if the statistics from the 2020 Edelman LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study have any weight at all (and they do), you’ll see that decision makers who regularly consume thought leadership rate a mere 15% of that content as "excellent."
Which means that 85% of thought leadership content out there is average, at best.
I doubt very much that you are here to be average.
Introducing the Write to Grow™ Collective
This is why the Write to Grow™ Collective exists. It is the only writing workshop of its kind designed to help experts like you become better writers. I created it specifically for professionals who want to do something bigger with their ideas so that you can attract better clients, capture the attention of and gain access to key decision-makers, and grow your profits. In a nutshell, in 9 short weeks you will discover how to write in your most authentic voice so that you can take that leap, showing up differently to what you do and up-leveling, well, everything. This program can help you step off the cookie-cutter content path so that you can grow your business, your career, your sales, your leadership skills -- even if you don't think you have the time or creativity to do it.
Who Is This Program for?
Write to Grow™ is an excellent fit if you are an actively practicing coach, consultant, expert, small business owner, or executive who:
- Is looking to fine-tune your voice as a leader in your field to differentiate yourself from everyone else who delivers similar products and services as you do
- Likes to think deeply about specific topics, situations, and events and wants to start sharing your thoughts in a bigger way (e.g. book, blog, podcast, course)
- Wants to stop hiding, playing small, and letting inhibitions get in your way of taking the leap to your next level
- Values original thinking and wants to separate from the common "cookie cutter" content approach
- Believes you can bring a fresh and thought-provoking perspective to a particular subject that adds value to an audience and the bigger conversation
- Is a planner, a dreamer, a visionary, a doer
- Loves to see other people succeed
- Wants to capture the attention of key decision-makers in the B2B space
- Has an intelligent and supported opinion about a serious topic relevant to the industry you’re in or want to serve
- Desires to elevate your current status in the marketplace and become sought after as a thought leader at the national level, international level, or both
- Possesses a decent command of written English and wants to improve
The Next Session of Write to Grow™
Begins September 21, 2021!
Register today to take advantage of early bird pricing
(available through August 15, 2021)
$997
Early Bird Special:
$597
Your Program Experience
There are a lot of ways for you to gain new skills.
There's DIY (do it yourself) which works for some but not for others. While DIY can be efficient and help you achieve a new skill fast, it lacks two fundamental pieces of true transformational growth: accountability and feedback.
There's DFY (done for you), which can be a big investment up front with big rewards down the road (or not, as some of my clients have told me "off air.") DFY makes sense for larger businesses or for people who have transitioned out of being a solopreneur to building an organization with employees. Budgets tend to be bigger at this stage of the game; certain needs are better met through a DFY approach as time and deliverables change.
Then there's DWY (done with you), which seems to be the sweet spot of transformational learning and is what works best for most people who are looking for long-term, lasting results.
Write to Grow™ takes the DWY approach. You will have the experience of working with a professional instructor (me) coupled with the power and synergy that comes from a curated cohort (your peers).
Experiential
Experience is the name of the game when it comes to transformation and results. You can't hide in my workshops. You will do work that is relevant to your business during our time together. You will test, experiment, and explore in real time with real feedback.
Small Group
I keep my programs intentionally small. Big enough to have energy and small enough so no one gets lost in the shuffle. Introverts and extroverts can engage together in ways where everyone feels included and heard. Accountability and feedback is baked in to the group experience.
Direct Instruction
I will share prepared content with you each week as a means of establishing context for the work you're doing. This portion of our time together is kept short so as to maximize time for collaboration, discovery, and feedback.
Access to Your Instructor
Unlike many online programs today that put you in a huge sea of other participants with little or no access to the instructor, I make myself available to you via email and text should you need to reach out between meetings with questions.
Program Details:
Tuesdays, September 21-November 16, 2021 | 8:30-10:00 am Pacific | Zoom
As a member of the W2G Collective, you will get:
- Two 30 minute private strategy calls (pre and post workshop)
- 90-minute virtual group sessions each week
- Weekly assignments & worksheets
- Recommended readings
- New professional connections
- Intellectual stimulation guaranteed
1
Week 1: Developing Your Thought Leadership Practice through Writing
In our first week together, we will examine the pillars that hold your thought leadership foundation in place. We will take a look at the big picture of your current professional situation including your 3, 6 and 12 month goals, and how to use writing to achieve them as you begin to develop your strategic thought leadership.
2
Week 2: Understanding Thought Leadership for Business Growth
In a nutshell, writing for growth is all about power. Yours -- and the people you want to work with. I'll help you tap into your power and own it in a way you haven't before. You will learn how to end the frustration you feel about finding the words that clearly articulate the passion you have for what you do and all the problems you help people solve.
3
Week 3: Getting to Know Your Voice as a Thought Leader
Your voice distinguishes you as the magnificent thought leader that you are. It's what separates you from everyone else who does similar work. Together we will refine and hone your voice so that you are consistently showing up with confidence and clarity, while leaving a favorable impression people won't be able to forget.
4
Week 4: Real People, Real Conversations
Have you noticed that sometimes something weird happens when you sit down to write? You think you have to sound more like "so and so" (whoever so and so is) to get results. This week will be about writing authentically in a way that feels natural and effective to you.
5
Week 5: Love Letters from a Thought Leader
Deep down, everyone wants to feel loved and appreciated. Key decision makers at B2B companies are no different. You will learn ways to infuse your thought leadership and what you write with love so that your audience can't help but beg you for more.
6
Week 6: Making Friends with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is here and it's not going away anytime soon. But before you go chasing the latest bot or template, discover how to use AI intelligently to save time and gain insights. I'll show you some nifty ways of making AI one of your besties as you develop your thought leadership to save time...and find the perfect phrase you just couldn't come up with on your own.
7
Week 7: Running Real-World Tests & Experiments
Writing without ever getting feedback is like dressing up for the big party and never leaving the house. At some point you want people to see what you're doing. You need to publish and get feedback. What resonates? What doesn't? It's all data you can use to improve and serve.
8
Week 8: Activating Interest & Earning Trust
You've got the goods. Now how do you go about attracting attention of the people you most want to collaborate with? Where do you find people with whom to have crucial conversations without resorting to spam tactics no one likes and that just don't work? What are the latest best practices for outreach?
9
Week 9: Celebration & Next Steps
In our final week together, we will celebrate your milestones and growth in the workshop with a look ahead at what's next on your thought leadership journey.
Register Today!
$997
Early Bird Special:
Register today to take advantage of early bird pricing
(available through August 15, 2021)
$597
About The Program Teacher,
Mary Lou Kayser
Mary Lou has been teaching writing and helping people use writing strategically to develop thought leadership for more than 30 years. As a published author and podcaster with a show in the top 1% of all podcasts, Mary Lou has experienced first-hand the power that comes from creating high-quality thought leadership for personal and professional growth.
Since 2012, she has helped launch the careers of several new thought leaders into the marketplace. As the host of the Play Your Position Podcast, she has published more than 400 episodes and built a solid platform where 250+ leaders from multiple industries have shared their ideas with the world in a bigger way.
What her clients tell her they want more than anything is for their writing to mean something while serving a specific purpose. Implementation, at the end of the day, is everything. That's why this workshop isn't about busy work, or diagramming sentences, or getting into a "Zen flow state."
The nuts and bolts of professional growth include consistently putting solid, intentional writing into place that is aligned with your goals as a thought leader. When you see your writing and thought leadership working for you, the energy you feel is unlike any other. You develop a new set of wings, or as Mary Lou's brother likes to say, "Now you're cooking with gas!"
Here’s what people are saying about the program instructor
Tracy Imm
Marketing & Communications Strategist
Exceptional instructor
"The learning container Mary Lou creates gives you the foundation to figure out where exactly to spend your time and energy for accomplishing your goals."
Diane Gibson
Management Consultant
Dynamic teacher
"I am really immersing myself in this program and am so glad to be a part of it. The creative juices are flowing -- I so appreciate Mary Lou's patience, technique and approach – she is a great coach and teacher!"
Traci Esteve
Cybersecurity Specialist
Generous and approachable
"Mary Lou goes the extra mile to ensure that her programs are useful and on point. She knows how to build communities fast so that everyone feels comfortable with each other. Her generous nature makes learning fun and practical!"
Frequently Asked Questions
A. While we will explore how copywriting plays a role in developing your thought leadership and writing practice, this is not a copywriting program per se. If you are looking to learn how to generate click-bait headlines, for example, there's lots of free stuff about how to do that on YouTube. This workshop offers a deep dive into your specialty as a business owner and the writing strategies that can support your growth as a thought leader.
A. An interesting thing happens when you develop your thought leadership and implement a consistent and focused writing strategy for growing your business. SEO seems to take care of itself. While important, it isn't the main crazy driver of attracting the people you want to work with who will pay you handsomely for your knowledge, insights, and expertise.
A. Write to Grow™ is not a book writing program per se. However, you may discover through the work you do in the program that the foundation of a book is emerging.
A. You will need a solid Internet connection, an eagerness to become better, and a willingness to learn from and contribute to the group. Come ready to exercise your critical thinking, collaboration, and focus muscles, too!
A. Yes! This program is a great fit for anyone who has experienced some success in the marketplace but hasn't yet developed out your thought leadership. In this program you will begin to map out what your thought leadership can look like.
A. Should an unusual circumstance prevent you from participating, send me an email to explore your options.
A Few Last Thoughts
You can outsource administrative tasks. You can outsource editing. You can outsource the production of videos.
But you can't outsource your voice, your point of view, or your thought leadership to bots or someone on Fiverr.
Writing authentically about subjects that mean something to you in your voice from your heart can connect you to a movement that matters -- or even start one.
It can build your brand, earn you trust, and help fill your practice with amazing clients.
That's what this Write to Grow™ Collective is ultimately all about. You're going to be engaged with critical thinking, collaboration and focus as you discover your thought leadership voice, and you're going to be exercising those muscles throughout our time together.
As you excel in your writing skills, you begin to expand your sphere of influence and knowledge.
I would love to have you be a part of this revolutionary group of aspiring thought leaders where you can finish out 2021 unbelievably strong and more importantly, prepare yourself for the excitement that's coming in 2022 as more and more businesses look to thought leaders for guidance, support, and solving their biggest problems.
Everyone has the right to grow their business.
Everyone can get better at writing to do that.
Join us!
Don't Miss Out!
Register today to take advantage of early bird pricing
(available through August 15, 2021)
$997
Early Bird: $597