A consumer asked: What would you do to attract the right [social media] leaders?

HERE’S ONE STRATEGY – Listen, then engage: First listen. Start by joining groups that attract your target audience. Monitor group discussions and determine who the unofficial leaders are. These are the people who seem to naturally influence others in the group. These are the people who seem to inspire others and get them to take action or to voice a relevant thought or question. Get a 360 view of these individuals. Listen to their discussions. Identify their interests. Look for a common thread with those individuals.

Engage them with sincerity and transparency. Look for opportunities to invite them into your discussions. If they appear receptive, friend or follow these thought leaders. When possible, engage them offline with a phone call or in a face-to-face meeting (a lunch discussion perhaps).

Remain sincere in your discussions but share your expertise while learning theirs. Look for opportunities for strategic partnerships. Become a part of their sphere of influence and let them become a part of yours. Create opportunities to help them achieve their goals. In other words, show added value. If you’ve chosen the right thought leaders, you should see proof of their impact on your sphere of influence in a relatively short time. Learn about upcoming internet marketing workshops: http://techedu.eventbrite.com