The Power of Thought Leadership at Conferences
When it comes to the power of words, it is well-known what they can do. From rendering world peace to representing your organisation in the largest retail conference for big corporations, words can turn people into visionaries and thoughts into actions.
Thought leadership is a powerful tool, it takes you from being a certain someone at a company to an influencer – a person of might and astute knowledge. One of the biggest perks of being a thought leader is you are the face of an idea. As a thought leader, speakers and their corporations unlock a platform that reaches beyond borders across a group of people.
But the voice has no meaning unless it comes from the right platform, which is where retail meetings serve as the perfect pedestal for execs. Particularly speaking, retail conferences for large corporations and enterprise businesses are the right space to make your voice heard.
And if your response to speaking in conferences is “Well, I’ve got too much work to spare time for this”, then let us tell you why your words have all the power as a corporate leader.
Why Being A Thought Leader At Events Is Pivotal For Your Enterprise Business
Speaking at events gets the money in
But wait — doesn’t it usually happen the other way around? Yes, the initial investment turns out to be a bummer as you are seen jumping through hoops to get the budget approval for the conference. But if you take a step back and look at a huge event, say a retail conference for large corporations, then the investment is well worth its returns.
(Psst – you get free access to Retail Fest 2025 as a sponsor. Register here.)
You are surrounded by a rich network of people who can be your next partners or customers. From a coffee and croissant with retail folks to hearing an elevator pitch from a techie, there’s so much to grasp.
As a speaker, if your keynote session and panel have the right informational value, the audience will get it – and will get back to you as loyal customers.
It's your foray into being a thought leader
Yes, stage fright is real, and getting dressed every day for three days seems daunting and exciting at the same time. But your organisation needs it as much as you do.
As a thought leader, public speaking in conferences portrays you as a person backed by a brand that has been through it all. And as you are its voice, you get to be authentic, real, and straight-up genuine.
When a person becomes the voice of a company, they go beyond the prospect that the particular company is just a product or service. The company becomes an idea, driven by the words of its thought leader, reaching beyond any medium.
Your organisation is not just known as a logo or product, but as an idea — and so will you once your voice becomes a thought leader.
Two words — free publicity!
Now this is a tough one to beat — if you come out as a thought leader in a retail conference attended by 15,000+ people of relevant industries who mean business, then this is where you get it. From business dailies to blogs and corporate and lifestyle influencers, everyone has an ear to lend and a spotlight to share if you convey your thoughts the right way.
Many conferences offer a special emphasis on bringing in the media from the world’s leading outlets, this gives your words power, as your spot on the speaker’s panel reaches places unimaginable without paying heavy sums of money. And yes, the lifestyle influencers are ready to jump on to any words of wisdom that can become Instagram captions and LinkedIn thoughts.
You introduce them to the problem, not the product
No solution in the world was sold for a problem that never existed. As a retail conference attendee from a large enterprise, you need to showcase what problem you are solving and how each and every member of the audience is affected by it to a certain extent.
What most event speakers do wrong and what separates them from being a thought leader, is that they sell the product in their panels and keynote speeches. Not only does that hurt your brand in these retail conferences for large businesses, but it disregards your reputation as just a salesperson. If your product and service are capable enough to bring you to an event, it is surely solving problems worth being solved. Focus on conveying that to your audiences.
Grow your corporation inside and out
When organisations put their best foot forward, they are sharing their culture with the world, highlighting how it is to work with them inside and out. This is the best branding strategy to capture bright minds and lure them into working with your organisation. After all, an organisation is as good as the people it puts forward to represent them.
Various retail conferences for large corporations give you the opportunity to interact and network one-on-one with audiences and like-minded members. The RF Hosted Meeting Program gives a chance to network and learn. This includes talking to experienced coaches and strategists who can help you solve problems.
How Do You Choose The Perfect Conference For Your Corporation?
Let’s face it – there are a huge number of retail conferences happening in a year. The question is, where do you draw the line as to which conference is best for your corporation?
Here are a few points to note:
- Choose a conference with a wide audience base.
- Ensure that there’s a right mix of industries.
- Pick a name in the industry that matches your company’s reputation.
- Check what the conference organisers are offering you.
- Check if there are one-to-one networking opportunities.
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Retail Fest 2025 by Retail Global, one of the biggest retail conferences for big corporations and enterprise businesses is the place to be!
Become a speaker and interact with countless professionals in the industry. This is where great deals happen and timeless partnerships are made.
Turn your speaking skills into thought leadership. Register now.