Designing and delivering corporate workshops are one of the fastest, most efficient ways to get in the door with corporate decision makers.

Why? Because it’s a super easy way they can test drive you and your services without having to invest huge amounts of time and money.

First, stepping into the shoes of the corporate decision maker is critical.

Corporate decision makers want to know what’s going on out in this very competitive and increasingly disruptive business marketplace and they want to stay current and relevant.

They are constantly on the lookout for consultants who are leading edge. So find ways to be different in how you approach the hot topics.

Make them timely, trendy, and tied to what you deliver.

If you want to really stand out from your competitors, as the 2020 Edelman LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study recommends, “conduct a media analysis to uncover opportunities to say something novel…” and “find creative andunexpected ways of delivering your story…”

The study goes on to say “Don’t just identify trends – demonstrate an understanding of why things are happening in a way that nobody else can.”

In essence, carefully thought-out thought leadership is all part and parcel of how you arrive at a HOT topic.

As far as sizzling HOT topics that are trending now, take a look at these. In fact, most of these will be pretty darn hot over the next year and beyond. 

• Artificial Intelligence
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Driving Employee Engagement
• Executive Presence                                        
• Presentation Skills
• Maximizing Performance (Sales and other key performance metrics)        
• Emotional Intelligence
• Story Telling      
• Coaching Direct Reports and Teams
• Time Management and Productivity
• Wellness
• Mental Health
• Behaviour Risk
• Managing Change

Next steps to zeroing in on YOUR savvy, sizzling hot topic?

Research. Once you’ve identified your initial workshop theme, socialize it and do the necessary research to ensure it hits the mark. This means reaching out to colleagues and even prospective decision makers to get their feedback.

For example, you could ask a target corporate decision maker for a 10-minute call. Tell him or her that you are gathering research on a project about X, and would really value their input. Later, once your workshop is ready to be delivered, you can go back to that prospect and tell them. 

Gathering this kind of intel will really help you gauge what your prospects are worrying about right now. This puts you squarely in the best position to become their Trusted Advisor!

As the Edelman study found:

"89% of decision-makers agree on how effective thought leadership is at enhancing their perceptions of an organization."

And "49% of decision-makers agree on how effective thought leadership is at influencing their purchasing decisions."

As you can see, it pays to never skimp on doing your homework (aka market research) to ensure your thought leadership flows throughout your offerings, including corporate workshops.

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