1.     Thought leadership isn't about knowing everything.  It's about being passionate about one topic and explaining it in a way that is easy to grasp and enthuse.

2.     Give your visibility a good vantage.  Put off writing that book for now.  Raise your profile more quickly by writing articles or white papers for key target publications in your chosen market.  You can always publish a collection of these pieces later in a book and bask in the fame all over again

3.     Which magazines, publications and other media best serve your target market or audience?  Get a copy and read them.  Who are the editors in those publications?  Start planning how to forge a relationship with them (here are some ideas) .  Think of the ideas and expert opinion you could feed them with.

4.     What are the hot topics in your chosen market?  What are people currently facing?  Tailor your expertise to comment specifically on these issues.  The more 'easy to apply' advice you can give, the faster your following will grow.

5.     Treat journalists as you would a valued contact, customer or client.  Don't let them down and take an interest in them and their goals.  They can be a powerful asset in helping you build your profile if you treat them well.

6.   Familiarise yourself with the style and tone of any media you write for before you start authoring a piece for them.  If you adapt your style to fit theirs, you'll find that editors cut or adapt very little of your content. 

7.   If you get asked to write an article, comment or give insight on something, try and rehearse or run your words by someone outside of your specialist area.  They'll help you to speak in plain English and explain your expertise in a way that's easily understood.