Your platform is much more than a place to stand to deliver a weekly message.
Consider the platform of John Maxwell. Was the church pulpit his platform? Newsletters? Speeches? Books?
Most of us would agree that Maxwell's primary platform is his leadership books. Of course, he had a pulpit and a fairly wide following before his first book was published, but it was his early books that enlarged his platform and career.
Oprah Winfrey starred in the powerful movie, The Color Purple. Most would agree her platform was a daily talk show that aired on television that served as her primary platform. Yet, the breadth of her platform is probably more than any of us could define.
Your platform places your message in front of the right audience(s) at the right time. It takes several years for a platform to grow as a place of significant influence. But along the path to a large platform are many opportunities to impact the audience of the day. "For who has despised the day of small things?" (Zech. 4:10a).
Influence grows like dominoes fall. "Here a little, there a little" influence grows and a need for additional platforms arise. The first step to a large platform is to create multiple platforms. I suggest to students that 2-3 platforms are usually sufficient to determine the platform which will matter most in your ministry.
Leaders must be intentional about platform development. Powerful platforms do not develop by accident. Broad influence grows through time, platforms and anointed messages. Your audience will come through multiplication by intention.
Do you have a blog? Do you podcast? Do you write for other publications? Have you written a book? Do you have a radio or television broadcast?
Don't miss Part 4 tomorrow. I will discuss the most powerful platform of all. I predict most readers ignore or only dabble in the platform that could be a perpetual powder keg for your message. (No, the platform I will write about tomorrow is not on this list.)
Your platform is the pipeline to expanding your influence.
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Dr. Steve Greene is the publisher and executive vice president of the media group at Charisma Media and executive producer of the Charisma Podcast Network. His book, Love Leads: The Spiritual Connection Between Your Relationships and Productivity, is now available.
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