The document discusses four steps to thought leadership success: 1) developing compelling points of view on important issues through research; 2) educating internal teams to build alignment; 3) sustaining engagement with target audiences through continuous, integrated online and offline content; and 4) establishing programmatic discipline through dedicated staff, budgets, and metrics to ensure focused impact and continuous improvement.

1. Beyond Random Content:
Four Steps to
Thought Leadership Success
Avitage Thought Leadership Webinar Series
June 3, 2010
Rob Leavitt
Principal, Solutions Insights

2. Marketers’ interest in thought
leadership is at an all-time high
Most important marketing tactics for 2010
Source: ITSMA Budget and Metrics Survey © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 2

3. Our customers are fed up with most of
our marketing
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 3

4. But they are looking for new ideas to
improve performance
CEOs are:
● Struggling to keep up with change
● Seeking out customers for
collaborative innovation
● Adapting business models, often
substantially
● Adding capabilities and partners
for global integration
● Deepening commitments to social
responsibility
Source: IBM, The Enterprise of the Future, 2009 Global CEO Study © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 4

5. Our customers are scouring the Web in
search of new thinking
C-suite executives are:
● Using the Web first for information
● Searching themselves, not delegating
● Focusing heavily on search, video, webcasts,
and online communities
● Shifting demographically toward Generation
Netscape
Source: Forbes, The Rise of the Digital C-Suite, 2009 © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 5

6. Start-and-stop buying cycles demand
yet more content
Buying cycle in theory:
Awareness Interest Consideration Purchase
Buying process in reality:
Revised Department New Budget
Strategy Reorg CFO Cuts
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 6

7. Amid buyer chaos, thought leadership
should support the entire buying cycle
“That’s interesting,
tell me more”
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 7

8. For many marketers, thought leadership
remains underfunded and episodic
Does this sound familiar?
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 8

9. “Random acts of content” undercuts
thought leadership potential
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 9

10. Thought leadership success relies on a
four-step process
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 10

11. Compelling Points of View provide the
basis for thought leadership content
● Choose the right issues
● Do the research
● Test and refine the POV
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 11

12. Internal education builds go-to-market
alignment and support
● Educate across the
organization
● Get people involved
● Build a thought
leadership
culture
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 12

13. Sustained engagement enables broad
presence and targeted conversation
● Make the
commitment
● Leverage content
● Go broad and deep
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 13

14. Programmatic discipline ensures
focused impact and improvement
● Invest what it takes
● Clarify roles and
responsibilities
● Set clear strategy
● Measure for continuous
improvement
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 14

15. A thought leadership roadmap helps
identify next steps
Getting Getting Building Building
Started Focused Organization Leadership
Individual- and Issue-based, some Editorial agenda, Theme-based,
product-oriented, research, initial ongoing research, deep research,
Points of personal opinion differentiation new ideas customer
View collaboration,
breakthrough
ideas
Ad hoc and Modest, broadcast Deliberate, Substantial, multi-
Internal informal orientation functional tiered, ongoing,
Education orientation, social collaborative
One-off Campaigns, Substantial, Continuous, broad
Sustained publications multiple formats, integrated online and deep,
Engagement and presentations customers and and offline, social collaborative
influencers
Ad hoc, junior Initial funding, Focused budget, Strategic funding,
support, no budget mid-level support, senior direction, exec. direction,
Program or metrics research partners, dedicated staff, cross-company
Discipline PR metrics marketing metrics collaboration,
business metrics
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 15

16. Final thoughts
● Narrow your focus
● Do the research
● Engage and empower internally
● Leverage good content
● Invest in expertise
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 16

17. Questions
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 17

18. Thank you!
Rob Leavitt
Principal
Solutions Insights
rleavitt@solutionsinsights.com
+1-508-654-7181
www.solutionsinsights.com
Blog: www.reputationtorevenue.com
Twitter: @Robleavitt
© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 18