Socializing B2B Thought Leadership: Using Social Media to Demonstrate Industry Expertise

Socializing B2B Thought Leadership:
Using Social Media to Demonstrate
Industry Expertise

ISBM Winter Member’s Meeting 2010
Houston, TX
March 2, 2010

Rob Leavitt
Principal, Solutions Insights

Agenda

● The need for thought leadership
● Making thought leadership work
● Socializing thought leadership
● Questions and discussion

© 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 2

Solutions Insights, Inc. | 6 Chickadee Lane | Westwood, MA 02090 USA 1
+1-781-929-8570 | www.solutionsinsights.com

About Solutions Insights

Consulting and IT & Telecommunications Industry
training to help
B2B companies
develop, market,
and sell custom
offerings and
integrated
solutions that
deliver increased Other Industries
business value
for enterprise
and professional
clients


The Need for
Thought Leadership



For B2B
marketers,
the course is
not getting
any easier


The biggest challenge is
that buyers pay little
attention to shouts from
the sidelines



But they are looking for new ideas

CEOs are: C-suite executives are:
● Struggling to keep up with ● Using the Internet as their
change top information source
● Seeking out customers for ● Scouring the Web
collaborative innovation themselves, not delegating
● Adapting business models, ● Focusing heavily on
often substantially search, video, webcasts,
● Adding capabilities and and online communities
partners for global ● Shifting demographically
integration toward Generation
● Deepening commitments Netscape
to social responsibility
Source: Forbes, The Rise of the
Digital C-Suite, 2009
Source: IBM, The Enterprise of the
Future, 2009 Global CEO Study © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 7

Buyers trust experts most of all

If you heard information about a company from one of these people, how
credible would the information be?

Academic or expert 64%

Financial or industry analyst 52%

NGO representative 45%

Person like yourself 44%

CEO 40%

Government official 35%

Regular employee 32%

Informed publics ages 25-64 in 20 countries.
“Extremely credible” and “very credible” responses only
Source: 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 8


In this context, thought leadership
offers great benefits

“That’s interesting, tell me more”

Customer
commitment

Sales acceleration

Prospect attraction

Market
distinction


Indeed, some marketers are putting
thought leadership at the top of the list
In FY2010, which of the following tactics do you anticipate will become more
important to your marketing strategy?
% of Respondents (N~35)
Thought leadership development 77
References and testimonials 71
Senior level programs* 63
Online video 60
Public online social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook) 57
ROI tools/Price justification tools 56
Invitation-only online communities** 54
Internal collaboration through social media and/or Intranet 51
Corporate Website 51
…
Collateral (brochures, datasheets, etc.) 11
Sponsorships of sports/Cultural events 9
Hospitality 9
Print-based direct marketing 6
Traditional print/media advertising 0
Public trade shows 0

Notes: Multiple responses allowed.
*Relationship management programs, customer advisory boards, councils
**Hosted or sponsored by your company
Source: ITSMA, Budget Allocations and Trends: Key Metrics Survey, 2010 © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 10


For most, thought leadership remains
underfunded, episodic, and superficial

1/3 of ISBM members
Does this sound familiar?
promote thought
leadership online ● No dedicated staff
● No editorial calendar
● Nights and weekends
● Thinly disguised
brochures
● Minimal customer proof
● One-off publishing


Making Thought
Leadership Work



To make an impact, thought leadership
needs focus, depth, and continuity


Social media creates tremendous
opportunity for thought leadership

Ongoing
Customer
conversation
and market
and
insight
collaboration

Relevant
Viral
routes to
leverage
market



Meanwhile, thought leadership helps
drive B2B social media

If you currently use social networks, what do you use them for?

Thought leadership 60%

Generate leads 49%

Customer feedback 46%

Advertising 35%

Market research 29%

Other 15%

Source: BtoB Magazine/btobonline.com research © November, 2009 © 2010 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 15

Most important is good content that
people want to pass along



Socializing Thought
Leadership


Socializing the Research:
Innovation Jams at IBM

● Challenge:
– Accelerate exploration
of new ideas and opportunities
● Solution:
– Periodic series of online innovation “jams”
● Program:
– Enlist thousands of employees, partners, and customers in
collaborative jam sessions around core themes and ideas
● Results:
– Institutional crowdsourcing; internal excitement; enhanced
relationships, dozens of new investments



Socializing Publication:
McKinsey’s What Matters

● Challenge:
– Broaden the range of
expert views available
to clients and others
● Solution:
– New microsite on key
global issues
● Program:
– Publish and invite
comment on articles and debates with leading academics,
consultants, and practitioners
● Results:
– Wide-ranging interactive complement to traditional publication
programs, with extensive social amplification

Socializing the Conversation:
CSC’s WikonnecT

● Challenge:
– Deepen relationships with
insurance industry clients
● Solution:
– Private social network
● Program:
– Build, market and sustain full-featured,
issues-based online community
● Results:
– 11,000 users, 700+ companies
– Deep customer insight
– Extensive customer collaboration
– Increased customer loyalty


Socializing Thought Leadership:
Four Stages of Development
Testing the Building
Skeptical Waters Getting Organized Expertise
Points of Ad hoc, product- Product- and Issue-based, Theme-based,
View oriented, minimal issue-based, one- editorial agenda, deep research,
listening, personal off research, ongoing listening & customer
opinion minimal research, customer collaboration,
differentiation involvement, new breakthrough
ideas ideas
Internal Minimal, ad hoc, Modest, Deliberate, Substantial, multi-
Education informal broadcast functional tiered, ongoing,
orientation orientation, social collaborative
Market Minimal, periodic Modest, multiple Substantial, Continuous,
Engagement publications and formats, integrated online pervasive
presentations customers and and offline, social presence,
influencers collaborative
Program Ad hoc, junior Initial funding, Focused investment, Strategic funding,
Operations support, no mid-level senior direction, exec. direction,
budget or metrics support, several dedicated staff and cross-company
partners, PR partners, marketing collaboration,
metrics metrics business metrics

Lessons Learned

● Sustain the commitment
● Do the research
● Big ideas help
● Engage and empower internally
● Build pervasive presence
● Invest in expertise



Questions


Thank you!

Rob Leavitt
Principal
Solutions Insights
rleavitt@solutionsinsights.com
+1-508-654-7181
www.solutionsinsights.com
Blog: www.reputationtorevenue.com
Twitter: @Robleavitt



Socializing B2B Thought Leadership: Using Social Media to Demonstrate Industry Expertise

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