Thought Leadership - Strategy and Tactics
Discover thought leadership strategies and tactics to establish your brand as an industry authority. Learn to engage audiences, differentiate your content, and plan initiatives for maximum impact.
👋 Hey, Ayush here! Welcome to this week’s ✨ free edition ✨ of Startup GTM Newsletter.
I have been building startups for the last 7 years and working with founders on GTM, growth, people-first strategies, communities and anything else about building a startup.
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Thought leadership isn't just a “Content Creation Strategy”…
It’s one of the powerful go-to-market strategies that businesses and leaders have been using for quite some time and that too successfully.
Why is this so important?
Because it bridges the gap between your innovative solution and the market perception, ensuring you're seen as more than just a vendor but a visionary with an authority over the problem statement.
According to Edelman 2022, 61% of decision-makers believe thought leadership significantly boosts the perceived value of a company’s products or services, far beyond traditional marketing approaches.
During economic downturns, 50% of C-suite executives find high-quality thought leadership content more influential on their purchasing decisions, underscoring its importance across economic cycles (Edelman 2022).
A B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study reveals 54% of decision-makers dedicate over an hour each week to consuming thought leadership content, highlighting its influence and reach (Edelman & LinkedIn 2021).
Thought leadership has a unique ability to enhance brand credibility, especially for unfamiliar brands, with 60% of B2B buyers acknowledging its power in this regard (Edelman & LinkedIn 2021).
Now, the question is “How to actually implement it?”. I have written in detail about each of the following sections:
- Best thought leadership initiatives
- Evaluate your thought leadership initiative
- Strategy for your thought leadership
- Framework to build tactics and execution
Best thought leadership initiatives
I have analysed more than 40 different thought leadership initiatives. I just loved these 5 best leadership initiatives that have truly set the bar.
Evabot’s “Future of Prospecting”
Eva AI is changing the sales game. Market is over-competitive and other Sales AI tools just are over-promising and under-performing.
- Initiative: Strategic and Tactical outlook to the future of Prospecting through AI.
- Purpose: Arm Sales Leaders with AI savvy sales strategies.
- Approach: Newsletters and webinars, weekly and monthly.
- Outcomes: “100+ registrations in our webinar” - Rabi, CEO
Hubspot Academy
HubSpot saw a shift in marketing a couple of decades ago. Became bold and started pushing a thought, “Out with the old marketing, in with the inbound”.
- Initiative: A treasure of inbound marketing wisdom.
- Purpose: Teach businesses the inbound way.
- Approach: Blogs, eBooks, webinars, and more.
- Outcomes: Leads, conversions, satisfaction. HubSpot's formula? Educate first.
Autodesk – Design & Make
Autodesk noticed industries needed a stories to inspire leaders in Design and Make industries creating a better world for future generations
- Initiative: Design & Make, the editorial gem.
- Purpose: Inspire and inform the builders and makers.
- Approach: Stories on innovation, sustainability, and tech.
- Outcomes: Design & Make is now Autodesk's voice of innovation.
General Electric’s Microsites
GE tackled the "hard to explain" with storytelling.
- Initiative: Microsites that make complex, simple.
- Purpose: Show GE's role in innovation and global solutions.
- Approach: Stories, visuals, interactivity.
- Outcomes: GE is considered the giant of innovation.
Curious about making your mark with thought leadership?
These examples prove it's about more than just having great ideas; it's about sharing them in ways that resonate.
So, what's your strategy? Put in the comments and I'll give you feedback.
Evaluate your thought leadership initiative
Let's face it, not all thought leadership hits the mark.
Did you know more than 71% of decision-makers find less than half of the content they consume actually insightful? So, how do we ensure our efforts stand out and genuinely engage?
Consider the following questions to evaluate your thought leadership initiative:
Audience Engagement: Are people actually tuning in? Look at subscribers, comments, shares, likes, and website traffic. These numbers tell stories. Each metric shows the level of engagement with your thought leadership content i.e. attention, engagement, action etc.
Differentiation: What makes us different? Our thought leadership should scream our unique insights and expertise.
Brand Perception: Any buzz about us? It's gold if our content is being mentioned and appreciated.
Influence on Decision-Making: Is our content just a good read, or is it shifting decisions and perspectives?
Lead Generation and Conversion: Beyond the reads and nods, are we seeing real action? Inquiries, sales, the works.
Feedback and Improvement: What's the word from the readers? Every piece of feedback is a means of building engagement and trust.
Think about the last piece of thought leadership you engaged with. Did it make you think, act, or change your perspective?
Planning B2B Thought Leadership
Let’s plan your thought leadership initiative, step by step, and keep it simple.
Step One: What’s your special sauce? Identify your niche and the unique angle you bring to the table. Ex - in terms of tools, examples, case studies,
Step Two: Who are you talking to? Understanding your audience is crucial. Think about:
- What don’t they get about getting the job done?
- Where are they slipping up?
- How can you flip their perspective and earn their trust?
- Bonus pointer - what misconceptions your audience might have about your industry?
Step Three: Content is king, but actionable stories are the thread to build trust. Develop a content strategy that not only speaks but resonates.
Step Four: Don’t just stick to one channel. Spread your ideas and thoughts across various platforms.
Tactics to Nail:
- Craft content that’s not just good, but “never read before type”.
- Stay on top of trends and dive into the discussions.
- Speak out. Public speaking, podcasts, events, webinars — all these are your stages.
- Collaboration is key. Team up with those who also lead in thought.
Remember, it’s not just about putting content out there. It’s about making it valuable.
What are some of your mind-blowing thoughts? Put in the comments and I'll give you feedback.
What’s Next?
Since this is already too much homework, I would deep dive into Execution, Framework and Processes for nailing your thought leadership initiative in next week’s newsletter.
Subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments below…
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