1. Thought Leadership
Recognised expertise as a basis for sales and marketing
Sari Aapola
Keynotes Oy
December 3, 2012

2. THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IS AN
OPPORTUNITY.

3. The development of the concept
The interpretation is developing to cover strategic aspects.
Thought
Leadership
Thought as part of
Leadership corporate
PR campaign Marketing strategy
2000 2010
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4. A THOUGHT LEADER IS A
RECOGNISED EXPERT IN ITS
OWN CATEGORY.
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5. What is Thought Leadership not?
 A PR campaign
 A marketing campaign
 The public image of a charismatic business leader
 An fabricated company image – promises that the company is unable
to deliver.
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6. The building blocks
Thought Leadership is based on strategy and corporate culture.
Word of mouth
Thought
Leadership
Renewal Marketing Dialogue
Message
Leadership
Strategy
and
and
corporate
positioning
culture © Copyright Keynotes Oy

7. Important choices
Target group Providing relevance and value
Earning recommendations and
Other stakeholders - influencers
building a dialogue
Offering Concept and delivering value
Operational model Changing the market
Message and themes Clarity and ownership
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8. Buying from the customer’s perspective
Thought Leadership is a recognition given by the customer.
Customer support
Sales
Customer relationship Co-operation model
management Development of best
practices
Joint learning
Delivery
Professionalism
Ease
Training/education
Documentation
Core
product
and/or
Features
service
Benefits
Sales © Copyright Keynotes Oy
Consulting

9. Corporate culture and leadership
Our personnel delivers the promise.
Inspiration Trust Leadership
The power of being
Customer intimacy From control to trust
an example
Learning The leader as a
Commitment
environment moderator
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10. Expertise
What does expertise consist of?
Openness
Sharing
expertise Customer intimacy
Listening
Consistency
Joint
Being current learning
and visionary
Substance
Profession-
Structuring alism
current topics Concepting
Competence and Tools
Providing
packaging
Giving meaning value
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11. HOW DOES ONE BUILD
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP?
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12. “Oh jeez, not another flexible,
scalable, groundbreaking, industry-
standard, cutting-edge product from
a market-leading, well positioned
company!“
David Meerman Scott: The Gobbledygook manifesto
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13. In brainstorming themes and topics
 What concerns do our customers have, such that we can solve
better of differently than our competitors?
 Are there concerns that no one has solved or taken up until now (a
kind of an accepted status quo which the customer will recognise
when you take it up)?
 Are there trends or topics rising in our business environment in
which we have special competence?
 Is there a topic in our business area which we could and would like
to ”own”?
 Can we structure a new phenomenon or topic and start to explain it
to our target audiences?
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14. Sponsors Users
Customers
Researchers, Gate- Decision-
experts keepers makers
Media and
bloggers
Analysts, Ecosystem –
consultants Authorities influencing
influencers
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1
4

15. CONTENT MARKETING
WRITE
PUBLISH
COMMENT
PERFORM
NETWORK
DISCUSS
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16. The ultimate goal is business impact.
Sales
Process Leads process & Customers
offers
Goal Awareness Credibility Recommendations
Action Lead generation Convincing sales Customer mgmt
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17. Lead generation is a short-term activity
Goals & Means Expected Measurements
description impact on sales
• Leads for the • Direct marketing • Length of the • Number of
next two quarters • Seminars and sales process, qualified sales
• Effective lead webinars depending on the prospects
generation • Digital marketing lead quality • Revenue
• Tactical customer • Telemarketing
management • etc.
actions
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18. Strategic and long-term actions build awareness and
credibility
…but with a delay in impacting sales
Goals & Means Expected Measurements
description impact on
sales
• Sales beyond the • Concept and • 6 – 12 months • Ease of sales
next 6 months message (credibility)
• Awareness, being • Events and • 0 – 12 months • Win-lose ratio
seen as a player speaker slots (competitiveness)
in the market, to • Advertising • 1 – 12 months • Length of sales
be able to • Web activities • 0 – 24 months process
compete • Social media • 0 – 12 months • Market share
• Credibility • Analyst Relations • 12 – 18 months • Margin
• Thought • Influencing • 12 – 18 months
Leadership influencers
• Customer • Research • 12 – months
orientation collaboration
• PR • 12 – 24 months
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19. Questions?
sari.aapola@keynotes.fi
+358 40 759 2046
www.keynotes.fi
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