New Mexico AMA - Thought Leadership Marketing

CONNECTING THROUGH THOUGHT LEADERSHIP TAKING THE HIGH ROAD TO MARKET LEADERSHIP New Mexico AMA – March 19, 2009

Dana VanDen Heuvel Dana is the founder of The MarketingSavant Group and a widely recognized specialist in thought leadership and emerging marketing technologies such as blogging, social media, RSS, Internet communities and interactive marketing trends and best practices and speaks regularly on these topics at industry events. Dana is the creator of the American Marketing Association “TechnoMarketing” training series and the author of the AMA Marketech ’08 guide to marketing technology. Need help after the event? Email - dana@marketingsavant.com

After-Event Slides & Resources The slides and resource links are available  electronically after the event: clients.marketingsavant.com/nmama

The Five Key Topics We’ll Explore: 1 | Defining Thought Leadership & Its Growth in B2B Marketing Thought leadership is fast becoming the most widely used and desired B2B marketing practice... 2 | Attaining Thought Leader Status – The Thought Leader’s Mindset Thought leaders set themselves apart using eight mandatory attributes. 3 | Thought Leadership Cases & Companies Who’s using thought leadership marketing and how. 4 | The Thought Leadership Marketing Toolkit The tools of the trade for thought leadership marketers. 5 | Building & Measuring the Thought Leadership Marketing Plan How to, pitfalls and how to know if you’re succeeding with thought leadership marketing.

What is Thought Leadership? “Thought leadership centers on earning trust and credibility. Thought leaders get noticed by offering something different—information, insights, and ideas, for instance. Thought leadership positions you and your company as an industry authority and resource and trusted advisor by establishing your reputation as a generous contributor to your industry.” RainToday.com

Thought Leadership Marketing Thought Leadership Marketing provides a sustainable go-to-market strategy based on your competence and point of view by developing intellectual capital Thought Leadership employing elements of insurgent marketing principles Marketing and creating clarity in the marketplace through a balanced digital and traditional channel approach to achieve market share and demand generation.  Thought Leadership Marketing turns organizational activity into Insurgent/Underdog Social Media & intellectual capital that supports relevant advocacy positions, tacit domain Marketing Digital Marketing expertise and point-of-view platforms to shape and influence market perceptions and establish your organization a thought leader, knowledge resource, subject matter expert and ultimately, a trusted client advisor  Social media and digital marketing combine with trusted, classical marketing tools to form a foundation for sharing and relevant dialogue with clients and markets that builds market capital and provides the insights, access, and influence required to create demand generation  Effective Thought Leadership Marketing employs insurgent marketing principles that deliver immediate and measurable lead and prospect opportunity improvements and drives demand generation by focusing on delivering wins and competing on higher ideals, not lower prices, in the age of the empowered buyer.

The Thought Leadership Marketing Equation Strategic use of TLM Competence, purpose and Thought leaders and trusted tools and channels with core market understanding advisors occupy the media collaboration inform the point of view & greatest share of mind garner your share voice in thought leadership among business buyers. the industry and spark the platform. Thought leaders Share of mind predicts industry dialogue around outshine their competitors share of market. Thought your ideas. who compete on price and Leadership Marketing As buyers seek out more advertising. steadily increases your SOM real market dialogue, SOV with buyers, growing your is an increasingly important share of market. factor contributing to marketplace success.

TLM Tops B2B Marketers Lists “Traditional approaches to B2B marketing are losing their impact. Today, B2B marketers are turning to thought leadership marketing as a way to differentiate their organization, products and services in an increasingly competitive market.” Economist Intelligence Unit, 2008

Thought Leadership Marketing – Tops for Marketers & Buyers

Thought Leadership Gets Attention 9 of the top 11 effective ways of getting a business  buyer‟s attention of involve Thought Leadership Marketing How would you rate the effectiveness of the following marketing vehicles in getting your attention? Mean Rating (N~344) 3.7 Speech or presentation at a conference or trade show 3.7 Case studies describing successful customer solution implementations 3.4 Article in the business or trade press 3.4 Invitation to a Webinar, seminar, or workshop 3.3 Analyst firm recommendation (such as Gartner/IDC/Forrester) 3.2 Search engine hits when doing research or surfing the Web 3.1 White paper offered on the Internet 2.9 Electronic newsletter from the service firm 2.8 Conference sponsorship 2.5 Direct mail brochure Email from a sales representative from the service firm 2.3 Phone call from a sales representative from the service firm 2.3 TV or print advertisement 2.3 Vendor's blog 2.3 Online advertisement 2.2 Sporting or cultural event sponsorship 2.0 Source: ITSMA, How Customers Choose Study, North America, 2007

Thought Leadership Influences Eliminates buyer confusion about how to solve a  business problem in their firm  Creates coherent conclusions amid market chaos Reduces the risk of choosing the wrong advisor   Trusted advisors are 70% more likely to close deals than their competitors POV Frameworks illustrate your unique competence  in addressing client issues  Frameworks are just tools for understanding problems & how to solve them

Thought Leadership Delivers Coherency out of marketplace chaos  Diminished price resistance  Valid and credible value proposition  Self-qualified leads & opportunities  Shortened sales cycles  Value-forward marketing & selling platform  Ongoing market dialogue  Prospects experience your value before buying  Buyers invested in your ideas before purchasing  Growth in media placements & requests  Search engine find-ability 

Thought Leadership is Attained “Thought leadership is the recognition from the outside world that the company deeply understands its business, the needs of its customers and the broader marketplace in which it operates.” Elise Bauer Your customers grant you TL status  You can influence using TLM tools & tactics  It’s not about budget – it’s about Intellectual Capital  and Content Set yourself apart through mandatory TLM attributes 

Thought Leadership Marketing Mindset 1) They love what they do – energy & motivation 2) They have the drive to teach – no strings attached 3) They reach out and communicate – to everyone 4) They take risks with messaging – on the edge 5) They balance confidence with curiosity & learning – learn from everyone 6) They put in the time today (TLM activities) for tomorrow’s benefit 7) They never stop working, connecting and communicating – not drip marketing, but constant education

Attributes: Thought Leadership Marketers 1) Marketing 2) Qualifications 3) Body of Work (Activity Leadership) 4) Body of Knowledge (Intellectual Capital) 5) Continuous Improvement 6) The Network 7) The Physical Plant (staying fit – as a company) 8) Self-Management Guruship - Carl Friesen, Principal of Global Reach Communications

Thought Leadership Marketer Cisco Entire senior management team is organized around the goal  of promoting Cisco as a thought leader in the technology field Earning credibility by creating information that places  company objectives second to the goal of educating prospects Every Cisco executive must establish and nurture his or her  own reputation for thought leadership, through blogging, public speaking, and writing articles “When you look at thought leadership you can break it out into a number of different areas. It must be visionary. It looks at the future. It must be provocative, and it must put the our customer’s needs first.” Mark Peshoff, Senior Director of Cisco‟s Executive Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership Marketer Cisco

Thought Leadership Marketer Cisco “Once thought leadership is established, the rest of the industry, the media, academia, government policymakers and the broader business community turn to that company for ideas and for insights into where things are going.” “The credibility we gain through thought leadership contributes to a sustainable market leadership position. “Cisco’s status in the technology field, and the business world, and its dedication to thought leadership are inseparable.” Mark Peshoff, Senior Director of Cisco‟s Executive Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership Marketer ADVANTA Small business focused credit card company is changing the business financing discussion through ideas Created ideablog.com to stir the  conversation about what it stands for Positioning itself as the most  helpful credit card company to small business Involved in other small business  related causes to help developing countries Online resources for small  business owners just getting started

Thought Leadership Marketer Pheedo Start the conversation &  set the tone for a new industry First to market with data &  expectations Built on blogging &  community Strong media & speaking  presence Over 50% of growth  attributed to TLM activities

Thought Leadership Marketer Pheedo

Thought Leadership Marketer Crest Toothpaste In the 1950s, the Holy Grail of toothpaste was to create a product with therapeutic as well as cosmetic benefits. Crest got there first—and dominated for decades. 1960 recognition by the American  Dental Assoc. Set the conversation for the entire  toothpaste industry The Crest Dental Plan (Club Crest)  “Health Expressions” newsletter  Online resources for both dentists  and consumers (lessons, talking points, chat) Best-selling toothpaste in America  for more than three decades.

Thought Leadership Marketer Indium Corporation 25% reduction in marketing spend  Major account wins  Entire organization involved  in the „community‟

Thought Leadership Marketer Indium Corporation “[Being a Thought Leader] is being considered the best, most authoritative, trusted source. It means being the “go to” people. It means being given the first look, being invited into a development project and asked for advice. It means being the organization that others MUST HAVE involved with a project. And it all leads to increased sales, profits, and image or it simply didn’t matter..” Rick Short, Indium

Thought Leadership Marketer Breakthrough Management Group, Inc. Leader in Six Sigma consulting, training, and software support tools Media Availability & Expert  Commentary (hundreds of column inches worth of helpful press) Keynote speakers, industry  event chairs Cause Alignment  CEO Blog  Newsletters  Free Webinars 

Thought Leadership Marketer Breakthrough Management Group, Inc. “Our thought leadership efforts have become the flagship for BMG’s reputation, which has helped our global expansion tremendously,” says Silverstein. “It has been especially helpful in Asia and Latin America, where name recognition goes a long way. My industry reputation has helped BMG’s sales team get their foot in the door in key overseas markets.” David Silverstein, CEO, BMGI

Thought Leadership is a Way of Being “It‟s not about trying to pontificate on how great you are, or just trying to edify yourself. In a lot of ways, it‟s truly a way of being. It‟s something you can‟t say about yourself… it‟s really what others say about you.” Brian Carroll

Mapping the Thought Leadership Marketing Toolkit

Articles, Research & Whitepapers Weekly articles (trade,  paper, web) Blogs  Whitepapers (answer  customer questions by vertical) Research reports &  surveys

Speaking, Workshops & Seminars Connect with audience  Set your platform for the  industry Engage, interact, get  feedback, LEARN! Generate in-person leads  Industry events,  workshops, local opps, client symposium, etc. List ALL industry events  Volunteer 

Get Blogging (Transparency) STILL a hot topic for marketers  <10% of Fortune 500 on board  Metaphor for:   Transparent communication  Authenticity  Responsibility  Reputation Blogosphere doubles: 5-7mos 

Start a Cause Take a stand & deliver  unique value (self reflection, knowledge of market, commitment) Starbucks  USPS  Advanta  UNICEF 

Virtual Online Events + Webinars Add value without the travel  Driven by:   Content  Connections  Reputation Clean data collection & web 2.0 integration  Leverage assets for SMO and U-Search  Includes Second Life 

Collaborative Idea Generation Leverage the wisdom of  crowds/customers to improve the company Submit, vote, watch, see  what gets put into action Integrate into other TLM  activities Dell  Oracle  Starbucks 

LinkedIn Ask questions, get  recommended Great for corporate  customer groups Cast a wide net for  upcoming and acute- need talent Allows employees to  connect with the rest of the world, and each other

Custom Social Network Customers gain access to  the significant corporate resources Connect to current and ex-  employees with whom I feel a real camaraderie Endless opportunities for  doing business with other employees regionally, nationally, or globally. Involvement in initiatives of  mutual interest such as community projects

Thought Leadership Marketing MarketingSavant‟s Thought Leadership Marketing™ approach provides a sustainable go-to-market strategy based on your organizational competence and Thought Leadership intellectual capital employing elements of insurgent Marketing marketing principles and delivering value to the marketplace through a balanced digital and traditional channel approach to create market capital and demand generation. Insurgent/Underdog Social Media & Marketing Digital Marketing  Thought Leadership Marketing turns organizational activity into intellectual capital that supports relevant advocacy positions, tacit domain expertise and point-of- view platforms to shape and influence market perceptions and establish your organization a thought leader, knowledge resource, subject matter expert and ultimately, a trusted client advisor  Social media and digital marketing combine with trusted, classical marketing tools to form a foundation for sharing and relevant dialogue with clients and markets that builds market capital and provides the insights, access, and influence required to create demand generation  Effective Thought Leadership Marketing employs insurgent marketing principles that deliver immediate and measurable lead and prospect opportunity improvements and drives demand generation by focusing on delivering wins and competing on higher ideals, not lower prices, in the age of the empowered buyer.

The Thought Leadership Marketing Equation Strategic use of TLM Competence, purpose and Thought leaders and trusted tools and channels with core market understanding advisors occupy the media collaboration inform the point of view & greatest share of mind garner your share voice in thought leadership among business buyers. the industry and spark the platform. Thought leaders Share of mind predicts industry dialogue around outshine their competitors share of market. Thought your ideas. who compete on price and Leadership Marketing As buyers seek out more advertising. steadily increases your SOM real market dialogue, SOV with buyers, growing your is an increasingly important share of market. factor contributing to marketplace success.

Thought Leaders Have a Point of View Too often, firms capture their „thought leadership‟ expertise - articles, speeches, newsletters, books, press pitches and so on—without a point of view. Source: The Bloom Group‟s 2006 survey “Attaining Thought Leadership”

The 4 A‟s of Thought Leadership Marketing Assets – Attitude – Acceptance – Alignment Read the entire article: http://www.marketingsavant.com/articles/four-as-thought-leadership-marketing/

Are You Ready for Thought Leadership? 1) Do you love what you do? 1) Passionate enough to push TL 2) Sustain interest in years to come 2) Are you willing to teach? 1) “Educate the market” mentality 2) Do you “enjoy helping your customers & prospects”? 3) Are you comfortable with “reaching outside”? 1) Expand beyond your existing network 4) Are you will to take a stand with your message? 1) Do you have a unique position on industry issues? 2) Can you frame & express those views? 3) Can you get people to notice?

Are You Ready for Thought Leadership? 5) Are you a “confident learner”? 1) Balance your positions with listening 2) Ears to the ground for trend shifts & opportunities 6) Do you have a “long-term” perspective? 1) Spend time today for reward tomorrow 2) “Faith in the future” 7) Are you comfortable with “no end point” to TL? 1) Willing to work a long time toward this goal 2) Stay motivated!

Recognizing A Thought Leadership Marketing Opportunity Significant shifts or changes in your industry or field  Recognition that getting your ideas out ahead of  your competitors is critical to success A mentor leads you to the opportunity  No one‟s having the conversation you want to have  in the industry or local area Facing a business crisis  The desire to „attract‟ more of the right clients than  to „hunt‟ the “right now” clients

Barriers to Overcome In a survey of professional service firms, they identified key barriers to pursuing a thought leadership marketing strategy. 1) Marketing Resources (time, money, people) 2) No Incentive (no reward for TL activities) 3) Lack of Process (ineffective approach to TL capture) 4) Secrecy (can’t talk about clients or ideas – no “proof”) 5) No Skills (lack of know-how to capture IC) 6) Burdensome Approval Process (red tape) 7) No Recognition (firm doesn’t value TL) The Bloom Group, LLC

Five Keys to Successful TLM Be Generous With Your Knowledge   Share beyond the marketing speak Be Consistent   Calendar your activities – daily, weekly, monthly routine Always Deliver Value   Listen, think, revise, teach, repeat Take A Stand   Take your strong positions to market Focus On The Long-term Benefits   Track your results in months & years

Altruism Before Capitalism “In short, this is simply an organization putting the needs of its constituents ahead of its own needs. Or, aligning itself with advancing the welfare of its customers before (and while) advancing its own. “ Dana VanDen Heuvel

Success Metrics Reach   How many hear your message? Acquisition   Who’s attention did you get? Conversion   What information did you gather?  Who can you contact as a “lead”? Retention   Who follows you after the acquisition?

Watch for the Book! Need help after the presentation? Email dana@marketingsavant.com

Thought Leadership Marketing Q&A Need help after the presentation? Email dana@marketingsavant.com

Thought Leadership Marketing Thank You! Need help after the presentation? Email dana@marketingsavant.com

New Mexico AMA - Thought Leadership Marketing

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