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The Content Strategy of
Thought Leadership
CSForum 2013, Helsinki
Stacey King Gordon, Suite Seven Inc.
@staceykgordon
Suite Seven is a content strategy
and brand consultancy in
Oakland, California.
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Bold Italic / Design by Skinny Ships
www.thebolditalic.com
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
What is thought leadership,
exactly?
MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK POLL:
Do you know what I mean by
“thought leadership”?
Huh?
I’ve heard it, but I’m not sure what it means.
I know what it means and how to define it!
45%
11%
49%
MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL:
Do you know what I mean by “thought
leadership”?
MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL:
Do you know what I mean by “thought
leadership”?
MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL:
Do you know what I mean by “thought
leadership”?
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
My reasons for selecting the people
who appear here were straightforward.
In each instance, I was looking for an
individual who was addressing the big
questions with which today’s most
senior executives are wrestling.
These questions relate to issues of
business strategy, growth, and human
resources, as well as the new social
contract that is taking shape among
companies, employees, and
shareholders, and the ways in which
society itself is changing.
“Thought Leadership”
c. 1994
Source: Content Marketing Institute and
MarketingProfs
“To become a thought
leader, hire a virtual
assistant to blog for you
twice a week”
“Thought Leadership”
c. 2013
“Comment on other
peoples’ blog posts.”
“Thought Leadership”
c. 2013
Thought
Leadership
Content
Marketing
Personal
Branding
Branded
Content
OPQ Company is a trusted
global leader in technology
solutions for businesses
around the world …
The first rule of thought leadership
is that you don’t talk about
“thought leadership.”
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
SHOW,
DON’T
TELL
1.  Innovate in product development
2.  Lead the way in new business
models
3.  Share expertise, insight and analysis
SHOW,
DON’T
TELL
1.  Innovate in product development
2.  Lead the way in new business
models
3.  Share expertise, insight and analysis
Thought leadership essential #1
Unique, informed perspective
•  Authority on industry issues
•  Immersed in an industry and takes a guiding role
•  Experienced professionals sharing their insights
•  Focused, provocative thinking
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
Thought leadership essential #2
Useful and relevant to audiences
•  Written and packaged for easy consumption
•  Applicable and usable
•  Speaks to audiences’ day-to-day reality
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
Content Marketing
vs.
Thought Leadership
Content Marketing
•  Starts in the marketing
department
•  Is one of many lead-
generation tactics
(check the box)
•  Is sometimes packaged
as “thought leadership”
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND VISIBILITY
Thought Leadership
•  Starts at the top and
works its way down
•  Becomes an integral
part of the brand
•  Permeates and becomes
part of the discourse
Content Marketing
•  Starts in the marketing
department
•  Is one of many lead-
generation tactics
(check the box)
•  Is sometimes packaged
as “thought leadership”
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND VISIBILITY
Source: Harvard Business Review
Content Marketing
Investing in regular or
semi-regular development
of content that is:
•  Repackaged
•  Influenced by product
marketing/messaging
•  Created from secondary sources
•  Business-led
•  One-dimensional
CONTENT STANDARDS
“Thoughts are a prerequisite
for thought leadership.”
Neal Bruce
Head of Product Management
at Lumesse
Content Marketing
Investing in regular or
semi-regular development
of content that is:
•  Repackaged
•  Influenced by product
marketing/messaging
•  Created from secondary sources
•  Business-led
•  One-dimensional
Thought Leadership
Investing in regular
development of content
that is:
•  Original
•  Unbiased
•  Research-driven
•  Audience-led
•  Layered
CONTENT STANDARDS
Layered Content
DO:
•  Provide a succinct summary
with the ability to dig deeper
•  Provide layers that people can
extract, digest and share
•  Get maximum mileage with
complementary content
DON’T:
•  Publish a link to a dense,
40-page PDF report
•  Publish the exact same content
in umpteen different formats
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
Short summary article
Slide show
Video commentary
Thought Leadership
“Value exchange” focused
on audience success (and
long-term results for the
organization)
Content Marketing
ROI measured through
leads generated,
conversions, and other
sales-focused metrics
GOALS AND MEASUREMENT
Do Good to Do Well
“With true thought leadership, there’s nothing in it for
me. It’s public service. It’s doing something helpful for
the client.”
Early stage (reach)
More inbound inquiries and short listing
Middle stage (depth)
Faster sales cycles, higher close rates, and
bigger deal sizes
Later stage (relationship)
Increased customer loyalty and higher
lifetime value
Source: Laura Ramos, Forrester
Benefits of
Thought
Leadership
Content strategy of thought leadership:
A case study
Client: A Business Bank
•  Founded to finance startup companies
•  Offices around the world
•  First forays into “content marketing” in early
2000s
•  Unique position in startup community, evolving
into serving mature companies
Challenges
•  Lack of agreement about purpose
and goals of thought leadership
Challenges
•  Lack of agreement about purpose
and goals of thought leadership
•  Limited resources and great demand
Challenges
•  Lack of agreement about purpose
and goals of thought leadership
•  Limited resources and great demand
•  Quality consistency
Challenges
•  Lack of agreement about purpose
and goals of thought leadership
•  Limited resources and great demand
•  Quality consistency
•  Organization vs. individual
Goals
of the
Content
Strategy
1.  Support bank’s positioning and add
value to client relationship
throughout lifecycle
2.  Establish a publishing model to
prioritize content
3.  Set standards for content quality
Stakeholder Interviews
“A lot of our thought leadership is in our one-on-
one relationships, in how we help our clients be
successful. CEO conversations on how they can
move forward effectively is just as much thought
leadership as a published piece.”
“Thought leadership takes many forms. The
medium is maybe the least interesting piece. The
what and to whom will answer the question of how
it’s best to deliver it.”
“Thought leadership isn’t always about us
producing it, but about us enabling it. Putting
all the real thought experts in a room and
facilitating it happening.”
POINT OF VIEW
Putting the clients at the center of
everything
Tapping in to unparalleled client
relationships to inform expertise, insights
and practical advice to help clients succeed
CONTENT FRAMEWORK
Thought leadership across the client
lifecycle
•  Deep sector expertise
•  Strong C-level relationships and
strategic insights
•  Cultivating peer-to-peer conversations
and information sharing
CONTENT GOALS
•  Educate
•  Inspire
•  Provoke thought
•  Foster networking and engagement
INDIVIDUAL VS. BRAND
•  Individual thought leaders should
cultivate unique perspective, expertise
and voice.
•  Bank maintains the higher branding,
with all thought leadership content
focused on delivering value to the
audience.
Three Tiers
of Content
Premium/Proprietary Content
Best Practices/Solution Content
Current Awareness/Expertise
Three Tiers
of Content
Premium/Proprietary Content
Criteria
Original research, first-time publication, data-driven but
with a narrative, fostering external credibility
Tone
Educational, more formal, smart and incisive, upbeat
Frequency
Quarterly/semi-annual
Creators
Professional writers/marketing, or subject matter
experts with support of professional editors
Extending the Value
Complementary content to support sharing at every
level: social content, video, PPT decks, infographics,
blog posts
Three Tiers
of Content
Best Practices/Solutions Content
Criteria
Value-added guidance to deepen conversations, unique
POV but citing secondary sources, informative
Tone
Educational, technical/data-driven, smart and incisive,
upbeat
Frequency
Several times a year, as issues or trends emerge
Creators
Professional writers/marketing, or subject matter
experts with support of professional editors
Extending the Value
Promote on social, turn larger pieces into several short
pieces (blog posts), create sales collateral out of content
Three Tiers
of Content
Current Awareness/Expertise
Criteria
Smaller bites of thought-provoking content, highlighting
individual expertise, conveys unique POV, timely
Tone
Smart, conversational, upbeat, succinct, humorous
(when appropriate)
Frequency
Regularly (a few times a week)
Creators
Subject matter experts, salespeople, marketing
Extending the Value
Sharing on social channels, curating and packaging
“best of” content into more premium publications
RESULTS
•  More focus to thought leadership
projects
•  Internal alignment on goals,
ownership, process
•  Support for people throughout the
company’s ranks to participate and
contribute
•  More mileage out of efforts
The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership
Questions?
THANK YOU!
www.suiteseven.com/csforum13

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The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership

  • 1. The Content Strategy of Thought Leadership CSForum 2013, Helsinki Stacey King Gordon, Suite Seven Inc. @staceykgordon
  • 2. Suite Seven is a content strategy and brand consultancy in Oakland, California.
  • 4. The Bold Italic / Design by Skinny Ships www.thebolditalic.com
  • 8. What is thought leadership, exactly?
  • 9. MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK POLL: Do you know what I mean by “thought leadership”? Huh? I’ve heard it, but I’m not sure what it means. I know what it means and how to define it! 45% 11% 49%
  • 10. MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL: Do you know what I mean by “thought leadership”?
  • 11. MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL: Do you know what I mean by “thought leadership”?
  • 12. MY HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC FACEBOOK & FRIENDS POLL: Do you know what I mean by “thought leadership”?
  • 14. My reasons for selecting the people who appear here were straightforward. In each instance, I was looking for an individual who was addressing the big questions with which today’s most senior executives are wrestling. These questions relate to issues of business strategy, growth, and human resources, as well as the new social contract that is taking shape among companies, employees, and shareholders, and the ways in which society itself is changing. “Thought Leadership” c. 1994
  • 15. Source: Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs
  • 16. “To become a thought leader, hire a virtual assistant to blog for you twice a week” “Thought Leadership” c. 2013
  • 17. “Comment on other peoples’ blog posts.” “Thought Leadership” c. 2013
  • 19. OPQ Company is a trusted global leader in technology solutions for businesses around the world …
  • 20. The first rule of thought leadership is that you don’t talk about “thought leadership.”
  • 27. SHOW, DON’T TELL 1.  Innovate in product development 2.  Lead the way in new business models 3.  Share expertise, insight and analysis
  • 28. SHOW, DON’T TELL 1.  Innovate in product development 2.  Lead the way in new business models 3.  Share expertise, insight and analysis
  • 29. Thought leadership essential #1 Unique, informed perspective •  Authority on industry issues •  Immersed in an industry and takes a guiding role •  Experienced professionals sharing their insights •  Focused, provocative thinking
  • 34. Thought leadership essential #2 Useful and relevant to audiences •  Written and packaged for easy consumption •  Applicable and usable •  Speaks to audiences’ day-to-day reality
  • 40. Content Marketing •  Starts in the marketing department •  Is one of many lead- generation tactics (check the box) •  Is sometimes packaged as “thought leadership” ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND VISIBILITY
  • 41. Thought Leadership •  Starts at the top and works its way down •  Becomes an integral part of the brand •  Permeates and becomes part of the discourse Content Marketing •  Starts in the marketing department •  Is one of many lead- generation tactics (check the box) •  Is sometimes packaged as “thought leadership” ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND VISIBILITY
  • 43. Content Marketing Investing in regular or semi-regular development of content that is: •  Repackaged •  Influenced by product marketing/messaging •  Created from secondary sources •  Business-led •  One-dimensional CONTENT STANDARDS
  • 44. “Thoughts are a prerequisite for thought leadership.” Neal Bruce Head of Product Management at Lumesse
  • 45. Content Marketing Investing in regular or semi-regular development of content that is: •  Repackaged •  Influenced by product marketing/messaging •  Created from secondary sources •  Business-led •  One-dimensional Thought Leadership Investing in regular development of content that is: •  Original •  Unbiased •  Research-driven •  Audience-led •  Layered CONTENT STANDARDS
  • 46. Layered Content DO: •  Provide a succinct summary with the ability to dig deeper •  Provide layers that people can extract, digest and share •  Get maximum mileage with complementary content DON’T: •  Publish a link to a dense, 40-page PDF report •  Publish the exact same content in umpteen different formats
  • 50. Thought Leadership “Value exchange” focused on audience success (and long-term results for the organization) Content Marketing ROI measured through leads generated, conversions, and other sales-focused metrics GOALS AND MEASUREMENT
  • 51. Do Good to Do Well “With true thought leadership, there’s nothing in it for me. It’s public service. It’s doing something helpful for the client.”
  • 52. Early stage (reach) More inbound inquiries and short listing Middle stage (depth) Faster sales cycles, higher close rates, and bigger deal sizes Later stage (relationship) Increased customer loyalty and higher lifetime value Source: Laura Ramos, Forrester Benefits of Thought Leadership
  • 53. Content strategy of thought leadership: A case study
  • 54. Client: A Business Bank •  Founded to finance startup companies •  Offices around the world •  First forays into “content marketing” in early 2000s •  Unique position in startup community, evolving into serving mature companies
  • 55. Challenges •  Lack of agreement about purpose and goals of thought leadership
  • 56. Challenges •  Lack of agreement about purpose and goals of thought leadership •  Limited resources and great demand
  • 57. Challenges •  Lack of agreement about purpose and goals of thought leadership •  Limited resources and great demand •  Quality consistency
  • 58. Challenges •  Lack of agreement about purpose and goals of thought leadership •  Limited resources and great demand •  Quality consistency •  Organization vs. individual
  • 59. Goals of the Content Strategy 1.  Support bank’s positioning and add value to client relationship throughout lifecycle 2.  Establish a publishing model to prioritize content 3.  Set standards for content quality
  • 60. Stakeholder Interviews “A lot of our thought leadership is in our one-on- one relationships, in how we help our clients be successful. CEO conversations on how they can move forward effectively is just as much thought leadership as a published piece.” “Thought leadership takes many forms. The medium is maybe the least interesting piece. The what and to whom will answer the question of how it’s best to deliver it.” “Thought leadership isn’t always about us producing it, but about us enabling it. Putting all the real thought experts in a room and facilitating it happening.”
  • 61. POINT OF VIEW Putting the clients at the center of everything Tapping in to unparalleled client relationships to inform expertise, insights and practical advice to help clients succeed
  • 62. CONTENT FRAMEWORK Thought leadership across the client lifecycle •  Deep sector expertise •  Strong C-level relationships and strategic insights •  Cultivating peer-to-peer conversations and information sharing
  • 63. CONTENT GOALS •  Educate •  Inspire •  Provoke thought •  Foster networking and engagement
  • 64. INDIVIDUAL VS. BRAND •  Individual thought leaders should cultivate unique perspective, expertise and voice. •  Bank maintains the higher branding, with all thought leadership content focused on delivering value to the audience.
  • 65. Three Tiers of Content Premium/Proprietary Content Best Practices/Solution Content Current Awareness/Expertise
  • 66. Three Tiers of Content Premium/Proprietary Content Criteria Original research, first-time publication, data-driven but with a narrative, fostering external credibility Tone Educational, more formal, smart and incisive, upbeat Frequency Quarterly/semi-annual Creators Professional writers/marketing, or subject matter experts with support of professional editors Extending the Value Complementary content to support sharing at every level: social content, video, PPT decks, infographics, blog posts
  • 67. Three Tiers of Content Best Practices/Solutions Content Criteria Value-added guidance to deepen conversations, unique POV but citing secondary sources, informative Tone Educational, technical/data-driven, smart and incisive, upbeat Frequency Several times a year, as issues or trends emerge Creators Professional writers/marketing, or subject matter experts with support of professional editors Extending the Value Promote on social, turn larger pieces into several short pieces (blog posts), create sales collateral out of content
  • 68. Three Tiers of Content Current Awareness/Expertise Criteria Smaller bites of thought-provoking content, highlighting individual expertise, conveys unique POV, timely Tone Smart, conversational, upbeat, succinct, humorous (when appropriate) Frequency Regularly (a few times a week) Creators Subject matter experts, salespeople, marketing Extending the Value Sharing on social channels, curating and packaging “best of” content into more premium publications
  • 69. RESULTS •  More focus to thought leadership projects •  Internal alignment on goals, ownership, process •  Support for people throughout the company’s ranks to participate and contribute •  More mileage out of efforts