Our latest research reveals how B2B consumers value thought leadership, while identifying what producers of thought leadership must do to deliver high-value content.
Companies that are superior at demonstrating unique problem-solving expertise can differentiate their product/service offerings and be heard above the din.
However, consumers of thought leadership don’t believe the content they receive from B2B producers is of high enough quality. Much more can be done, in our view, to overcome the quality challenge.
Earlier this year, Buday Thought Leadership Partners, Rattleback, and Phronesis Partners surveyed executives who consume TL and
the companies that produce it to understand:
Our analysis, published by Turtl, reveals the importance B2B companies place on being viewed as a thought leader. Not surprisingly, 100% of Leaders said it was “extremely” or “highly “important – both today, and by 2027. Only 48% of Laggards said TL today was extremely or highly important – and even less (33%) said it would be by 2027.
Moreover, there is growing reliance on thought leadership across B2B organizations. This is not only true for marketing, which in many B2B organizations is the steward of thought leadership, but also for sales, service innovation, and product innovation. And once again, Leaders are placing greater emphasis on thought leadership’s potential business impact.
A majority …
… of B2B executives, across industries, say thought leader is “very” or “extremely” important
And …
… say it's become more important in the last 5 years
Over …
… use it in each stage of their buying process to inform all types of their most strategic decisions
But …
… see the thought leadership they consume as being of only moderate value or less
say thought leadership is “highly” or “extremely” important in their marketing (vs. 50% of thought leadership laggards)
say the same is true for their salespeople (vs. 65% of thought leadership laggards)
Regarding service innovation
of thought leadership leaders say thought leadership is “highly” or “extremely” important (vs. only 61% of TL laggards)
In product innovation
of thought leadership leaders say it's “highly” or “extremely” important (vs. 48% of TL laggards)
TL Consumers devour thought leadership when it’s good
TL Producers don’t realize just how important thought leadership is to their largest customers
Creating high-value content is extraordinarily difficult for most TL Producers
B2B companies lean on thought leadership to determine the best way to solve their most pressing problems
The biggest marketing challenge for TL Producers is managing the tug-of-war over spending
Getting subject matter experts (SMEs) to talk to the camera or mic is the best promotional tactic for TL Producers
A highly supportive company culture is crucial to TL Producers who seek to win in the marketplace of big ideas
This report preview presents a subset of high-level findings gleaned from the most comprehensive cross-industry study of the practice of thought leadership our firms have ever undertaken.
Moreover, it offers recommendations for all thought leadership practitioners – from researchers, writers, and designers, through marketers, business strategists and sales leaders – on ways their organizations can create thought leadership content that better aligns with their customers’ needs, wants, and desires.
