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Socializing B2B Thought Leadership:Using Social Media to Demonstrate
Industry Expertise
ISBM Winter Member’s Meeting 2010Houston, TXMarch 2, 2010
Rob LeavittPrincipal, Solutions Insights
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Agenda
● The need for thought leadership
● Making thought leadership work
● Socializing thought leadership
● Questions and discussion
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About Solutions Insights
IT & Telecommunications Industry
Other Industries
Consulting and training to help B2B companies
develop, market, and sell custom offerings and
integrated solutions that
deliver increased business value for enterprise
and professional clients
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The Need for Thought Leadership
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For B2B marketers, the course is not getting any easier
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The biggest challenge is that buyers pay little
attention to shouts from the sidelines
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But they are looking for new ideas
CEOs are:
● Struggling to keep up with change
● Seeking out customers for collaborative innovation
● Adapting business models, often substantially
● Adding capabilities and partners for global integration
● Deepening commitments to social responsibility
Source: IBM, The Enterprise of the Future, 2009 Global CEO Study
C-suite executives are:
● Using the Internet as their top information source
● Scouring the Web themselves, not delegating
● Focusing heavily on search, video, webcasts, and online communities
● Shifting demographically toward Generation Netscape
Source: Forbes, The Rise of the Digital C-Suite, 2009
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Buyers trust experts most of all
Informed publics ages 25-64 in 20 countries.“Extremely credible” and “very credible” responses onlySource: 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer
Academic or expert
Financial or industry analyst
NGO representative
Person like yourself
CEO
Government official
Regular employee
If you heard information about a company from one of these people, how credible would the information be?
32%
35%
40%
44%
45%
52%
64%
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In this context, thought leadership offers great benefits
Market distinction
Prospect attraction
Sales acceleration
Customer commitment
“That’s interesting, tell me more”
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0
0
6
9
9
11
51
51
54
56
57
60
63
71
77
Notes: Multiple responses allowed. *Relationship management programs, customer advisory boards, councils**Hosted or sponsored by your companySource: ITSMA, Budget Allocations and Trends: Key Metrics Survey, 2010
Thought leadership development
References and testimonials
Senior level programs*
Online video
Public online social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook)
ROI tools/Price justification tools
Invitation-only online communities**
Internal collaboration through social media and/or Intranet
Corporate Website
…
Collateral (brochures, datasheets, etc.)
Sponsorships of sports/Cultural events
Hospitality
Print-based direct marketing
Traditional print/media advertising
Public trade shows
In FY2010, which of the following tactics do you anticipate will become more important to your marketing strategy?% of Respondents (N~35)
Indeed, some marketers are putting thought leadership at the top of the list
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For most, thought leadership remains underfunded, episodic, and superficial
1/3 of ISBM members promote thought leadership online
Does this sound familiar?
● No dedicated staff
● No editorial calendar
● Nights and weekends
● Thinly disguised brochures
● Minimal customer proof
● One-off publishing
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Making Thought Leadership Work
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To make an impact, thought leadership needs focus, depth, and continuity
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Customer and market
insight
Relevant routes to market
Viral leverage
Ongoing conversation
and collaboration
Social media creates tremendous opportunity for thought leadership
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Meanwhile, thought leadership helps drive B2B social media
Source: BtoB Magazine/btobonline.com research © November, 2009
Thought leadership
Generate leads
Customer feedback
Advertising
Market research
Other
If you currently use social networks, what do you use them for?
15%
29%
35%
46%
49%
60%
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Most important is good content that people want to pass along
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Socializing Thought Leadership
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Socializing the Research: Innovation Jams at IBM
● Challenge:
– Accelerate explorationof new ideas and opportunities
● Solution:
– Periodic series of online innovation “jams”
● Program:
– Enlist thousands of employees, partners, and customers in collaborative jam sessions around core themes and ideas
● Results:
– Institutional crowdsourcing; internal excitement; enhanced relationships, dozens of new investments
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Socializing Publication:McKinsey’s What Matters
● Challenge:
– Broaden the range ofexpert views availableto clients and others
● Solution:
– New microsite on key global issues
● Program:
– Publish and invite comment on articles and debates with leading academics, consultants, and practitioners
● Results:
– Wide-ranging interactive complement to traditional publicationprograms, with extensive social amplification
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Socializing the Conversation:CSC’s WikonnecT
● Challenge:
– Deepen relationships with insurance industry clients
● Solution:
– Private social network
● Program:
– Build, market and sustain full-featured, issues-based online community
● Results:
– 11,000 users, 700+ companies
– Deep customer insight
– Extensive customer collaboration
– Increased customer loyalty
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Socializing Thought Leadership:Four Stages of Development
SkepticalTesting the Waters Getting Organized
Building Expertise
Points of View
Ad hoc, product-oriented, minimallistening, personalopinion
Product- and issue-based, one-off research, minimal differentiation
Issue-based, editorial agenda, ongoing listening & research, customer involvement, new ideas
Theme-based,deep research, customer collaboration, breakthrough ideas
Internal Education
Minimal, ad hoc, informal
Modest, broadcast orientation
Deliberate, functional orientation, social
Substantial, multi-tiered, ongoing, collaborative
Market Engagement
Minimal, periodic publications and presentations
Modest, multiple formats, customers and influencers
Substantial, integrated online and offline, social
Continuous, pervasive presence, collaborative
Program Operations
Ad hoc, junior support, no budget or metrics
Initial funding, mid-levelsupport, several partners, PR metrics
Focused investment, senior direction, dedicated staff and partners, marketing metrics
Strategic funding, exec. direction, cross-company collaboration, business metrics
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Lessons Learned
● Sustain the commitment
● Do the research
● Big ideas help
● Engage and empower internally
● Build pervasive presence
● Invest in expertise
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Questions
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Thank you!
Rob LeavittPrincipal
Solutions [email protected]
+1-508-654-7181www.solutionsinsights.com
Blog: www.reputationtorevenue.comTwitter: @Robleavitt