thePRfirm Qualification Formula

by Phil Shirley on 24-11-2011

Thought Leadership may be one of the most confused and misused PR disciplines ever, but for those agencies and clients who get the formula right and then develop an internal culture and corporate mindset to allow Thought Leadership to work, the benefits can be highly significant.

We have developed a ‘qualification’ formula for Thought Leadership based on the premise that we understand the truest definition of Thought Leadership, which is easier said than done. thePRfirm subscribe to the Elise Bauer theory which is “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.” We tie our qualification formula back to this premise.

In terms of the culture and mindset, our advice to our clients is that they must:

• Love what they do - energy & motivation
• Have the drive to teach - no strings attached
• Reach out and communicate - to everyone
• Take risks with messaging - on the edge
• Balance confidence with curiosity & learning - learn from everyone
• Put in the time today (Thought Leadership activities e.g. partnering, research etc) for tomorrow's benefit and 
• Never stop working, connecting and communicating- not drip marketing, but constant education.  

A big ask that takes real commitment, but the rewards are worth it. Thought Leadership can:

• Shorten the sales cycle (prospects actually put themselves further into the sales cycle)
• Change the pattern & terms of how people buy from you
• Diminish price resistance
• Allow prospects to experience your value before buying
• Encourage buyers to invest in you before purchasing
• Further growth in media placements & requests
• Increase search marketing find-ability. Great content is good for search engines, social media and customers.

Finally, a warning – Thought Leadership is not about budget - it's about Intellectual Capital and Content (of course this can cost money in terms of resource, but you cannot buy Thought Leadership, you earn it). You can influence using Thought Leadership tools & tactics, but your customers grant you Thought Leadership status. If you get this right you can set yourself apart through mandatory Thought Leadership attributes. It is a great differentiator, especially in price-driven markets.