Using Research to Prime the Thought Leadership Marketing Pump

Thought Leadership Times Blog (Oct 24 2011)

1. Many, if not most, consulting firms have ambitious programs designed to help them become or remain thought leaders in their chosen fields of expertise. And that's a good thing. Research and history show that demonstrating superior insights on and track records in solving clients' most pressing business problems is one of the keys to differentiating and growing a consulting firm.

   However, in their quest for thought leadership, firms often encounter a common dilemma: struggling to find something to say that is new, relevant, compelling and materially different from what competitors are saying about a given topic. In other words, there are times when the thought leadership pump appears dry, which is a big problem for any firm selling work on the strength of its ideas.

   That's where proprietary research can play a critical role.

   Such research can provide a wealth of data on which a firm can base new thought leadership marketing content. For instance, an executive survey can help a firm uncover new challenges or issues its prospective clients face that no one has yet found a solution to. Case study research can reveal new practices or approaches companies are employing to help them substantially improve some aspect of their operations. And executive roundtables, as well as social media-based forums and discussion groups, can generate fascinating insights into what's on the minds of key buyers of consulting services as they strive to keep pace with the demands of their markets.

   In Alterra Group's experience, organizations that include proprietary research as a key element of their thought leadership marketing program benefit by always having fresh, new (and relevant) insights to fuel their thought leadership marketing channels, not to mention newsworthy items that relevant media outlets often find irresistible.

   If you're interested in ideas on how you can use research-specifically, quantitative research-as part of your content-development efforts, download our white paper, The Value of Surveys in Generating Awareness and Leads. You also can view our 10 key factors that can help you boost the ROI of your thought leadership survey research . And you can read our case study on how Alterra Group helped one company develop and execute a comprehensive survey that reinforced the company's position as the voice of authority in its industry while garnering widespread attention for its thinking on a crucial issue its customers faced.

   We hope you find this material informative and that it sparks thoughtful discussion among you and your colleagues. And we'd love to hear your perspective on the issue. Feel free to send us feedback at info@alterra-group.com.

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