Using Thought Leadership to Support Marketing & Sales Activity

Introduction

Thought leadership is one of the most successful marketing and business development strategies for professional services firms. It integrates brand-boosting awareness and positioning campaigns with support for those in frontline conversation with existing and potential clients.

This interactive session provides both an understanding of thought leadership strategy and practical guidance on how to make it work at your firm. The session shares examples of successful thought leadership campaigns from a variety of professional services firms (legal, accountancy and property) to illustrate key ideas and spark discussion, inspiration and action.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• Thought leadership fundamentals
• What is thought leadership? (And what it isn’t)
• Why is it an important strategy? (Brand, positioning, awareness, engagement, sales)
• How is it used in marketing, selling and client relationship management?
• Contemporary research on thought leadership
• How to develop a thought leadership campaign
• Agree aims
• Examine the needs and interests of the audience
• Formulate ‘the big idea’
• Engage and enthuse internal stakeholders
• Design and conduct research
• Develop a content plan and create content
• Select channels and design communications
• Develop a programme of digital and traditional activities
• Establish budget and measurement systems
• Practical tips: Implementing and measuring thought leadership campaigns
• Assess criteria for a great campaign
• Follow a step-by-step campaign planning framework
• Collaborate with clients and third parties
• Use external consultants (research, design, PR, etc)
• Adopt project management and risk management systems
• Use thought leadership to drive client conversations
• Consider the pros and cons of using AI
• Evaluate results and impact

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.