One of my favorite pieces of annual thought leadership is the Edelman-LinkedIn Thought Leadership Impact Report. Introduced to me by the good people at Passle, this report examines how thought leadership influences buying behaviors among B2B decision-makers and C-suite executives.
As a marketing and business development partner to law firms, I often emphasize the importance of sharing valuable insights — yes, even when others in the market are discussing similar topics. Data that illustrates why this should be a vital part of a marketing strategy is incredibly helpful to getting that point across. So, thank you to Edelman and LinkedIn for facilitating this survey.
“Effective thought leadership exerts a surprisingly strong influence on sales and pricing. Thought leadership can be a more powerful marketing tool than traditional methods and makes people more willing to seek you out — and even pay extra for your expertise.”
If you’re not already sharing your insights on a regular basis, here are some takeaways from the survey:
- Executives are reading. 52% of decision-makers and 54% of C-level executives spend an hour or more on average per week consuming thought leadership.
- Trust builds credibility. 3/4 of decision-makers say an organization’s thought leadership content is a more trustworthy basis for assessing its capabilities than traditional marketing materials.
- Thought leadership inspires action. More than 75% of decision-makers and C-suite execs say a piece of thought leadership has led them to research a product or service they weren’t already considering.
- Consistency matters. 54% of respondents say an organization that consistently produces high-quality thought-leadership content has prompted them to research its offers or capabilities.
If you’re reading this, you are no doubt a subject-matter expert in your area of practice or service. You have valuable insights to share, and curious minds genuinely want to know what you know.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Here are some tips:
- Observe and learn. Write down which publications you read and what content resonates with you. Keep track of articles you liked the most and think about why.
- Set realistic goals. What amount of content can you produce alongside your day job? For me, that’s an article a month and weekly posts on LinkedIn.
- Learn from competitors. See what others in your field are writing about and how often. This can inform your approach and show why jumping on the thought leadership bandwagon is critical. (Backed by survey data: 70% of C-suite leaders say a piece of thought leadership has at least occasionally led them to question whether they should continue working with an existing supplier.)
Take Action Today
Consider starting as I did in this article: highlight interesting research you’ve read and offer insights on how it might impact your audience’s business or their next steps.
You can do this on LinkedIn, too. Post about insights from an industry publication or a conference you attended.
I look forward to reading your great content in 2025!
To read the full survey, click here.
For another helpful summary of results from Passle, click here.
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Rebecca Edwards Hnatowski is a marketing and business development advisor with nearly 20 years of experience helping busy stakeholders establish, maintain, and grow client relationships. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn.
