How Thought Leadership Content Supports Marketing and Sales Efforts to Improve Performance [VIDEO]

Your organization's content marketing strategy relies on your team's ability to develop powerful thought leadership content. If you want to transform your expertise into influence to improve your sales and marketing performance, thought leadership content can support your brand's messaging and boost your exposure by creating genuine relationships and impacting decisions.

The Case for Thought Leadership Content Marketing

As a marketer, being an expert in your field is crucial. Research conducted by Edelman and LinkedIn shows that out of 1,200 respondents, 58% read one or more hours of thought leadership per week. Additionally, 55% of respondents said they use thought leadership to vet organizations they may hire.

Why does thought leadership content perform so well? Why does consuming this particular type of content affect purchasing decisions?

1. People want to hire PEOPLE
2. Companies need EXPERTS and don't (or shouldn't) want to hire someone that's not an expert.

Knowing your audience is key to any successful marketing strategy, but your audience also wants to genuinely know and trust you. Thought leadership content focuses on using your knowledge, expertise, and experience to address and answer the question and concerns of your target audience. This is your opportunity to stand apart from the competition and become a valuable, go-to source of information.

What Thought Leadership Content Marketing Can Do For You

Thought leadership content can help your organization in many ways, but here are the big players:

• Brand awareness on a personal level
• Lead generation
• Sales
• Recruitment
• And more

How Does Thought Leadership Content Support Your Company's Marketing and Sales Goals?

When done right, thought leadership content marketing:

• Educates people
• Helps to build trust with a person—not just a brand
• Addresses your prospect's pain points
• Answers frequently asked questions
• Helps aid in search traffic and SEO
• Provides content for your email, social, and digital efforts
• Creates sales content your sales team can use in the sales process
• Allows prospects to see into your company and who they would be working with
• Gives insight into your company's core values and mission
• Establishes you as a credible and reliable resource

What are other ways you've seen thought leadership content support your company's sales and marketing goals to improve performance?

In the videos that follow this series (below), I'm going to continue digging into this topic and address tips for creating great thought leadership content, different types of thought leadership content, and where to utilize your thought leadership content to maximize your results.

• Tips for Creating Great Thought Leadership Content [VIDEO]

• Different Types of Thought Leadership Content [VIDEO]

• Checklist for Where to Share Your Thought Leadership Content to Maximize Results [VIDEO]