What kind of 'thought leader' is your firm?

In a nutshell

• There are four archetypes,

  and choosing one gives your marketing focus and credibility.

• The Eagle

  Convinces with (quantitative) research and benchmarks: think McKinsey and Berenschot.

• The Peacock

  Takes the stage with books, keynotes and outspoken opinions: think Salem Samhoud and Jacques Pijl.

• The Lovebird

  Uses its network to get clients talking to each other. Think: roundtables, own conferences, podcast series.

• The Chicken

  Is recognisable to many and shares useful 'goodies' — the Accenture model.

What kind of thought leader are you?

Thought leadership remains a useful marketing strategy for knowledge-intensive organisations. After all, if your client believes you're the expert, it increases your value. Yet many professionals don't see themselves as an authority. Fortunately, there isn't just one way to be a thought leader.

In my experience, there are four archetypes.

The Eagle

The Eagle

The classic thought leadership strategy: conducting (quantitative) research into the topics that concern clients. Think of the reports from consultancy firm McKinsey, which even has its own 'research institute'. In the Netherlands, Berenschot has been running surveys and benchmarks with large numbers of respondents for years, which also reveal trends over time. PA Consulting, a firm I've worked at myself, does this cleverly too: it combines surveys with data from trusted paid sources (Nielsen, Bloomberg).

The Peacock

The Peacock

The type that takes the stage to enlighten or influence others. From academic research, or from a 'guru' personality. Think of &Samhoud, whose founder Salem Samhoud wrote management books and generated free publicity with original concepts and statements. But also think of someone like Jacques Pijl, who wrote the bestseller Strategy = Execution. His book gave him — and consultancy firm Turner — a strong head start in the field of strategy and execution. Or think of hyper-experts such as Ksenia Tolstrup of Magnus Energy. Her keynotes and (academic) articles on the energy sector give the firm a great deal of credibility as an expert.

The lovebird

The Lovebird

This 'lovebird' gives clients the opportunity to exchange ideas. They use their strong network and position of trust to create a win-win. Think of the many roundtables firms organise, where clients can confidentially share experiences with their peers. It can also be public, such as a self-organised conference where clients take the stage. A firm like nlmtd approaches this structurally through a collaboration with the programme makers of The Next Web. But also think of a series of podcasts or interviews with clients, as at Impact Stewards.

The Chicken

The Chicken

Perhaps not the first animal that comes to mind, but the hen is with many and makes plenty of noise. Think of a firm like Accenture. We may not know it for its originality, but it's always recognisable. And don't forget the 'goodies' that hens give away. Simply put, a very useful animal.

Which archetype suits your firm best?

any organisations recognise themselves in several archetypes. Yet it's wise to choose what kind of thought leader you want your firm to be. This gives your marketing activities focus, and with it you gain credibility and added value.

Fancy a brainstorm?

I'd love to think with you about which thought leadership strategy best suits your positioning and organisation — and what this means for your team. I'd be happy to join you for a short brainstorm; get in touch here.