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It’s a community manager’s job to find the right expert for each article, blog, webinar and byline. And in today’s B2B space, those pieces should come together to tell a story about the product and shape the consumer’s belief about the brand. But that task can be daunting when time, fear of social media, NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) and restrictions from legal and the PR department – both yours and the expert’s – stand in your way. How can you overcome these obstacles to build a thriving B2B thought leadership community? In this presentation you’ll learn the steps SAS has put in place to find and promote industry experts – practitioners from the field, analysts, professional speakers, consultants and in-house experts – to build a thought leadership platform that spans and supports all content marketing needs.
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5 steps to happily ever afterCourting thought leaders for your B2B community
The top five 2011 Nielsen survey
responses show rising consumer trust in thought
leadership!
@waynettetubbs
Global ad spend increased 7% from 2010 - 2011, including 10% increase in TV ads.
From 2009 – 2011, trust in TV ads fell 24%, magazines lost 20%, newspapers fell 25%.
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Just as in the dating scene, there are many places to search for the perfect thought leader:
Become a stalker. Subscribe to industry, customer, analyst and thought leader blogs. Connect with the authors on social.
Hang with the ‘in’ crowd. Go to conferences, luncheons and events hosted by your organization or related to your industry.
Look in your backyard. Take a look at the resumes in your org chart.
Know what is expected of the relationship!
Can you live on love? Your customers, amateur bloggers and many industry analysts may only be looking for increased exposure – a little extra blip on their resume. Is it the wedding chapel or nothing? Many professional thought leaders and speakers expect paid speaking opportunities and payment for bylined articles or white papers.
Before meeting, plan your pitch – your value statement – including metrics, placement, promotion.
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@WaynetteTubbs
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In relationships that last,it is the extra touches that make the difference.
Call just to say hello.
Give compliments and
send presents.
Think of great places to
go together.
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Bumps along the way?
No budget Professional opinions could be hired to say exactly what you’d like – that would be great, but expensive.
Approval processIndustry practitioners must seek approval from legal and PR before authoring and commenting.
Fear of offendingTrue expert opinion is often watered down for fear of offending peers and customers.
The unknownFear of social media and few metrics in B2B to prove its value.
The happily ever after
CredibilityImproved authority and credibility for the brand.
Domino effectIncreased efforts from product marketing and field marketing to surface thought leader content.
EncouragementImproved social media engagement from internal thought leaders. Encouraged more internal thought leaders to blog.
Keys to success
Be boldDon’t be afraid to say hello.
Do your researchLearn what motivates people to know if you can provide it.
Coach, coach, coachMoney and time are usually not the roadblock. What oftengets in the way is fear.
Chin upDon’t be afraid to ask. They can’t eat you.
Give ‘em a nudgeNever take the first no as the final answer.
If you have questions,
@waynettetubbs
