2.

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.

Strong thought leadership prompts out-of-market buyers to step off the sidelines.

decision-makers and C-suite executives

say they are moderately or very likely to be more receptive to sales or marketing outreach from a company that consistently produces high-quality thought leadership.

of decision-makers

also say they would be moderately or very likely to invite them to participate in the RFP process.

Source: 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report. Question: If an organization consistently produces high-quality thought leadership, how likely are you to do each of the following? Be more receptive to their sales or marketing outreach. 4-point scale, top 2 box, moderately likely or very likely. Decision-makers and C-suite executives, 7-country average. Question: If an organization consistently produces high-quality thought leadership, how likely are you to do each of the following? Invite them to participate in the RFP process when you are in the market for a product or service that they offer. 4-point scale, top 2 box, moderately likely or very likely. Decision-makers, 7-country average

High-quality insights boost sales efforts and pricing power.

Among decision-makers who say thought leadership had led them to research a product or service they hadn’t been considering,

say they began buying from or working with that organization.

say that good thought leadership makes them willing to pay a premium to work with that organization.

Source: 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report. Question: What happened as a result of you encountering this piece of thought leadership? Data: % of respondents who said, “We began buying from or working with the organization that produced it.” Decision-makers and C-suite executives, 7-country average. Question: How much do you agree or disagree with these statements? “I am more willing to pay a premium to work with an organization or individual that produces thought leadership versus one that does not.” 5-point scale, top 2 box, agree. Decision-makers and C-suite executives, 7-country average.

Every business decision ultimately boils down to ROI and trust. In this context, thought leadership plays a crucial role. Consistently and repeatedly delivering credible yet actionable insights to customers, during and outside sales cycles, offers a unique opportunity to strengthen trust. It involves giving customers a clear sense of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, along with a strong sense of how to capitalize on them. Thought leadership is more than ever about informing better decision-making, by being a trusted voice. Immersive and interactive formats have proved to be particularly impactful in that rather saturated space.

Ophelie Janus
Global Head of Thought Leadership, Siemens