It should come as no surprise that thought leadership has become paramount in recent years. Most surveys conducted in the B2B space show that decision-makers are more likely to engage with a company that creates valuable thought leadership content. In the crowded FinTech market, where standing out is a struggle, what better way to start than by positioning C-suite executives as thought leaders? This marketing approach will help bring a personal touch to your brand while building trust and driving engagement.

Why C-Suite Branding Matters

Research has shown that a CEO’s and a brand’s reputation are intrinsically linked. If this is so, then CEOs have an untapped resource at their fingertips – their own profile. By stepping into the spotlight, executives can help provide a relatable, familiar face and voice for the company, humanising the brand.

CEOs who are seen as trusted sources of industry insight may simplify prospects’ decision-making process. Strong executive leadership doesn’t just inspire confidence, but it can greatly help convert businesses into clients by adding trust and a sense of familiarity to the brand. To put it simply, Steve Jobs was always the champion of his brand, Apple, bringing its story alive through his presence. 

Now we live in a world dominated by the online sphere, meaning executives have an added resource at their disposal to reach an even wider audience. In addition to traditional Marketing and PR efforts, social media is taking a centre stage in many MarComms strategies. LinkedIn is the most popular platform for B2B businesses and can be leveraged to generate organic growth. The same goes for media coverage and engagement - with news readily available online 24/7, geography is no longer a constraint. A CEO appearing in the media brings attention to the company as a whole and can be a perfect vehicle to boost your message, company values and future plans.

Aligning Leadership with Strategy

From a marketing and PR perspective, aligning executive content strategy with overall company goals is imperative. When starting this journey, jot down the most important topics you aim to address. These should be aligned with the company’s evergreen messages as well as with market trends that your brand would like to talk about. Then, consider what your company’s goals are for the next year and how you can best leverage the C-suite’s profiles to amplify those messages.

Seeing a CEO actively advocate for the brand will also set an example for employees to do the same, strengthening external visibility while also cultivating a positive internal company culture. More spokespeople can be identified, and marketing teams can help ensure message alignment across the organisation. Perhaps while the company’s CEO focuses on market perspectives and the bigger picture, the Chief Product Officer can focus on topics directly related to the product roadmap.

Media: Showcasing Expertise Through Interviews

Earned media is an asset all brands should leverage, if possible. It helps the company gain credibility and visibility, as well as public traction. By consistently having the brand executive appear in the media discussing timely issues as a subject matter expert, your target audience will increasingly be more aware of the brand and see you as an authority.

If you are wondering how to target the right platforms, research will be your best friend. Your research can help you identify which outlets are generally read by your audience and which topics are most important for each publication. To secure interviews, focus on building relationships with the right journalists. Do your research before you target a journalist and make sure they are interested in the topic you are reaching out with. 

For more best practices of how to engage with the media, see our previous blog here.

LinkedIn: The Digital Stage for Thought Leadership

LinkedIn profiles, like any other asset your brand leverages, need to have a consistent look and feel. This means ensuring that the C-suite’s profiles have the following:

• Same style, high-quality profile photos
• The same cover photo with brand logo
• Bios that are consistent in style and format.

Posting consistently is also very important to have ongoing visibility and interactions with your audience. Consider mixing different types of content, from thought pieces to short company updates and infographics. Always think of what you can post that will benefit the reader.

To continue building trust, make sure you are part of the conversation. Respond to comments and participate in discussions to boost visibility. It is also important for you to repost and comment on your company’s business profile to drive engagement to that page. 

Directly engage with key stakeholders and build meaningful connections based on shared interests related to relevant market topics. Joining LinkedIn groups in relevant categories is also a great way to connect with audiences and showcase expertise.

For more tips, tricks, and key points to avoid for CEO engagement on LinkedIn, read our previous blog here.

Measuring Impact: Proving the ROI of Executive Branding

Before embarking on this journey, set some key metrics you want to follow to define success. When first building thought leadership profiles, it is best to set an initial benchmark to track social media growth, engagement and media mentions over time. It is important to understand how lead generation and brand recognition metrics are interlinked with CEO thought leadership:

• Track the increase in website visits and gated content downloads after executive-led content is published
• Monitor lead attribution from blog posts, LinkedIn articles, or PR mentions featuring the CEO
• Analyse engagement rates on thought leadership posts (high engagement often correlates with audience trust and potential leads)
• Compare sales cycle length and conversion rates for leads who have interacted with CEO content vs. those who haven’t.

Thought leadership is a valuable tool for any brand. It can help build brand differentiation, especially in overcrowded industries such as FinTech. With a strong thought leadership strategy as the basis, C-suite executives can become trusted leaders of their market. 

Have you considered developing your own strategy? We can help – get in touch with an expert today.