www.meridianwest.co.uk

DIGITAL INNOVATIONS IN THOUGHT LEADERSHIP How today’s multi-channel environment can deliver growth and deepen relationships between advisers and clients

Joyce Renney, Client Director

Alastair Beddow, Senior Consultant

What issues are clients grappling with? What problems can thought leadership solve?

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Where are we most exposed

to risk?

What does opportunity

look like?

How do I benchmark against my

competitors? What business issues should we prioritise?

What do I need to know to plan my

IPO?

What issues are fee-earners grappling with? What problems can thought leadership solve?

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How can I align the various elements of

my business development

activity?

How do I get in front of clients?

What are the best ways to maximise

online channels with clients? How can I customise

the industry and sector insights I

share with clients?

How do I have a commercial conversation

that identifies client needs and requirements?

What are the priority outcomes for this

campaign?

What issues are marketing and BD grappling with? What problems do marketers have?

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How do we help fee earners

customise the content?

How do we align this to the overall business strategy?

How do we ensure fee-earners will

use this?

How do we ensure this attracts the attention of the

correct audience?

Thought leadership in transition Better integrated into the client-adviser relationship

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From window dressing...

... to insight-led business development

Thought leadership as a stand-alone initiative: • Frustrated effort • Mixed fee-earner comfort level • Generic • Limited shelf-life • Hard to gauge response

Thought leadership integrated into firm-wide marketing strategy and KAM:

• Prioritise time and BD efforts • Empowers fee-earners • Personalised insights & recommendations • Breath new life into existing campaigns • Immediate engagement

Recent examples of our thought leadership work National, regional and global campaigns

Copyright © Meridian West 6

Korn/Ferry: Business Leadership in the Arab World

The Boyden Report: China

The Boyden Report: Brazil

PwC: Trends in cross-border IPO activity

ACCA: The e-professional: embracing learning technologies

ACCA; The Global Economy

DLA Piper: Global tech issues

Russell Reynolds: R&D Productivity in European healthcare

EY: Innovating for growth

KPMG: Changing role of General Counsel

PwC: Breakthrough innovation and growth

Recent examples of our online thought leadership Leveraging insights through multichannel delivery

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BDO: G20 Construction Industry Heatmap

‘Big Four’: UK Private Business Online Diagnostic

EY: Innovation microsite and social media tracking

Financial Times: Client-Adviser Study and Commerciality Diagnostic

PwC: Global innovation study microsite and interactive infrographic

Why invest in thought leadership? It is an integral part of the client-adviser relationship

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90%

...of clients say sector insight increases the

value of their relationship with

advisers.

67%

...of clients say knowledge of sector trends is essential for

delivering commercially-effective advice.

0%

...of clients say interactive social media is ‘very beneficial’ in enhancing their relationship with advisers.

Outcome-focused planning What commercial conversations do you want to have?

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• What issues matter to our clients?

• Which practice areas will drive greatest revenue growth next year?

• Which partners do we have to front campaigns? What are they comfortable doing?

• What does our client feedback tell us?

• What are your marketing metrics / KPIs?

How are we using different channels? Track ROI from thought leadership investment

Printed reports, articles and technical updates

Coverage in traditional and new media

Website presence, video and SEO

Speaking at industry events

Personal / virtual networks

Face-to-face meetings with clients and

prospects

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• Interactive diagnostic tools

• Knowledge fragments for online networks

• Infographic A3 placemats

• Printed reports – including key words & service lines

• Presentation pack with speaker notes

• Roundtable discussion notes

• Ghost-written articles/blogs

• Content for pitch books

• Scripted webinars

• Scripted video clips

Leveraging thought leadership assets Customising outputs to fee earners & clients

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Online benchmarking and diagnostic An online tool that drives business development

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“Engage”: Leveraging existing collateral Through personalised diagnostics and benchmarking

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Meridian West’s Engage portal

An insight-led business development approach What needs to change in your firm?

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BARRIERS

ENABLERS

v.

List and Prioritise

Which firms are leading the way? Exec search I: Korn/Ferry personalised assessment

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Which firms are leading the way? HR consulting: Mercer’s M/Think Blog

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Which firms are leading the way? Technology Consulting: IBM’s Executive Exchange

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Laurie Young’s recent book on Thought Leadership Prompting Businesses to Think and Learn

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“Ambiguity of purpose will dilute the impact of any

Thought Leadership. It will lack consistency,

insight and ambition”

- Laurie Young

Meridian West Client-centric strategies for financial and advisory firms

23 Carnaby Street London W1F 7DD

e info@meridianwest.co.uk

w www.meridianwest.co.uk

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