The way firms build marketing relationships with prospects is changing. Today’s buyers don’t just want to learn from your firm’s expertise — they want to connect with the experts behind it.
AI-powered search is transforming how potential clients discover and consume professional knowledge. As a result, traditional approaches firms have taken to develop and publish thought leadership is losing its punch.
Perhaps you’ve noticed it, too: Website traffic is declining. Content engagement is dropping. The old playbook of building authority through institutional expertise isn’t delivering like it used to.
AI is fundamentally changing how expertise is discovered — but it can’t replace the humans that make the best thought leadership truly compelling. Think unmistakable personality, hard-earned perspective, and the ability to build genuine connections.
The goal of thought leadership remains unchanged. Transform your firm’s deep expertise into revenue growth.
The means by which you do it is changing rapidly. In an age where personal connection matters as much as (or even more) than institutional authority, firms need to shift their focus from developing thought leadership to developing thought leaders.
The Institutional Approach to Thought Leadership
Professional service firms have long prioritized building institutional authority over individual experts. This has typically manifested as carefully crafted thought leadership content that emphasizes the firm’s collective expertise while downplaying individual contributors. Many organizations even go so far as to publish content without bylines, positioning insights as the firm’s combined intellectual capital rather than individual thought leaders’ expertise.
This institutional approach aligns with traditional professional services marketing, in which firms project stability, consistency, and depth of organizational knowledge. This strategy aims to burnish the firm’s reputation while minimizing the perceived risks of elevating individual experts, who could leave and “take their following with them” or communicate in a voice that’s misaligned with a carefully managed brand.
However, this brand-first mentality often results in sanitized content that, while technically sound, lacks the authentic perspective and personality needed to really connect with today’s buyers. In fact, a growing slice of the public trusts individuals more than they do brands in many aspects of life. In turn more and more buyers are seeking trusted advisors more than they are evaluating institutional credentials.
The Modern Approach: Elevated Experts on New Media
Elevating individual experts represents a fundamental shift in this dynamic. Rather than subjugating personal brands to the institutional voice, forward-thinking firms are learning to amplify the unique perspectives of their individual experts. This “people-first” approach recognizes that while expertise may reside in the organization, trust and relationships form between individuals.
The most successful firms are finding ways to better align individual thought leaders with organizational goals. They’re using personal platforms to showcase not just expertise, but the human elements that make their professionals uniquely qualified to solve complex business challenges. This creates a multiplier effect. As individual experts build their following, they enhance both their personal brand and their firm’s market position.
These “elevated experts” tend to get the best results when they balance research-based insights with personal takes on current events. They’re not just sharing their expertise in a vacuum. They’re using their unique worldview and personality to build an invested audience.
The Power of New Media Platforms
New media platforms are a crucial part of the personal branding puzzle for professional services firms. Today’s new breed of elevated experts are changing the game by:
- Utilizing podcasts, video series, and personal newsletters
- Opining on a broader range of topics
- Focusing on unique perspectives rather than narrow business issues
- Building personal relationships with potential clients “at scale”
- Establishing a clear platform of topics and a consistent content cadence
New media allows elevated experts to create a more direct and personal relationship with potential clients and the broader market. They develop a clear platform of relevant topics to cover and are consistently active, becoming prominent voices in the industry’s most active online spaces.
This expert-first approach allows for greater flexibility in content creation and distribution. It also enables thought leaders to respond quickly to industry trends and emerging issues, keeping their content fresh and relevant.
6 Examples of Elevated Experts
Let’s look at some real-world examples of professionals who have used new media to successfully position themselves as high-profile, high-caliber experts.
1. Scott Galloway (“Prof G”)
A veteran of multiple start-ups and a professor at the Stern School of Business, Scott Galloway has built a significant following through his “Prof G” persona. He publishes multiple podcasts each week and a weekly newsletter called “No Mercy/No Malice.”
Galloway focuses primarily on capital markets and technology. But he uses his platform to discuss a wide range of topics, including geopolitics, masculinity, health, and economic security.
2. Dev Patnaik
As the Founder and CEO of Jump Associates, Dev Patnaik is an expert on strategy development for Fortune 50 companies. He convenes conversations about future-focused leadership and strategy through his weekly Future Focus newsletter, bi-weekly Jump Podcast, and annual Jump Offsite. Patnaik uses his authority to explore topics like building purpose-driven companies and corporate cultures that prioritize learning and growth.
3. Shelly Palmer
A prominent technology thought leader, Shelly Palmer helps executives make sense of emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain. He builds relationships with his audience through a daily technology newsletter, a weekly live stream called “Shelly Palmer Live,” and regular speaking engagements. He’s used his platform to explore many broader cultural topics such as the increase in gun violence in society.
4. Ian Bremmer
Ian Bremmer is a thought leader in global political risk and international affairs and founder of Eurasia Group. He shares insights on geopolitical trends, U.S. foreign policy, and emerging markets through books, speaking engagements, and a weekly newsletter published by his media company, GZERO Media.
5. John Dick
As Founder and CEO of CivicScience, John Dick focuses on consumer intelligence and market research. He builds his relationship with the market primarily through a weekly email newsletter called “What We’re Seeing” and by hosting a podcast titled “The Dumbest Guy in the Room.” In many of his newsletters he seamlessly weaves together cutting new consumer research with personal stories of his wife, kids, and life in Pittsburgh, PA.
6. Rand Fishkin
A prominent figure in digital marketing for over a decade, Rand Fishkin regularly speaks about audience research, SEO strategies, and digital marketing trends. He first built his reputation through Moz, a widely used SEO tool which he created. These days he continues to engage his audience through his “Five-Minute Whiteboard” video series at his new company, Spark Toro, which has become hugely popular in the digital marketing community.
6 Steps to Elevate Your Experts — and Your Brand
At this point, you’re probably wondering how to get started. Here are some actionable first steps.
1. Identify thought leaders within your organization
While you may want to start by focusing on your CEO or another key member of the leadership team, don’t get hung up on a potential expert’s role in the org chart. There’s a general misconception that you need to have a position of prominence to become an elevated expert — but thought leaders can come from anywhere. You’re looking for team members with the openness to hone a distinct perspective, a desire to engage actively in professional digital spaces, and “thick enough skin” to put themselves out there on a consistent basis.
2. Develop a consistent content strategy
Develop a thought leadership platform for each expert you’re looking to elevate. That platform should include a Master POV on the market and a discrete set of issues you’d like them own.
Consider how your expert will engage across multiple platforms and formats. Focus on the mediums that best showcase their strengths, and be sure to use new media tools effectively, including podcasts, video series, and newsletters. Do sufficient audience research to learn where your potential clients spend time online.
One common thread among successful elevated experts is their commitment to consistent content production. Whether it’s a weekly newsletter, a bi-weekly podcast, or a regular video series, these thought leaders maintain a predictable cadence that their audience can rely on. Consider which formats your experts can realistically produce on a consistent cadence, with the support of your editorial and marketing teams.
3. Balance personal branding with firm representation
When you’re first getting started, work with your experts to create a personal brand strategy that aligns with your firm’s objectives while still allowing for individual expression.
As your experts gain visibility, there’s a risk that their personal brand might overshadow that of the firm. You’ll want to establish clear guidelines on how your elevated experts should represent the firm in their content and public appearances. For instance, they should tie their insights back to the firm’s offerings as appropriate. The goal is to leverage your expert’s rising star to grow your firm’s reputation in the marketplace of ideas.
4. Mix depth of expertise with breadth of topics
Elevated experts don’t just regurgitate industry news or company talking points. They offer unique perspectives, share personal experiences, and aren’t afraid to take stands on controversial topics when appropriate.
Encourage your experts to engage broadly with online communities on the platforms you prioritize. While you’ll likely want to map out in-depth long-form assets ahead of time, the goal is to give your experts the freedom and wiggle room to range widely in their day-to-day activities, content, and interactions.
5. Commit the necessary time and resources to make it work
Creating high-quality content consistently requires significant time and resources. Firms need to be prepared to invest in their thought leaders. That could potentially mean reducing a team member’s billable hours or client-facing time. Consider providing dedicated support staff or outsourcing content development to help them hone their POV and ease the burden on both your experts and marketing teams.
6. Measure and adapt based on engagement
Stay agile and be prepared to pivot your strategy as new platforms emerge or audience preferences change. Regularly reassess your content mix and distribution channels to ensure you’re reaching your ideal clients effectively.
Get serious about measurement. Develop a core set of metrics that go beyond simple engagement numbers (for instance, you might look at factors like lead quality, client retention rates, and the firm’s overall market positioning). Use data to assess the success of your strategy and adjust accordingly.
The Future of Thought Leadership in Professional Services
Thought leadership is undergoing a significant transformation. While traditional methods of establishing expertise still hold value, today’s buyers are placing less credence on known brands and more weight on the personality and POVs of the people within them. Looking ahead, honing your research and thought leadership development processes may be far less important than nurturing a team of thought leaders to carry the story.
