B2B SaaS PR Archives

Why SaaS Brands Should Seek Less Category Competition, More Category Collaboration

Teaming up with your competitors seems counterintuitive, both amid economic uncertainty and as part of your marketing strategy. But seeking out category collaboration can fuel powerful results when used strategically to educate your audience, build brand awareness and garner high-level media coverage.

Category collaboration: A contradiction in terms?

The idea of working cooperatively with your competition — termed “co-opetition” in Adam Brandenburger and Barry Nalebuff’s 1996 book on the subject — has often included partnerships formed specifically to foster innovation, fund research and development and share needed supplies. Look at Samsung and Apple, for instance: Samsung supplies Apple’s iPhone screens while still selling its own smartphones. Pharmaceutical rivals Pfizer and BioNTech collaborated on a COVID-19 vaccine.

But beyond supply chain or research concerns, this cooperative approach can apply to SaaS brands’ marketing endeavors, too.

Even amid concerns of a global economic downturn, Gartner predicts SaaS spend will rise to $195 Billion in 2023, up 17% from 2022. Businesses are still investing in SaaS, even in these tumultuous times — and SaaS companies need to keep their foot on the gas. Partnering with other savvy competitors ensures you’re building your category the smart way.

Category reinforcement through collaboration

You might be picturing collaboration as trading sales sheets and working together on battle cards — that’s not what I’m advocating. Back up a few steps to the top of the marketing funnel. In the early stages of category creation, you’re advocating for your solution and, more broadly, trying to maximize a prospective customer’s knowledge of the problem you solve. When you’re evangelizing for your category, you’re working to promote awareness, educate your audience and gain their trust.

Acknowledging and working with your competition on these educational campaigns provides prospects with further proof that the problem you’re solving is an important one. Competition validates your category as a legitimate space and your offering as a potential solution to a real problem.

Take the layups

In his book “Founder Brand,” marketing consultant Dave Gerhardt frames marketing as a momentum game: You take the small wins to build to bigger wins. During a basketball game, the teams can’t worry over every 2-pointer. When your opponent shoots a layup, you don’t panic about losing the game. They’re moving the game forward, and your team will score soon, too.

In the marketing realm, sometimes you’ll have to take the layups. Remember that as much as you like to win, your competitors do, too. Those minor wins offer some opportunities for lower-stakes collaboration, especially in areas where you and a competitor agree. Every win contributes to a developing storyline around your company and adds to your authority in the space.

From a thought leadership perspective, your competitor’s efforts can — and probably are — helping propel your deals forward. A prospect might read a competitor’s article that also speaks to all of your marketing talking points and builds a case for a solution. During a prospect’s research phase to find a solution, they may reach out to your company, rather than (or in addition to!) the competitor, to solve their problem.

In my own experience, I’ve seen clients share a “great piece on the industry” that came directly from a competitor’s thought leader — another opportunity for collaboration to move the game forward.

Release the scarcity mindset

Here’s the biggest hurdle preventing competitors from collaborating on informative, category-strengthening opportunities: a misguided notion of scarcity. Just as one layup for a rival team doesn’t spell disaster, press coverage for a competitor doesn’t mean your company loses a chance at its moment in the spotlight.

Opportunities to amplify your brand abound, but when every vendor in a given industry contradicts the next, journalists struggle to offer their audience a clear picture of what’s happening in the space. Collaborating with competitors to offer impactful, vendor-neutral insight amplifies your message and provides something substantial to the media (and then, your prospects). This collaboration can be as simple as agreeing on a particular market trend you’ve both identified.

Meet the demands of increasingly complex B2B sales cycles

The B2B customer journey has become even more complex. Forrester’s latest “B2B Buying Study” found that 63% of purchases involve more than four people, and the average number of touchpoints jumped from 17 to 27 in just two years. Buyers seek information from myriad sources during their customer journey — from case studies and peers to industry experts and vendors.

The makeup of SaaS buying committees is changing, too: 73% of the people participating in B2B research and decision-making are millennials, who dive into research well before reaching out to a sales rep. And 80% of B2B purchasing decisions come from “direct or indirect customer experience,” with buyers scouring others’ reviews and recommendations while ignoring paid ads and cold calls.

Today’s buyers want to connect with something beyond a vendor. They’re looking for answers — and you can help them by teaming up with your competitors to tell your category’s broader story, and choosing intentionally to focus less on selling and more on educating. This approach offers prospective buyers more value and equips them to make buying decisions that meet their needs.

**Is your main competitor really the villain in your story?**

A final obstacle to embracing competitor collaboration is, of course, whether or not your main competitor plays the villain role in your brand’s story. After nine years of working with hundreds of SaaS clients, I can confidently say this scenario is rarely the case.

Most companies working with a PR agency, for example, do so for several reasons:

They’re chasing a mindset shift among their desired prospects toward their solution category.
They’re trying to raise awareness about the problem their products solve.
They’re attempting to elevate a conversation to the board level to gain executive support (and budget approval) for their solutions.

Your competition’s not out to affect or diminish these efforts, and in fact, collaborating with those in the same space could give these endeavors a boost.

How to get started with category collaboration

Diving into competitor collaboration may feel daunting, but the process starts with a mind shift that includes thinking of your competitors as your peers, not your enemy.

Leverage your existing network. Who do you know, and do you think they’d invite a conversation? Connect with competitors on LinkedIn, and interact with their posts. If their company does something cool — give them props! If their CEO makes a bold statement, and your CEO agrees with it, help them continue the conversation.

Ask a peer to join you for a virtual coffee (not to exchange trade secrets, but to get to know each other). Connect at trade shows, and use the time to find common points of interest or concern in your industry. Have a story no one’s talking about, but you agree is pivotal? Talk about it jointly on your blogs or in the media, and see what happens.

Finally, invite a competitor thought leader to co-host a webinar with you or join an episode of your podcast. You’ll have an opportunity to flesh out points of view and garner more significant interest in your category. Each of these connections offers an opportunity to grow your own reach and your category’s visibility when you work proactively to create a cohesive choir of voices in your field. When evangelizing for your category, a rising tide can really lift all ships.

BLASTmedia: 2022 Top SaaS PR Blogs

From Spotify to Peloton to PlayStation, there’s no avoiding the year-end recaps/wraps, and we’re coming ‘atcha with our own. As we nearly approach 2023, we’re wrapping up our top SaaS PR blogs from 2022. This year, our team wrote over thirty posts focused on SaaS PR topics, such as how to be featured in software blogs and tips on executing PR in a downturn.

Whether you read them all or only caught a few, you want to take advantage of the SaaS trends and learnings in the blogs below. Here is a countdown of our most-read blog posts of 2022:

#5 Why PR Works for SaaS

Longer sales cycles and fierce competition have led SaaS companies to focus more on their brand. Building awareness through clear messaging is vital for SaaS companies to withstand competitors. This blog shares three reasons why PR works for SaaS brands.

#4 What Is Non-traditional PR?

What is non-traditional PR? By Kate Johnson

As a SaaS PR agency, we leverage various channels to secure our clients meaningful coverage. In this piece, we break down non-traditional PR, including podcasts, software company blogs and video coverage, to show how capitalizing on non-traditional PR tacts is critical to successful campaigns.

#3 4 Pillars of B2B SaaS PR

4 Pillars of B2B SaaS PR by Kim Jefferson

For SaaS companies, PR doesn’t only help with building your thought leadership; it impacts an entire SaaS business, from recruiting to fundraising. This post covers the ‘Four Pillars’ of B2B SaaS PR: investors, employees, partners and customers.

#2 We Canceled All Meetings for 1 Week, Here’s How It Went

We Canceled All Meetings for 1 Week, Here's How it Went by Grace Williams.

We’ve all been in meetings where we thought, “Couldn’t this just be an email?” This year, we canceled all internal and external meetings for one week to see how it would go. Find out our results in this blog.

#1 How to Set and Measure PR OKRs: Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

How to Set and Measure PR OKRs: Objectives and Key Results by Grace Williams

Drum roll, please. Coming in at number one is our blog on setting and measuring PR OKRs. The debate continues on how to measure PR. We followed suit with many of our clients and shifted our focus to an OKR framework. Not familiar with OKRs? This piece explains what they are and how we use them to measure our SaaS PR efforts.

Have a topic you’d like to see our SaaS PR team cover in 2023? Tweet us, mention us on LinkedIn or drop us a note to let us know.

How Vendor-Neutral Coverage Can Still Make a Positive Impact

Article in magazine with coffee mug and BLASTmedia branding

The B2B SaaS industry is as mindbogglingly large as it is competitive. But how big is it? ChiefMartec recently shared that there are at least 103,000 marketing technology companies alone. That’s a conservative estimate — and just one vertical!

All of these companies are battling for visibility, but simultaneously, newsrooms nationwide are shrinking.

While every company has a story it can tell, not every angle will fit for media outreach or publication. And, often, businesses aren’t fully considering that brands need a vendor-neutral topic.

What does that mean, and how can vendor-neutral coverage still positively impact your company?

“This reads like an advertisement.”

First, the easy stuff: vendor-neutral content or coverage means that your byline, quote or interview can’t directly point back to a service or product you offer.

While both are important, your PR team is not your advertising team. Your PR efforts are toward “earned” coverage to (for example) provide a unique perspective on a timely topic or “how to” tactics on a technical subject. If the publication’s editor says, “This reads like an advertisement,” we’ve missed the mark. Your PR team will help refine your message to ensure we’re adding something new, valuable, bold and maybe even contrarian or divisive to the conversation.

If I can’t talk about my product, what’s the point?

Writing vendor-neutral content doesn’t mean you can’t talk about important challenges or opportunities in your industry, but you can’t be the only solution to the problem.

Your PR team can help you keep a finger on the industry’s pulse to ensure you’re still in front of your targeted audience and key buyer personas. But they should also help you think bigger: as a SaaS leader, you’ve got plenty of experiences to pull from. What lessons from your entrepreneurial journey stand out? What was your first experience with a boardroom? Are you building a hybrid workplace environment or offering nontraditional employee benefits? These aspects of running a company can be source material for a great story.

By publishing these types of perspectives, you are:

Improving your ability to rank in search as both a thought leader and company. Those “about the author” sections often include the prized backlink!
Creating valuable material for social media where the conversation can continue. Pubs love to see their pages get more views and clicks — sharing your work on social can help extend the reach and impact.
Fostering a relationship with editors who may reach out for more commentary opportunities.
Building affinity — people want to buy from people! You’re not a walking advertisement; you have years of insights and perspectives to tap into.

Where do we begin?

Getting started on your own can be challenging, especially without a team to help brainstorm ideas. Story-mining sessions are a great way to build out a list of vendor-neutral opportunities: your PR team can help uncover angles that resonate with target audiences and publications.

Turn to your PR team to uncover these powerful thought leadership angles for impactful media coverage.

SaaS Communications in 2023

2022 was a tumultuous year for tech. SaaS multiples and global venture funding dropped from record highs, and billion-dollar valuations were almost impossible to come by. For most of the year, we operated in a downturn and anticipation of a recession. For many tech companies, this meant tightening budgets and, unfortunately, several rounds of layoffs — some call it “the great reset.”

It’s not all doom and gloom, though — SaaS spending is still up — and this year, we saw the return of some normalcy in the form of in-person events like SaaStr. Before we close the curtains on 2022 and enter 2023, let’s look at some predictions I gathered from BLAST’s senior leadership team.

Internal communication will be treated like external communication.

An unfortunate wave of RIFs and tech company exposés reinforced a need to craft internal communications as if they’d eventually be shared with the press. Empathy has been the defining word of the 2020s thus far. It must be baked into all internal communications strategies which could end up reaching a mass audience. – Kelsey Sowder, VP of PR

The rise of the Chief Communications Officer.

PR and communications have historically sat in marketing. It makes sense external communications have a direct impact on brand, and marketing owns brand. But it also causes tension. PR is never going to have the impact on pipeline our counterparts in demand can produce. And with marketing becoming increasingly growth-focused in the face of budget cuts and an impending recession, it might be time for communications to seek a new home. But where?

The C-Suite is relying more heavily on communications teams for strategic counsel than in years past — executive communications and thought leadership, internal communications, planning a company-wide rollout of a restructure, owning communications to customers on an outage or a fundraise, handling sensitive employee communications on DEIB, owning the company’s response to national news and societal issues — the list goes on. The reality is that communications isn’t just a marketing function — it’s fundamental to the everyday operations of the business. Communications leaders deserve a seat at the executive table, which is why in 2023 we’ll see more Chief Communications Officers than ever before. – Grace Williams, SVP of PR

Female leadership voices rise in 2023.

In a time where leading with humility, empathy and self-awareness are paramount, 2023 will see a rise in female voices. While female leaders are leaving their positions at a faster pace than ever before, they’re leaving for a better fit culturally. When they find the right company, where their voices are heard and recognized, they’ll become the voice of the brand. PR pros will identify female spokespeople inside the brands they represent to tell the people stories inside the organization. – Kim Jefferson, EVP

Rise of zero click content.

We’ve moved well past the “gate or ungate” content conversation — get rid of your forms! — and will see the rise of zero click content. Your how-to’s and perspectives can (and should) still live on relevant publications, blogs and newsletters, but consider a “zero click” approach to ensure your audience can engage with your content immediately. This means consolidating your wisdom into easy-to-read bullets or a visual, like a simplified infographic. Studies show attention spans are about 8 seconds… don’t miss your chance! – Jake Doll, VP of PR

Quality content comes from humans — and sets apart top-performing companies.

From gathering and interpreting buyer intent signals to producing short-form web copy, AI is quickly becoming a must-have business companion. But not all is wonderful in AI Land. The more niche your industry, the harder time you’ll have using an AI solution to produce quality content that’ll actually capture your customers’ attention. For example, B2B SaaS companies have specific technical language and complex concepts to write about. Datasets used to train commercially available AI aren’t complete enough to capture the nuances of topics in this industry. As word count increases, AI’s power fizzles out and leaves companies with content chock full of jargon soup.

Buyers want content that speaks their language fluently and connects with them personally — and for now, that definitely requires a human touch. While AI tools can help fill in some gaps, companies that invest in humans who can tell compelling, personalized stories will create standout content that better connects with prospects — and closes more deals than the competition. – Alex Sventeckis, VP of Content

This year we had more SaaS PR predictions than we knew what to do with, so make sure you also check out our thoughts on media relations in 2023. Cheers to the new year, may it bring those of us in tech PR exciting changes, growth and success. 🥂

4 SaaS PR Predictions for 2023

I’ll save the cliches about reminiscing on the past year and looking into the year ahead. When the blog title starts with “predictions,” you get the gist of what it will cover. That said, 2022 was huge for changes in the media landscape. What works today for SaaS PR is vastly different from what worked five years ago, even one year ago. Let’s check in to see how our predictions for 2022 panned out.

✅ Less competition for share of voice, more category collaboration –– yep, mapping PR success into overall business goals (usually using the OKR methodology) continues to gain traction over SOV
✅ More line of business thought leaders, fewer CEOs –– another yes, media contacts are looking for expertise from practitioners
❌ Audio/video formats grow in popularity –– a bit of a miss but not a huge one. Audio is still increasing due to podcasts, while video is staying steady where it is
✅ Brand marketing takes center stage & a renewed focus on employer brand –– people want to work for companies that align with their values

To get a pulse on what’s ahead in 2023, I asked my peers what’s on their minds. Here’s what they said.

A flooded market will force marketers to deprioritize news lightning strikes. As journalists’ reception around news events like funding, company growth and product launches weaken with the flooded market, SaaS marketers will focus on long-term brand growth strategies instead of going all-in on flashy lightning strikes. We’ll see a renewed prioritization of more evergreen assets like outcome-focused customer stories, recurring data reports and trends-focused thought leadership to drive brand recognition and clout. – Lydia Beechler, Director of Learning and Development

Media’s town square is fragmenting. If he-who-must-not-be-named does destroy Twitter, it will be challenging to find a hub for journalists like we’ve come to expect. You’ll need to be organized on the best avenue of engaging with the contact, such as the social media site they are most active on or whether they’ve created their own medium domain or substack. While “who you know” doesn’t mean you’ll get a story placed, it will help as your favorite forum is likely changing. – Jake Doll, Vice President of PR

Leverage PR to simplify your value proposition. PR will become increasingly important for technically-focused SaaS brands solving complex problems in 2023. Budgets are still under scrutiny, and the harder it is for you to explain what you do and how it is valuable, the easier it is for prospects to say no. PR offers another avenue to showcase your message in layman’s terms and dig deep into the issue you’re solving and why investing in the solution is necessary instead of three years from now. – Kate Johnson, Vice President of PR

And, of course, I wouldn’t leave you hanging without a PR prediction from me!

Product-focused PR takes a back seat. SaaS PR playbooks from a past life relied on thought leadership that mapped back to the organization’s product, product strategy and differentiators. While I’m not pooh-poohing the value of a byline about how you need to find a [insert your product category] with features [X, X and X] that differentiate you from your competitors, publications are savvier than ever. They’re not interested in this transparent approach to content marketing. More than ever, media is hungry for best practices from practitioners themselves. They want to hear from HR people about HR best practices (not vendors) and CISOs about the latest threats to be abreast of (not vendors). In 2023 we’ll see a marked shift from organizations talking about their product to speaking about themselves and what makes them tick.

If our predictions align with or contradict your thoughts on SaaS PR in 2023, feel free to join the conversation with us on social media. Or, start a conversation with our president Lindsey Groepper, to see how we can apply these predictions to your organization to create PR momentum in 2023!

Publishing a Data Report? Here’s What Reporters Want

At BLASTmedia, our three-pronged approach to securing Tier-1 media includes customer participation, bold or vulnerable executive commentary, and compelling data.

Why data? Reporters seek data to validate claims with concrete evidence, and it also helps PR professionals deliver intriguing angles and stories backed by numbers.

Often, data is packaged up by SaaS brands in the form of reports, surveys or “state of” industry benchmarks. When it comes to a data report, it’s not enough to gather data and publish it if you are looking for media attention.

Below are keys to seeing your data published in the press:

Vanilla won’t cut it

When prepping the corresponding commentary to contextualize the report, you must be bold above all else (and offering a contrarian point of view doesn’t hurt, either). Reporters aren’t interested in commentary regurgitating information already out in the media. You don’t see quotes from respected industry experts like “companies are adopting more technology,” do you? Obviously not. It’s been said a million times.

Thought leadership quotes and angles that work well to position the data excite those in the industry, go against common perception or add a new perspective to an ongoing trend. To garner interest, data must tell a compelling story, challenge the status quo or tie back to relevant news. Data can support a thesis and be the story if you ask the right questions.

When drafting questions for a survey or pulling platform data for your report, it’s often best to work backward. Find the story or trend first, and then try and gather information to support or refute it.

Companies aren’t adapting technology at the rate you thought.
Marketers actually don’t prefer automation tools.
The bigger your tech stack, the higher your revenue.

These bullet points would make for a better story than “companies are adopting more technology.” And you can find similar data points to build a compelling angle.

Statistically significant

One of the most common pieces of feedback we get from reporters when pitching data is, “This isn’t statistically significant.” In other words, the reporter needs more respondents to use this information.

Creating a compelling data report takes many resources, including time, energy and budget. As a result, you want to get the most out of it. Don’t take shortcuts with your respondent pool. Finding people that fit your target audience for the report (e.g., the correct title or age group) and finding enough of them is the first step to ensuring media members don’t turn a blind eye when they open your email.

The best case scenario when preparing a survey is 500+ respondents, but we also know getting that many isn’t always reasonable. Based on industry and media feedback, we recommend gathering responses from at least 200 respondents to fulfill the PR statistically significant requirement. Anything lower than that, you may not see the coverage or results you want.

Getting creative with PR outreach

When gearing up to begin data outreach, you must set expectations and goals and execute a well-thought-out plan with your PR team — know your strategy.

Will an exclusive be offered?
Can the data be parsed to appeal to different verticals?
Can the lifetime value be extended by attaching thought leadership angles?

These questions can help you form a SaaS PR strategy for success. Regarding coverage expectations, we see around ten total inclusions in the form of announcement coverage, press release postings and thought leadership coverage, depending on the type of report and vertical.

Also, get creative with outreach to achieve these goals. When most people think of data coverage, they assume mentions. Well, that may be your most common form of report coverage, but it’s not your only pathway to success. As I mentioned earlier, data can not only support a thesis but can also be the story. If you have the points to back it up, you can draft entire contributed content around specific data points. (Consider this example in Fortune from Upside CEO Alex Kinnier.) With Q4 predictions season in full swing, you can also include relevant data points in quotes to enhance thought leadership efforts.

Lastly, when putting together a media relations plan, know that data reports can have longer shelf lives than other initiatives, and coverage may not turn right away (but it doesn’t mean it won’t). For example, you can include data points in other story angles and contributed content over the next year. As a result, consider drafting goals with longer time ranges — and don’t limit yourself to the initial data report press release.

Data can be a strong tactic to garner coverage as long as you understand what makes data significant and unique. Otherwise, coverage may not be what you expect.

Looking to maximize coverage for your next data report? We can help! To learn more, contact our team.

Getting the Most Value Out of Press Releases

SaaS marketers understand that public relations is vital in shaping industry perception and building credibility. But how do press releases play into a comprehensive PR strategy?

While we don’t believe press releases should be the center point of a PR program, they do aid in capturing share of voice in your industry and showcasing your brand’s accomplishments. When you have something newsworthy to share, it’s important you get the most out of an announcement and wring out its total value.

What to do with a press release

At BLASTmedia, our philosophy is that we don’t need a press release to secure coverage for our B2B SaaS clients. However, news still has significant value and a place in the PR coverage mix.

Pushing company news on your blog or via a wire service (like PR Newswire) amplifies your message and puts your news into the world – it becomes indexed and searchable. Press releases provide a marker in time that can be referenced for months, maybe even years.

Newsworthy announcements should have a pitch strategy in place, alerting the most-relevant editors (often under embargo or offering an exclusive) ahead of the announcement day to secure a feature article the day the news hits.

But what else should you do with the asset, in addition to a wire service and direct pitching efforts? Many media outlets provide the opportunity to post a press release, extending the reach of the news.

Securing additional press release postings

Take a funding announcement, for example. First, a client’s PR team would pitch a full feature story with an interview. If the story lands, press release postings on other sites provide even more exposure for the news, further amplifying the announcement.

Press release postings often result from one-to-one outreach to target trade media, wherein an editor or gatekeeper filters which news is most relevant for their audience and decides which releases to publish. Other outlets, however, provide an opportunity to upload a relevant press release directly to their portal for posting and make it into the outlet’s newsletter as well.

Examples of trade sites that offer press release postings:

The press release caveat

Ever heard of relationship “red flags?” Of course, you have. Well, there are also agency red flags. If you’re ever talking with a PR agency and they only get coverage through press release postings and announcements, sound the alarm bells. You need a healthy mix of thought leadership articles, reactive opportunities, interviews and company news. Relying solely on press releases, though — that’s old school and largely ineffective.

Don’t underestimate your news

Company news may not always result in a feature article, but it can still get traction and realize value. While press release postings may seem minute, they’re an important piece of the overall PR strategy and play a role in amplifying news and increasing brand awareness.

To learn more about how you can improve your news strategy, contact Lindsey Groepper.

SaaS PR: What to Know About Announcing Down Rounds

SaaS companies are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn — valuations have fallen to pre-2016 levels, and investors are tightening their purse strings. Raising funds is going to be challenging over the next two years. Down rounds will be unavoidable. What does that mean for your company and its PR strategy?

A down round, a financing round that results in a lower valuation, doesn’t require radio silence on your communications. Sure, the news may not be the headline you’d like, and there are media outlets who straight up won’t cover down rounds. But that money is new capital for your company — cash you managed to raise when other companies are making cuts. Own that success.

Consider these three things when preparing a SaaS PR strategy for announcing a down round.

No. 1: No news is not good news

Down rounds are expected in this bear economy — you have nothing to hide. Any fresh capital is good news and should be shared. While the story may not grab as many headlines, an announcement demonstrates your company’s positive momentum, and many businesses can’t claim that right now.

Another consideration: funding information is publicly available through the SEC. If reporters want to find the information, they can. By making the announcement, you can control the narrative, telling the story the way you want the public to hear it.

No. 2: Funding rounds are a marker in time

When journalists cover your company in the future, they will gather context by looking at past rounds and other company information. Your funding announcement serves as a critical marker in your corporate story.

No. 3: SaaS PR strategy varies for every piece of news

A down road requires additional context than a typical funding announcement, so take the opportunity to educate stakeholders. Use this opportunity for thought leadership. This approach allows you to frame the story to benefit your company and keeps reporters from running with their own conclusions.

Consider drafting a blog post from the founder or CEO outlining the strategy behind the raise and explaining what it means for the company, including perspectives on fundraising challenges in the current economy. Link the blog post in the press release or in your direct message to reporters.

In today’s economic downturn, seize every opportunity to showcase your growth, profitability and momentum. No matter its form, new capital lets you demonstrate your value, promote your brand and build up your leaders. Shape the message the way you want to tell it.

4 Steps to Grow as a Thought Leader

Thought leadership content is everywhere. More people are reading it than ever. But most of it doesn’t offer valuable takeaways or excite audiences.

When thought leadership works, it can be a game-changer. A survey of over 3,000 B2B decision-makers found that effective thought leadership can:

Attract high-quality talent.
Create trust and credibility.
Repair a brand reputation.
Build a dialogue around topics not covered by newsrooms.

Another benefit? Your customers may spend more with you when they see you as a trusted industry voice. About half of the decision-makers surveyed said when an organization offers high-quality thought leadership content, they’re at least somewhat more likely to increase their business or buy a new product.

How can you craft inspiring and distinctive thought leadership content to lead industry conversation and drive business? Find your audience, and refine your voice. Test and tweak your narrative. Then, expand your reach and offer consistency.

No. 1: To find your narrative, identify your audience.

To craft a personal narrative that resonates with your audience, you must define who you want to influence. Whether it’s SaaS PR talent, prospects or investors, focus on how you can become an unrivaled source of help for them, addressing their pain points and solving their problems with your unique take.

Saying something new is harder than it seems, and everyone can spot a half-hearted attempt to leverage a trendy topic. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Focus on areas where you can offer your audience true passion, a unique perspective and value. Consider the mistakes, opportunities and lessons learned that provide your audience insights and takeaways they can’t get anywhere else. Your goal as a thought leader is to offer yourself as a trusted resource, contributing to industry conversations and engaging your audience thoughtfully — not to hype yourself up.

No. 2: Find your unique voice.

From “The Great Resignation” to the monumental shift to remote and hybrid work models, the way we work has changed forever. While people left jobs to search for greater meaning, Gen Z brought its values-driven approach to the workforce, demanding authenticity from every facet of work life. Meanwhile, working from home eliminated long-held barriers between our personal and professional lives. The voice you develop as a thought leader must meet this pivotal moment.

No one shares your exact point of view, sense of humor, favorite hype-up song or unique voice. You’re not obligated to speak for anyone else, and you don’t have to imitate thought leaders or storytellers you admire. Your voice is already there; it’s up to you to unearth it.

How to find your thought leadership voice

Your voice has developed over time as a blend of your knowledge, experience and idiosyncrasies, expressed through your word choice, tone and delivery cadence. It comes through in your personality and how you connect with others. But to settle on a voice you can use consistently in your thought leadership efforts, do a little research on yourself.

Read your authored LinkedIn posts and blogs. Listen to recordings of yourself from company events, podcasts and speaking engagements. You’ll better understand the speech patterns and rhythms you reach for when recounting a past win or sharing a humbling lesson. When you’ve discovered some elements of your unique voice, practice strengthening those features.

No. 3: Test-drive your narrative.

Where can you practice your thought leadership voice? Start with the channels you control, like your social media accounts or blog. Share some posts to determine whether your voice and talk track resonate with your audience. How are people engaging with your posts? Testing the water supplies helpful feedback to build confidence and become bolder with your message.

Remember, you’re not necessarily looking for agreement from your audience — you want to start a conversation! A vocal minority responding to your ideas shows you’re provoking thought and getting your audience’s attention.

As you become more comfortable, broaden the reach of your insights. Look for opportunities to place contributed content in relevant publications, speak at conferences and take your turn as a podcast guest. Or take it a step further, like I did, and start your own podcast! Hosting SaaS Half Full enables me to have deep conversations with my peers in SaaS PR and marketing and gives me an outlet to test my narrative and build my audience.

Finally, you need food to grow as a thought leader! Your ideas can’t survive in a vacuum, so seek resources to help you form opinions and refine your perspective. Taking in timely conversations around you keeps your thought leadership content relevant.

No. 4: Be consistent to gain momentum.

Building consistency will set you apart. Just as you anticipate the latest episode of your favorite podcast or show dropping as scheduled, your audience will come to rely on seeing your perspective as they check their inbox or scroll through social media. Consider your bandwidth and the channels most important to your audience. Focus on those essential channels, and set attainable goals for how often you’ll post.

Consistently growing a few channels is better than taking on more than you can handle and disappointing your audience by leaving them hanging. Ramp up to additional channels once you’ve reached your initial goals, and pace yourself.

Break through the noise by being human

True thought leadership humanizes your business to show your audience a person, not just an organization. By emphasizing your personal voice, passions and viewpoint, you’ll spur conversation and build trust. And as interest in your thought leadership grows, others will seek your commentary, expanding your platform and broadening the reach of your expertise.