You're Selling Software, Not Philosophy

In the modern marketing landscape, a phenomenon that's as amusing as it is misguided: the rise of the "thought leader." In the software industry, thought leadership is not about dispensing wisdom like a sage on a mountaintop, but about providing valuable insights and knowledge that can help your audience understand your unique approach to solving their problems. Let's be clear – unless your name is Plato or Cyberdaumus, you're not selling thought leadership. You're selling software.

So, what's the deal with this thought leadership craze? And how can you use it to drive sales rather than just pontificate? With a sprinkle of tongue-in-cheek humor, let me shed some light on how to properly use thought leadership to sell your software – because, yes, that's what you're really doing. But fear not, this isn't about selling abstract ideas. It's about selling practical solutions.

The Thought Leader Issue

First off, let's debunk the myth. The idea of being a thought leader is enticing. Who wouldn't want to be seen as the Steve Jobs or Elon Musk of their industry? But unless your daily routine involves revolutionizing technology or planning trips to Mars, your primary goal should be a bit more grounded: selling your product.

The crux of thought leadership should be educating your buyers on how your unique approach to software solves their problems. Instead of floating above the fray with abstract ideas, get down to brass tacks. Show them how your software can make their lives easier, businesses more efficient, safer, and profits higher.

Engage, Educate, and Convert

Here's the strategy: your content should aim to educate and engage your reader or prospect. But don't stop there. Each publication should also have a clear path that guides the reader toward engaging with your actual software. Think of thought leadership as the appetizer – it should whet the appetite for the main course, which is your product. This way, your audience is never left wondering what to do next.

Here are a few tips to make this happen:

1. Showcase Practical Use Cases: Rather than waxing lyrical about industry trends, delve into specific scenarios where your software shines. Use case studies, testimonials, and real-world examples to illustrate how your product addresses common pain points.
2. Offer Interactive Demos: What better way to engage prospects than to let them see your software in action? Interactive demos can bridge the gap between thought leadership and product engagement.
3. Incorporate Clear Calls to Action: Each blog post, white paper, or webinar should end with a compelling call to action. Invite readers to try a demo, sign up for a free trial, or download a resource that showcases your software. Make it easy for them to take the next step. But don't bait and switch them, either give them access to functional software somehow or stop pushing that prospect to spend more of their valuable time chasing your sales team via a scheduling link for a "call".

Buyers Want Streamlined Experiences

Recent research supports that buyers in the software industry prefer a streamlined buying experience, which means they want to gather information, compare options, and even begin trial phases without speaking to a sales representative. According to a study by Gartner, 77% of B2B buyers state that their latest purchase was very complex or challenging, indicating a need for simpler, more intuitive buying processes (Gartner, 2020). Additionally, another survey by McKinsey found that more than 70% of B2B buyers prefer to conduct their research before engaging with a salesperson (McKinsey, 2021).

These statistics highlight a significant shift in the buyer's journey, emphasizing the importance of providing comprehensive information and resources upfront. Buyers are increasingly self-reliant, wanting to gather information, compare options, and even begin trial phases without speaking to a sales representative. This trend underscores the need for high-quality content and interactive demos to satisfy this initial research phase.

Conclusion: It's About the Software, Not the "Thought"

In the end, remember this: you're not in the business of selling philosophies. You're in the business of selling software. Thought leadership is a means to an end, a tool to educate and engage, but it should always lead back to your product. Keep your focus on the software, and your thought leadership will serve its purpose.

So, the next time you're crafting a blog post or giving a talk, ask yourself: "How does this help sell my software?" It's back to the drawing board if you can't answer that.

p.s. while some people might consider me a thought leader, I appreciate the confidence, but my primary focus is helping folks solve their problems. And in today’s world, that’s done with software. To be perfectly frank the companies that tie in actual use of their software to my thought leadership material are always best positioned to reap the benefits. In other words if you want to get value from a thought leader make sure they can point prospects to your solution, not more of your thought leadership.