B2B companies have long invested in thought leadership programs to build eminence in their markets, infuse marketing campaigns with issue-based content, and equip sales to have higher-level conversations. With few exceptions, though, most B2B marketing organizations continue to struggle with managing thought leadership programs that consistently provide differentiated points of view and effective platforms for engaging the senior executives within the clients that matter most. ITSMA’s 2018 Thought Leadership Study documents the approaches that B2B marketers are taking to develop and use thought leadership to engage and strengthen relationships in the C-suite. In particular, the report provides data on program strategy and governance, how companies develop points of view and produce thought leadership assets, how they disseminate their ideas in the market, and how they equip sales and SMEs to engage at the executive level. The report includes both aggregate data and cross-tabs by overall performance (leaders and followers) and by company type (providers of primarily services or both products and services). Along with essential new data on how top firms are connecting thought leadership and executive engagement programs, the study highlights five specific ways in which the most effective programs stand apart from the rest. Methodology Survey invitations were emailed during March 2018 to ITSMA member companies and Marketing Strategist subscribers 44 companies completed the survey–Primarily marketers at B2B technology and business services companies 38 unique companies represented Participating Companies The full report is available at no additional fee to ITSMA member companies that participated in the study. Non-member companies that participated in the study are eligible to receive an executive summary. Adobe Avanade Baker Hughes, a GE Company CA Capgemini CGI Cisco Cognizant EnterpriseDB EXL EY FIS Global Fujitsu IBM IBS Software KPMG LLP Microsoft NetApp Neudesic NIIT Technologies NTT DATA Services Optum Panasonic, NA Perficient Persistent Systems Philips Healthcare Pulse Communications PwC Ricoh Salesforce SAP SITA Syntel TCS Unisys Wipro ZS For non-participating companies, this report is available for sale at member and non-member prices. See if your company is an ITSMA member Email ITSMA for more information

1. Engaging Executives with
Ideas and Innovation:
Julie Schwartz SeniorVice President,Research and Thought Leadership,ITSMA
Rob Leavitt SeniorVice President,ITSMA
ITSMA Survey Report | May 2018
ITSMA 2018 Thought Leadership Study
A B B R E V I A T E D S U M M A R Y
This abbreviated summary highlights some of the most significant findings of ITSMA’s 2018 Thought Leadership Survey.
A more in-depth analysis can be found in the full report:
https://www.itsma.com/research/engaging-executives-ideas-innovation-itsma-2018-thought-leadership-study/

2. 2SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.comEngaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary
Most of us see
thought leadership
as important, if not
critical,for building
executive
relationships
B2B companies have long invested in
thought leadership programs to build
eminence in their markets,infuse
marketing campaigns with issue-based
content,and equip sales to have higher-
level conversations.
With few exceptions,though,most B2B
marketing organizations continue to
struggle with managing thought
leadership programs that consistently
provide differentiated points ofview and
effective platforms for engaging the
senior executives withinthe clients that
matter most.
ITSMA’s 2018 Thought Leadership Study
documents the approaches that B2B
marketers are taking to develop and use
thought leadership to engage and
strengthen relationships in the C-suite.
In particular,the report provides data on
program strategy and governance,how
companies develop points ofview and
produce thought leadership assets,how
they disseminatetheir ideas in the
market,and howthey equip sales and
subjectmatter experts (SMEs)to engage
atthe executive level.
The report includes both aggregate data
and crosstabs by overall performance
(leaders and followers) and by company
type (providers of primarily services or of
both products and services).
Along with an essential new data set on
howtop firms are connecting thought
leadership and executive engagement
programs,the study highlightsfive
specificways in which the most effective
programs stand apart from the rest.
Introduction
Critical or important
85%
Note: Mean rating based on a 5-point scale where 1=of no
importance and 5=critical. (N=42)
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018

3. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 3
A comprehensive model for thought leadership
program management
Thought Leadership Strategy, Planning, and Governance
Thought Leadership Development Thought Leadership Engagement
Define Issues
Agenda
(Business and
marketing strategy)
Develop Points
of View
(Research and
analysis)
Produce
Thought
Leadership
Assets
(Multiple formats,
channels, target
audiences, and buying
process stages)
Engage Internally
(Executives, sales, SMEs, and
delivery staff)
Engage Externally
(Clients, prospects, and
influencers)
Measure
Results
(Reputation,
relationships,
and revenue)
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018

4. 4SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.comEngaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary
• Survey invitations were emailed
during March 2018 to ITSMA
member companies and Marketing
Strategist subscribers
• 44 companies completed the
survey–Primarily marketers at B2B
technology and business services
companies
• 38 unique companies represented
Methodology List of participating companies (select)
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018

5. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 5
Critical
Important
Somewhat important
Of minor importance
Importance of thought leadership in building
executive-level relationships
What is your company’s view of the
role thought leadership plays in
building executive-level relationships
at client and prospect companies?
% of respondents (N=42)
Note: Mean rating based on a 5-point scale where 1=of minor importance and 5=critical.
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018
Mean rating=4.1
33
52
10
5

6. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 6
B2B marketers lean heavily on thought leadership
to drive reputation, relationships, and revenue
Build overall brand awareness and eminence
Educate customers and prospects on general issues and trends affecting the market
Develop or strengthen relationships with existing customers
Generate leads and nurture them through the sales process
Raise awareness of our offerings and solutions
Garner press/influencer attention
Collaborate with clients to develop new insights and innovations
Identify new markets and/or offerings
How important are each of the following potential objectives for your organization’s thought leadership program?
Mean rating (N=44)
Note: Mean rating based on a 5-point scale where 1=not at all important and 5=extremely important.
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018
1
Not at all important
5
Extremely important
Mean rating
4.5
4.3
4.2
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.2

7. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 7
Dynamic
(e.g., podcasts, video, webcasts, interactive webpages)
Visual
(e.g., infographics, slide decks)
Text-Based
(e.g., articles, white papers, website copy)
Short-form content
(e.g., bite-sized summaries, infographics, white papers/articles, podcasts,
video, or other formats that are 3 pages or 3 minutes or less)
Medium-form content
(e.g., white papers/articles, video, or other formats that are more than
3 pages or 3 minutes but less than 8 pages or 8 minutes)
Deep-dive, long-form content
(e.g., white papers/articles, video, or other formats that are 8 pages or
8 minutes or more)
To strengthen engagement,we’re moving to
shorter and more dynamic content formats
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018
% of respondents increasing investments (N~42)
83
42
22
91
83
42

8. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 8
And we’re customizing content for different sectors,
geos, and roles
Do you customize thought leadership for
different segments, such as industry
sectors, geographies, personas,
or job functions/roles?
% of respondents
(N=44)
Yes
89%
No
11%
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018
Industry sectors
Geographies
Job functions/roles
Personas (based on primary research on
why and how they buy specific solutions)
100
59
53
41
Note: Multiple responses allowed.
% of respondents (N=34)

9. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 9
Despite the move to digital, offline channels are still
far more effective at the executive level
.
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey, March 2018, (N=44)
Top five
channels for
engaging
executives
with
thought
leadership
In-person events and meetings
Executive briefings and innovation centers
Executive-level innovation programs
Client executive sponsorship and relationship programs
Online academic journals (e.g., Harvard Business Review,
MIT Sloan Management Review, Knowledge@Wharton)
1
2
3
4
5

10. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 10
Overall,we’re pretty good on reputation but still
struggling to strengthen relationships and revenue
To what extent has your
thought leadership contributed
to improvement in each of
these business outcomes over
the last two years?
Mean rating
(N~35)
Note: Mean rating based on a 5-point scale where
1=no improvement and 5=significant improvement.
Source: ITSMA Thought Leadership Survey,
March 2018
1
No improvement
5
Significant improvement
Mean rating
4.0
3.4
3.0
Brand and
reputation
Executive
relationships
Revenue
acceleration

11. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 11
The most effective
thought leadership
programs for
executive
engagement
stand apart in
five key areas
Relationship
Focus
R&D
Approach
Client
Collaboration
Field
Enablement
Executive
Metrics

12. Engaging Executives with Ideas and Innovation | Abbreviated Summary | SV4604A © 2018 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 12
Buy the study
Member: $295*
Non-member: $695
Want to learn more?
For more information
Here’s what is included in the full study:
Rob Leavitt
SeniorVice President
ITSMA
rleavitt@itsma.com
@Robleavitt
*The report is available for no additional fee to current ITSMA members that
responded to this survey and for sale at member and non-member prices to all
others. https://www.itsma.com/research/engaging-executives-ideas-innovation-
itsma-2018-thought-leadership-study/
Slide
Introduction 3
Executive Summary 4
Methodology and Respondent Demographics 20
Strategy, Planning, and Governance 30
Define Issues Agenda 36
Develop Points of View 39
Produce Thought Leadership Assets 43
Thought Leadership Dissemination: Engage Externally 50
Thought Leadership Dissemination: Engage Internally 54
Measure Results 59
Crosstabs 66
By Performance 66
By Company Type 101