New Study Shows How 220 Thought Leaders Built Their Brand and Business

RESTON, Va., Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 67% of respondents to the newly released Visible Experts Study say the key to being a thought leader is staying on top of your audiences' issues. Surprisingly, 60.6% indicated learning from other thought leaders is important. Conducted by Hinge Research Institute, the unprecedented study of more than 220 thought leaders and 275 of their clients shows what it takes to be a thought leader, what clients look for in experts, and how thought leadership has changed since the first groundbreaking study in 2014.

Referred to in the study as Visible Experts (VE), respondents include luminaries, such as:

• Mark Amtower, Amtower & Company
• Paul Atherton, Actions Prove, LLC
• Daniel Burrus, Burrus Research, Inc.
• Carl Elefante, Quinn Evans Architecture
• Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, Oracle

"There are different paths to become a thought leader," says Lee Frederiksen, managing partner at Hinge. "The study shows that regardless of where you start, moving from obscurity to high visibility is achievable if you do your research, think differently, and have the persistence to overcome resistance to your ideas. Winning the never-ending race for better ideas cuts to the heart of thought leadership." 

The efforts to succeed in the marketplace of ideas pays dividends. More than 40% said being a VE brings more business to the firm. Even VEs at the lowest levels charge clients almost 2x their average peers' billing rates. VEs at the highest levels charge up to 1,357% of the average. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said being a VE bolstered their firm's credibility. 

Where do VEs get their insights? Over 30% conduct their own research or trial and error in order to monitor trends and think ahead. Yet no visible expert goes through their journey alone. More than 38% credit other thought leaders and one-third cite delivering presentations or teaching as two of their top three methods for maintaining their expertise. Reading was the top method for 46%.

To access the research summary, go to: https://hingemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Research-VE-Study-Summary.pdf

About the Hinge Research Institute: The Hinge Research Institute, a division of Hinge, conducts and publishes independent research on the professional services to uncover the marketing strategies of high-growth firms. It also supplies B2B companies and associations the data and insights they need to understand, engage and profit from the professional services industry.

SOURCE Hinge Research Institute