NOVEMBER 5, 2024
As the B2B marketplace stabilizes, technology and solution providers face ongoing challenges due to frequent business disruptions and intense competition. Reaching target audiences has become increasingly difficult, making thought leadership an essential tool for cutting through the noise, establishing credibility, and enhancing effectiveness at every stage of the sales cycle.
High-quality thought leadership can differentiate an organization by situating it as a legitimate and trusted voice on a topic that is important to target audiences.”
– Gartner
The 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Study recently uncovered that 73% of B2B buyers consider thought leadership a trusted source for evaluating a company's competencies, surpassing other marketing tactics. Additionally, 54% say they are more inclined to explore the offerings of organizations that consistently produce thought leadership content.
At Gartner C-level Communities, our network of over 14,000 C-level members convene regularly across the globe to exchange insights and discover innovative solutions to shared challenges. During these regional events, they look forward to thought leadership contributions from sponsor organizations to help guide their strategic decisions.
We collaborate closely with our sponsors to position their organizations as thought leaders in areas that matter most to C-level decision-makers. In this article, we outline the ways sponsors can effectively share their thought leadership with our members.
Thought Leadership at Executive Summits
Executive Summits are our cornerstone events, where C-level executives gather with peers in their regional communities for one-day, in-person programs. These summits offer numerous opportunities to connect with executives and showcase thought leadership. As Audrey Sullivan, AVP at BetterUp, notes, “I love that it doesn't have your traditional sponsorship exhibit hall. It's all about the conversation. It's about connecting and strategically aligning on the agenda and with challenges that are super relevant to today.”
Sponsors can share their thought leadership through various formats, including keynotes, breakout sessions, and boardroom topic moderation:
- Keynotes enable sponsors to highlight their thought leadership by delivering compelling insights and visionary ideas that inspire the entire Executive Summit audience. Whether through presentations or fireside chats, these sessions position an organization as a leader in innovation and strategic thinking.
- Breakout sessions offer a wide range of possibilities for organizations to demonstrate their expertise and provide actionable insights on topics of interest to the community. Common formats include presentations, case studies, panels, and workshops. Darko Matovski, PhD, CEO of causaLens, shared, “Our session was absolutely incredible. The audience was really engaged, asking wonderful questions. It was very interactive.”
- Boardroom topic moderators lead dynamic, closed-door discussions with C-level executives on critical industry challenges. This intimate setting facilitates impactful dialogues, intelligence gathering, and a chance to get feedback from highly influential executives. Jason Clark, Chief Strategy Officer, commented, "For me, running strategy, running marketing, the most important thing for us is to understand the pain and the problem that we're trying to solve in the industry."
Engage in Strategic Conversations at Inner Circles
By participating in strategic conversations with C-level executives, technology and service providers can gain valuable insights into their customers' or prospective customers' challenges, needs, and perspectives. These interactions also offer an opportunity to showcase subject matter expertise and thought leadership.
Inner Circles are exclusive community gatherings designed for facilitating these strategic discussions. They provide a relaxed setting for engaging with C-level decision-makers, often featuring dinner, drinks, and orchestrated discussion topics. Sponsors of these events actively participate in networking and roundtable discussions, using these dinners as a platform to share insights and build relationships with industry leaders. If a sponsor is an exclusive host, they will also have the opportunity to lead the evenings’ discussion.
As Lance Larivee, Regional Sales Director at Illumio, expressed, “It is so critical for us to get time with C-level executives here to help them put a face to the work we’re doing with their teams. This is all about building relationships and networks with leaders while listening and learning.”
Broaden Reach with Monthly Programs
While in-person connections are invaluable, it is equally important to engage C-level leaders in virtual settings. Given their busy schedules and the evolving expectations of a hybrid business landscape, virtual interactions have become essential and enable you to engage more frequently.
Each community regularly hosts virtual Town Halls – interactive discussions that C-level executives can conveniently join from their home or office. These programs allow executives to share thought leadership and engage with peers in small group discussions.
Sponsors play a key role by moderating the one-hour program, which typically includes introducing the topic, leading a small breakout group, and summarizing key takeaways at the end of the Town Hall. In addition, they offer a valuable opportunity for sponsors to engage with our global communities, allowing them to showcase thought leadership and strategic insights on priority topics to a wider audience.
Position Your Brand as a Thought Leader with Gartner C-level Communities
Gartner offers technology and solution providers unparalleled access to C-level executives through its Executive Summits, Inner Circles, and Town Halls, providing invaluable opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations and demonstrate expertise.
John Maynard, CEO of Adarma, highlights his experience: "We get something very different. It brings together leaders from across industry, best practice, and the type of forum is relatively informal. It's closed-door. People can have real hard-hitting conversations. And certainly what I've seen is there's no shyness here, and that's the sort of discussion that I think is really valuable."
Peter Howarth, Joint Managing Director at Armstrong Craven, shares his sentiment: "We partner with [Gartner] because they are capable of getting the right people in a room for us and for our business." This ability to convene the right decision-makers ensures that sponsors can effectively position themselves as thought leaders in areas that matter most to their target audiences.
Contact us to learn more about how you can connect with our members and leverage these opportunities to lead the conversation for the future.
Sponsors offer their high-quality thought leadership at more than 420 programs worldwide. Gartner C-level Communities has more than 14,000 participating C-level executives from 7,400 organizations in 107 communities around the world.
