Speeding Up Deals with Authority

Trust is, perhaps, the most valuable currency in B2B. You can buy reach, but you can’t buy credibility. C-level leaders who want their ABM to land and their sales teams to close need to build trust and authority, and in no short measure.

Making Thought Leadership the MVP in ABM

ABM and thought leadership really intersect: ABM aims to target high-value accounts, but those accounts won’t engage unless they trust you. Hyper-personalized thought leadership content lays the groundwork for that trust, making all the difference between being seen as just another vendor and as a reliable advisor.

Building trust is slow, sometimes painfully so. But then again, thinking buying committees and long-term strategy over leads and conversions plays to the strengths of ABM in the first place.

No surprise, it’s not as simple as blasting out another “thought piece” on LinkedIn. It’s about sharing something real — maybe a lesson from a failed project, or a genuine opinion on where the industry’s headed. More likely than not, your POV is unique in the market because you’re unique, so share it. I’ve seen leaders who do this well, and their prospects listen.

Why Authority Matters

• Thought leadership educates prospects, making internal buy-in easier.

• 73% of decision-makers prefer brands with strong executive voices to standard marketing.

• Original research or bold opinions position your execs as go-to experts.

When your ABM efforts are supported by credible, authoritative content, you have the power to influence accounts. This kind of authority can speed up the sales cycle, as prospects are already familiar with your expertise and more open to your solutions.

I remember a CTO who published a brutally honest post about AI hallucinations. It wasn’t polished, but it was real. Suddenly, prospects were quoting his post in the discussions in their feed. Here you’ve got authority that moves deals forward. 

Below, let’s go through some of the basics of effective thought leadership. Remember, you're not selling the conversation, you’re leading it.

Stay Relevant Without Being Overbearing

C-levels want growth, but not at the expense of their reputation. They want to be visible, but not annoying. 

The answer lies in understanding how to leverage consistency. You want to be building a muscle to come up with something useful, or at least thought-provoking, on a regular basis.

A few places to get started:

• Regular LinkedIn articles with useful insights and actionable takeaways

• Short, timely commentary on industry news or trends

• Webinars or Q&A sessions that invite interaction

Remember that not every post needs to be a masterpiece. It can be just a comment on a trend, or a quick story about customer wins or challenges. Over time, this builds brand memory. People start to expect your input, and when they have a problem, you’re top of mind. 

Personalize, Personalize, Personalize

C-levels, more than anyone, know how little time their peers have. If you want to reach them, you have to speak their language. That means doing the homework: digging into what keeps them up at night, what KPIs they’re chasing, and, sometimes, what politics they’re navigating internally.

How to personalize effectively:

• Use ABM personas to map pain points and priorities.

• Leverage social listening and competitor analysis for insights.

• Tailor messaging by role, company culture, and industry nuances.

Personalized thought leadership ≠ tagging someone in a post. It’s about referencing the real challenges their company faces. Maybe it’s a supply chain headache, a looming regulation, market positioning, or just the stress of digital changes. 

Prove Thought Leadership’s ROI on ABM Spend

C-levels are, understandably, skeptical. Vanity metrics? Toss them. They want to see results. Not likes or shares, but actual business outcomes.

Measure KPIs that matter:

• Qualified leads from target accounts

• Decision-maker engagement

• Invitations to speak or contribute to industry media

Align these with sales KPIs. If your CFO isn’t smiling, you’re measuring the wrong thing.

Making Thought Leadership Work for Real Leaders

If you’re a C-level manager — or you work with one — don't go anywhere near ABM without considering trust. Thought leadership is how you build it, plus authority, and long-term growth, especially in a market where everyone’s fighting for attention. ABM gives you the targeting and personalization, but thought leadership gives you the credibility and influence to seriously win those accounts.

If you’re still not sure, just try sharing something real. See what happens. Your target accounts are out there, waiting for a meaningful POV. Why not yours?

Explore Thought Leadership Services and start turning your execs into industry leaders.