Making Expertise Visible: How an Executive Became a Voice That Mattered
Positioning the leader of a major philanthropic program to drive influence—and elevating the firm's reputation from middle-of-the-road to best-in-class
CHALLENGE:
A major professional services firm had genuine expertise in corporate philanthropy. The executive who led the program had deep knowledge and vision. But he wasn't well known to other corporate leaders, nonprofit executives, government officials, and the media. The firm's philanthropic reputation was undifferentiated.
ACTION:
We positioned the executive as a go-to voice in corporate philanthropy while elevating the firm's reputation. Here's what did:
Executive Positioning Strategy: Built his positioning around the issues central to the firm's philanthropic approach and the social impact it achieved, establishing as a leading voice in the space.
Original Research & Data: Produced annual proprietary research studies that gave his ideas credible grounding and created earned media opportunities.
Content Strategy: Created bylines and reports reflecting his voice and perspective, positioning him as a visionary with corporate leaders, nonprofit executives, public sector decision-makers, and journalists.
Media Relations: Executed a media strategy that secured hundreds of placements in top-tier national and local outlets including The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek.
Speaking Opportunities: Identified and pursued major speaking engagements to position him as an industry voice at events where corporate and nonprofit leaders gathered.
RESULTS
Established as Thought Leader : He went from a relative unknown to a recognized and sought-after voice in corporate philanthropy among corporate leaders, nonprofit executives, government officials and the media.
National Influence: His research and ideas sparked a national dialogue on how corporate philanthropy could drive social impact at scale, earning recognition from The White House, Points of Light Foundation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Increased Internal Pride: Measurably increased internal engagement and pride in the brand. When employees saw their firm's story matter to others, they felt it. The program became a cultural rallying point—proof that their work counted.
Catapulted the Firm's Reputation: The firm's reputation for corporate philanthropy soared from generic to a recognized leader, becoming a reference brand for effective corporate citizenship.
If you want to position your leaders as voices that matter in their industries, that's the work I do.
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