Expertise Marketplace - Professional Service Firm Marketing Blog

The Expert's Edge

My ideas on successful business practices for professional service firms are prominently featured in a new book just out from McGraw Hill The Expert's Edge: Become the Go-To Authority People Turn to Every Time written by my friend and colleague Ken Lizotte, Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc.

Ken’s book explores how professional service firms can position themselves as “thoughtleaders,” galvanizing their business growth and profitability.

I'm quoted in various sections of the book, including chapters on measurement of marketing ROI, book publishing and “developing leading-edge ideas.” In the latter section, he quotes me as saying, “What we really should be talking about is breaking the mold of what has been accepted up until now, reshaping old ways and assumptions into things that are new and innovative… You break it and remake it…. (Thoughtleading) is actually about forcing yourself and others to push the envelope.”

The Expert's Edge is available at Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere. To learn more, visit the author’s website:

Leads e-book is a Winner

Congratulations to RainToday for winning a Gold Medal from Marketing Sherpa for best B2B Opt-In Email Campaign. (I wrote about contributing an article to this report.)

RainToday.com's winning campaign was constructed around a special report, co-written by 10 experts in B2B lead generation titled, The One Piece of Advice You Can't Generate Leads Without, From 10 Experts on B2B Lead Generation. The report includes one article by 10 well-known experts stating the most important thing they think professionals across industries need to know to generate new leads.

I'm pleased to have been part of this successful effort. I was in good company. The report featured articles by 10 top lead generation experts:

• Me (Suzanne Lowe)
  
• Jill Konrath, Author of "Selling to Big Companies" (has a popular newsletter and blog)
• Brian Carroll, In Touch and Author of "Lead Generation for the Complex Sale" (very well known in this area and has one of the most highly read blogs on this topic out there)
• Stefan Tornquist and Sean Donahue, MarketingSherpa (industry leading publication with large newsletter list)
• Laura Ramos, Forrester Research (Laura is a leading contributor to Forrester's Marketing Blog)
• Larry Bodine, Law Marketing Portal (widely read website, blog, and newsletter by law firms)
• Ardath Albee, Marketing Interactions (newsletter and blog)
• Roy Young and Ann Handley, MarketingProfs (industry leading newsletter and blog with very large reach)
• Mike Schultz, RainToday.com and Wellesley Hills Group (widely read newsletter and blog)
• M.H. (Mac) McIntosh, The B2B Sales Lead Experts (well known expert in this area with newsletter and blog)

I'm at the February 2008 Carnival of Trust

My friend Charles Green is using the blog carnival concept (a collection of blog posts that are deemed worthy of a blogger's chosen theme; I think Charlie started his Carnival of Trust in 2006.) 

The theme for the Carnival of Trust is a demonstration of business trust.  Each month, the (rotating) host selects the Top Ten trust-related blog postings from across the web during the prior month.  This month, Michelle Golden is the host, and I'm thrilled that one of my posts was selected as a Top Ten!   

Take a look at some of the other entries.  For me, the most fascinating points included:

• If you proclaim yourself to be a trusted advisor, you may be jeopardizing other's perceptions of you as such.  (Ron Baker)
• Especially In light of the American presidential primary season, Paul McCord's gripping question:  Can trust be marketed and/or sold? 

From "Out of the Box" to "Zero Gravity" Thinking

I'm humbled to be mentioned as being a valuable non-lawyer resource for lawyers by Patrick McKenna.  

In his December 30, 2007 post # 271, McKenna cites me among a number of other professional service bloggers who "will break some windows and let in some fresh air."   Amy Campbell picked up McKenna's post, and cites a great New York Times article that "offers anecdotal and scientific support for bringing people with different skill sets — even (gasp) outsiders — to the table." 

Thanks for the mentions, Patrick and Amy! 

Increasing Marketing Effectiveness Webinar on July 20

I wouldn't be respected in the field of marketing if I didn't engage in communication about my own intellectual capital! 

Join me and my partner Larry Bodine for our one-hour webinar, "Increasing Marketing Effectiveness at Professional Firms," which we will present on Thursday, July 20 at 1:00 PM eastern time. it's based on our 2006 study of the same name, and will offer the most important highlights and examples from this breakthrough research.   Here are details.