That's not me, that's according to Tom Rodenhauser of Kennedy Information, a firm that monitors consultancies, in this Economist article "Why expensive consultancy firms are giving away more research".

Mr Rodenhauser reckons that thought leadership costs consultancies up to 5% of gross revenues but considers some of it merely "academic masturbation".

Even more astonishing is the idea that most consultancies couldn't answer the question of whether thought leadership is worth the investment.

ROI, it seems, isn't a key consideration.

From a new business perspective, developing engaging content can be an excellent way to open doors with prospective clients.

And our view is that it should always be developed with that in mind, not just to satisfy the academic curiosity of the consultancy.

Labels: marketing collateral, new business development