- Being an Expert in the field benefits a brand in more ways than one.
- Potential customers tend to deviate to an expert rather than other options.
The core of the “Be the Expert” marketing strategy is establishing the brand as a trusted authority in a specific niche, making it a go-to solution. It is done by constantly demonstrating your expertise and knowledge and positioning the brand as a go-to resource for potential customers seeking solutions and guidance in the field.
The strategy thrives on acquiring deep knowledge, laying a solid foundation in your chosen area, and staying updated on industry trends, technologies and best practices. While knowledge is the key, practical experience adds to the expertise and positions the brand as a thought leader.
How did Intel skillfully Incorporate the “Be the Expert” marketing strategy?
Intel’s success story with the “Be the Expert” marketing strategy is a textbook example of becoming an expert in the market and surpassing the competition. The tech giant skillfully emphasized performance and reliability, which allowed the company to foster thought leadership. They leveraged strategic partnerships for wider reach, eventually building brand advocacy.
Emphasis on Performance & Reliability
Intel is known worldwide for its performance and reliability. To solidify this brand image, Intel consistently positioned processors as the engines that drive superior computing performance. Their iconic “Intel Inside” campaign was designed to highlight this capability and make the brand synonymous with faster PCs.
They are known to actively participate in many performance benchmark tests, like Cinebench, which tests rendering performance; PCMark, which measures overall system performance; and 3DMark, which measures processing capabilities, to ensure that their processors are consistently ranked at the top. Plus, these tests provide quantifiable data to support their claims.
The processor manufacturer collaborated with PC manufacturers worldwide to ensure their top-of-the-line processors are an integral part of high-performance machines. These associations helped Intel cement its position as a brand and reputation for excellence in the eyes of the target audience.
Fostering Thought Leadership
Intel goes beyond selling chips; it works on educating its audience. It has created white papers and articles and even sponsored online communities focused on technical discussions around processors and computing advancements. This allows the brand to establish itself as a trusted resource for tech enthusiasts and professionals.
They actively participate in technology conferences, trade shows, and sponsored events related to gaming, graphics, and content creation. This allows them a platform to directly engage with potential customers and industry leaders, thereby solidifying their position as thought leaders.
The tech giant is committed to constant innovation, and it is the cornerstone of its marketing strategy. By skillfully showcasing its cutting-edge research facilities and pioneering new technologies, it was able to demonstrate its expertise and dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology.
Leveraging Partnerships for Wider Reach
Intel strategically partners with software companies and game developers, pushing them to optimize their products for Intel processors. This co-branding ensures a seamless software experience while leveraging these partners’ reputations to enhance Intel’s image as a market leader.
They also collaborate with retailers, facilitating in-store demonstrations, special offers on Intel-powered PCs, and educational materials for salespeople. This scenario ensures that the potential buyers receive expert information about the Intel products at the point of purchase, boosting sales.
Building Brand Advocacy and Final Impact of the Strategy
Intel is known for running performance marketing campaigns in which gamers, tech reviewers, and influencers showcase the capabilities of their processors through benchmark reviews and gameplay demonstrations. This directly helps build trust by allowing consumers to see real-world performance for everyday tech users, which they might relate to.
In conclusion, Intel’s “Be the Expert” marketing strategy transcended the scope of traditional marketing. It fostered a perception of trust, innovation, and leadership among consumers. For decades, the term “Intel Inside” has been synonymous with high-performance PCs, which in itself is a testament to the success of this strategy.
What is the “Be the Expert” Marketing Strategy?
The core of the “Be the Expert” marketing strategy is establishing the brand as a trusted authority in a particular field. This can be done by constantly demonstrating your knowledge and expertise to retain, attract, and convert potential customers seeking guidance and solutions.
Building an Expertise
This strategy capitalizes on acquiring deep knowledge to lay a strong foundation in your chosen field. Brands should stay up-to-date with industry trends, technologies and best practices to gain expertise. They can attend workshops and webinars, follow industry blogs or pursue relevant certifications to build expertise.
After gaining the required knowledge, brands must focus on gaining practical experience to enhance their expertise. They can showcase past projects, case studies, and success stories to demonstrate how you’ve applied the knowledge gained to solve underlying problems and achieve results.
Content Creation & Thought Leadership
The target audience will only experience this expertise if it reaches them. Brands should focus on sharing this knowledge by creating informative and engaging content. This could be blog posts, articles, white papers, infographics, or videos. While doing so, they can also host workshops and webinars.
Remember, the focus should be on providing valuable insights and solutions to underlying problems and addressing the target audience’s pain points. To position the brand as a thought leader, brands must participate in industry discussions, write guest posts for relevant publications, and they can even consider starting their podcasts. The ultimate goal here is to portray the brand as knowledgeable while shaping the conversations in the industry.
Building Trust, Credibility and Converting Expertise into Sales
People tend to connect with genuine personalities. Brands must let their passion for the field shine through the content and interactions while being transparent and honest in their approach. Furthermore, they can showcase positive testimonials and reviews from satisfied clients. Plus, they should focus on building a solid online presence with active social media engagement and participate in relevant online communities.
Establishing a brand as an expert helps them attract potential customers who actively seek viable solutions. They can capture leads through content and offer gated resources like ebooks, white papers, or exclusive webinars in exchange for credible contact information.
When potential customers perceive a brand as an expert, they trust its recommendations and see the value in its products and services. Marketers must frame the marketing messages around their offering to solve specific problems and help the target customer achieve their goals.
Pros and Cons of “Be the Expert” Marketing Strategy
Like every other marketing strategy, the “Be the Expert” strategy has pros and cons, as discussed below.
Pros
When a brand establishes itself as an expert, it increases credibility and trust. Potential customers perceive the brand as a reliable source of information and tend to trust it. This helps build stronger brand loyalty and foster positive word-of-mouth marketing.
By providing valuable content and solutions, brands attract potential customers who are already interested in what they offer. This further facilitates targeted marketing efforts, increasing conversion chances. Being an expert allows the brand to stand out, fostering organic traffic and lead generation.
Cons
Building expertise and maintaining consistency require significant time and resources. Incorporating this strategy requires long-term commitment and might not provide immediate results. Also, the digital landscape is constantly evolving, and staying updated on industry trends and developments requires ongoing efforts.
The internet is already saturated with content, and brands must create truly unique and valuable content to resonate with the target audience. Even if thought leadership content is designed to generate leads, it might not scale as effectively as other marketing tactics.
If the information in the content is inaccurate or outdated, it could damage the brand’s reputation and capabilities. Brands must always double-check the facts to ensure that they are providing valuable and reliable information. Plus, reaching a wider audience organically can be time-consuming. In conclusion, the “Be the Expert” marketing strategy can be a powerful tool for building trust, attracting credible leads, and achieving sustainable business growth. However, incorporating this strategy requires long-term commitment and ongoing efforts, and brands must be ready to go the extra mile.