AI disruption presents unprecedented growth opportunities for professional services firms as clients across various industries grapple with its promise. But how can professional services marketing and business development deliver growth in the AI economy? 

This is not another blog about your martech stack and how you can deploy AI in your marketing processes, important though that is. Instead, it focuses on how you can use thought leadership to promote your firm’s AI-related services and capabilities, driving business growth and winning the battle of intelligent brands.  

Right now, AI feels like an unstoppable force transforming industries, changing the way we live and work, and reshaping societies before our very eyes. The AI market opportunity is huge, with enormous potential up for grabs. But what really matters is what AI means for your clients.   

According to Man Bites Dog’s transatlantic Thought Makers research into how C-suite leaders in billion-dollar companies engage with thought leadership and how it influences their buying decisions, business leaders see AI as a game-changer for their organisations.  

In partnership with Ambition, Claire Mason, our CEO & Founder, and I presented this and a range of other thought-provoking insights at a roundtable event for senior professional services marketing and business development.  

Here's a round-up of the key insights and discussions on how Professional Services firms can capitalise on AI-driven opportunities: 

Client demand for AI advisory services is huge and it’s not going anywhere

Seventy-four per cent of C-suite leaders in multi-billion-dollar companies across all sectors see AI and disruptive technologies as a significant growth opportunity for their businesses. This offers a significant opportunity for professional services to utilise thought leadership in promoting their organisation’s AI-related services and capabilities 

Most client companies are still experimenting with AI

There is a lot of talk and “success theatre” with little transformational action. This is where professional services firms come in, helping clients build the use cases that will deliver real business value and supporting them in bridging the “dream-delivery gap”. 

The majority of law firms are holding back the development of AI-related advisory services while they get their own operations in order

This means that many firms are missing out on significant growth opportunities. Yet two-thirds (66%) of C-suite business leaders believe it is acceptable for firms to market AI-related products and services while they are still working on their own AI strategy – it’s a journey, not a destination.  

Professional Services firms need thought-leading content to demonstrate their competence

Thought leadership content helps clients navigate the unknown. Our Thought Makers research revealed that 74% of business leaders always consider a strategic supplier’s thought leadership when making buying decisions. Your clients are looking to you for guidance, and thought leadership should be used as a platform to provide it. 

Human expertise and credibility are more important than ever

As AI-generated content increases, 69% of C-suite leaders believe it is more important than ever to put your trusted advisors front and centre to demonstrate an organisation’s human expertise and credibility. This is especially pertinent in professional service organisations, where human expertise is a key factor that differentiates you from your competitors. 

For more insights, download our Thought Makers report, or get in touch with Alison Sharpe, Divisional Director and Head of Professional Services at [email protected] for an initial conversation or get in touch here.