Becoming a Thought-Leader By Writing a Book

Client: S2 Research

Project Title: The Creative Catalyst

This is a huge accomplishment for S2. Read the book here!

Background

S2 Research, established in Henderson, Nev. in 2019, is a boutique marketing research and strategy firm founded by Matt Seltzer. S2 partners with advertising, public relations, digital and marketing firms that do not have an in-house research team to provide strategic insights.

When the company began, Seltzer immediately learned that his primary audience, professional marketers, not only don’t have access to market research services, but also don’t understand how market research itself fits into their marketing processes. The audience also expressed belief that, due to the analytic nature of market research, any research partner they would work with should bring to the table a higher level of thinking as well.

The Problem 

Seltzer found himself regularly explaining the value of S2’s services, and his own capabilities, to potential clients. Recognizing a need, a methodology for defining Seltzer and S2 as a thought leader brand was needed. At the time, Seltzer was actively creating blogs and even white paper studies, but he needed a larger scale project to help him stand out as a true thought leader. 

To better understand the problem and possible solutions, Seltzer conducted primary research by connecting with other marketing strategists and researchers who had managed to establish themselves as “experts” in the industry. At the same time, he also conducted secondary research online through Google search, and a review of case studies from established organizations like PRSA and AMA, to better understand how other niche business service providers had effectively branded themselves thought leaders in the past.

From this research, it was discovered that several successful thought leaders had developed such a brand by first developing a platform to speak upon, usually in the form of a published book. Clients said that books helped them see the authors as forward-thinking thinkers behind a company’s processes, and authors, meanwhile, said their books had given them a combination of media pitching material and a leave behind that altogether formulated the desired thinking for their prospects.

Methodology 

To begin this large-scale project, Seltzer developed the outline of the book, choosing the title as “The Creative Catalyst: How to Create Better Marketing By Asking (And Answering) Better Marketing Questions”. This outline included an overview of topics to be discussed, layout and format of that discussion, and major topics to be included in each portion. The outline then existed in a bulleted-list format, with individual sections being written from there nonlinearly.

In an effort to reflect the thinking styles of other thought-leader authors, such as Robert Greene and Malcolm Gladwell, the decision was made to use a series of real-world story examples to illustrate the value of market research in marketing. Marketing stories from brands including Coca-Cola, Nike, Dove, P&G and more were sourced from books, research studies, and interviews, and written into documents to be interspersed through the book.

The book’s format was designed to take readers down a path of discovery and curiosity that ultimately connected the dots between research insights (the deliverable of research) and the high level of creativity marketers are expected to deliver every day. The book ends with an explanation that research is the catalyst behind that incredible creativity, and gives tactical research methodologies marketers can implement immediately into their thinking.

The first written draft was completed on schedule. A professional designer was enlisted to bring the brand to life through the book’s cover, which ultimately featured a cartoon Seltzer behind a purple background, the same purple in S2’s logo to tie the book to the brand. Editing took place simultaneously, consisting of several read-throughs by Seltzer and the S2 team, and live re-writing of the manuscript. Finally, a professional editor reviewed the manuscript for grammar, factualization and print-ready file setup, and all documents were submitted to Amazon on schedule.

The Result 

The book was published on Aug. 29, 2021, and physical copies were received 72 hours later, sent to leads and clients via drop-ship, along with personalized notes about the gift. Specific sections that explained answers to previous questions from these contacts were also highlighted in the notes.

The same day, a landing page for the book was launched, in conjunction with a paid social media campaign. A list of previously-connected media contacts was also tapped and sent copies of the book, along with requests for interviews and speaking opportunities. And, an email campaign targeting S2’s leads and current/previous clients was launched, offering information and opportunities to speak on the book’s topic in lunch-n-learn fashion.

As a result of the book’s publishing, over 100 copies were sold between the initial publishing date and the end of 2021. Seltzer also booked 5 speaking opportunities discussing the book, including the PRSA 2021 Western Conference, the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) 2021 Southwest Conference, and the AAF Reno Chapter’s October luncheon.

The Creative Catalyst has received much praise and recognition, receiving a Bronze Addy Award from the 2022 AAF Addy Awards and most recently, the 2022 PRSA Pinnacle Award for Writing and Speeches. Today, the book maintains a 4.8 rating out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Overall, the book has helped Seltzer explain the real role that research plays within strategic marketing communications, and brand S2 as the go-to source for research for marketing. It has also created myriad thought leadership PR opportunities, including additional speaking opportunities, and an overall platform for which Seltzer and the brand can stand upon. As one review of the book, from an advertising agency owner, said, “[The Creative Catalyst] is a valuable resource that offers new ways to approach your marketing plan. Right away, you will start to see the value in [Seltzer’s] ideas and innovative approach to grow your business honestly and effectively.”