We designed our study at the beginning of 2025, starting with the following overarching question: What separates the best IT services firms from the rest at generating revenue from thought leadership, and does that thought leadership influence the way their clients make decisions on which firm to use?
We constructed two surveys:
- A 32-question online survey for thought leadership professionals at IT services firms around the world. In this survey, we included a question to determine “Leaders” (the best at thought leadership in driving revenue) from the “Followers” (those who said thought leadership did not drive revenue).
- A 14-question online survey for executives in 11 industries (not including IT services) who decide on which IT services firms to use.
Our research partner, Curious Insights, fielded both surveys this spring and generated 300 complete responses from IT services firms (i.e., sellers of IT services) and 200 complete responses from 11 other industries (i.e., buyers of IT services).
Concurrently, we spoke with 19 executives who have extensive knowledge about IT services firms – from both the “sell” and “buy” sides. Their interviews helped illuminate what the best IT services firms at thought leadership do differently than the rest.
Outthinking the Competition 