Editor's Note: This article is part one of a two-part series on understanding, creating, and marketing valued content. Click here to read part two.

"This is what I'm talking about," said the CEO, waving his firm's latest advertisement in the air. "We spent over twelve grand on this ad and got not one lead out of it." He slammed the trade publication down on the table.

His very successful professional services (PS) firm had hired an award-winning ad agency to help them go to market. Six months into the campaign he was frustrated and called me in to assess what was going wrong.

"Have you considered a thought leadership campaign?" I asked.

"No" he said. "To be honest, I'm not sure what that is. But if it will help us reach our sales goals, I'm definitely open."

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