During a stint as news editor of Marketing Week, a friend of mine was horrified when his team was schmoozed by a top ad agency with fish and chips in cones made out of copy from a recent edition of the magazine.

The agency was unsubtly pointing out where its editorial allegiance lay (Campaign). But this was also a comment on the ephemeral nature of the trade media: today’s razor-sharp insight is tomorrow’s greasy food wrapper.

You might be forgiven for thinking that the explosion of online media in more recent years has only strengthened that viewpoint. Your words might now last somewhere online forever, but the volume of content means it’s harder than ever to stand out from the crowd.

Many publications are adorned with witty and wise copy from journalists and industry commentators. We’re lucky enough to work with some of the brightest minds in the industry, all of whom have plenty of interesting things to say. But how many articles are remembered, let alone shared or otherwise acted upon, once the reader clicks away from the site or turns the page?

"A deep understanding of the brand challenges the end audience faces on a daily basis is a must"

Thought leadership should be a key weapon in any PR agency’s arsenal. If it isn’t mentioned as part of initial and ongoing dialogue by your supplier, you’ve backed the wrong horse. But there is a big difference between standard thought leadership and genuinely commercial articles. Ones that will convince your prospects that you’re the right agency to help them solve their problems. How, then, can PR be used to start a conversation with prospects?

Good thought leadership copy is an art. It should stop the busy marketer in their tracks. It should make them reflect on the subject matter long after reaching the final fullstop. And it should suggest positive actions to solve their business problems. That’s commercially minded, brand challenge-led thought leadership – and it’s the most effective way to utilise PR to support your business development goals.

I’m privileged to work with brilliant creative businesses run by vastly experienced marketing experts. Many can share beautifully crafted anecdotes that will fascinate and titillate the reader; but too often, that’s where the interest ends.

Insight isn’t the issue, either. Agencies often come to us crammed with data, primary qual or quant research, unique expertise; even a killer theme. Often they just aren’t sure how to package it up for maximum commercial impact. They know their client brands’ audiences inside-out, but not necessarily how to target their own prospects.

So, the baton passes to PR and content. A deep understanding of the brand challenges the end audience faces on a daily basis is a must. Written through a commercial lens, these relatable pieces reassure readers that the agency team recognises their roadblocks, and are well placed to help solve them.

"Good thought leadership copy is an art"

There are many ingredients to getting this right. To give you a flavour, it’s vital to remember that editorial coverage remains the goal. Articles must tread a fine line to avoid being priced up by publications’ sales teams as advertorial. Tone of voice is also crucial. Producing copy that surprises or delights readers - or ideally does both - yet avoids puzzling or patronising them - is a balancing act.

Great thought leadership also kills two birds with one stone. Ingenuity’s ‘fame and fortune’ approach is as profile-raising as you’d expect from any PR agency worth its salt; key for strategies that range from internal communications to external recruitment.

But it also has a direct effect on the bottom line, aligning directly - and often driving - business development campaigns. And for that to happen effectively, publication can’t just be viewed as coverage for coverage’s sake. When amplified correctly, in all the right places, it becomes successful sales collateral. Get the outputs AND the amplification right and you’re raising your agency profile, supporting its growth, and maximising budgets at the same time.