The People Who Are Deciding Your Fate (And You Don't Even Know It)


The People Who Are Deciding Your Fate (And You Don't Even Know It)

Here's something that's going to blow your mind: The person who decides whether to hire you might never be in your LinkedIn audience.

LinkedIn and Edelman just surveyed nearly 2,000 management-level professionals, and what they discovered should change how every professional services business thinks about their brand.

There are "hidden buyers" influencing every purchase decision you care about.

We're talking about people in finance, legal, compliance, and procurement. People who have a say in whether you get hired, but who aren't necessarily the main targets of your marketing.

And here's the kicker: they're consuming your content and judging your brand without you even knowing it.


Why Your Expert-Level Content Might Be Costing You Clients

Most professional services businesses make the same fatal mistake:

They create content for people who already understand their expertise.

You know what I mean - the hyper-technical posts, the industry jargon, the inside references that only other experts would get.

But while you're impressing your peers, you're alienating the people who actually sign the checks.

Think about it: When a company is deciding whether to hire a brand strategist, it's not just the marketing director making that call. It's also:

  • The CFO who needs to understand the ROI
  • The legal team who wants to know about compliance
  • The procurement department who's comparing multiple options
  • The CEO who cares about strategic alignment

These people are reading your content. They're forming opinions about your credibility. And they're making recommendations based on what they see.


The Hidden Influence You're Missing

Here's what the research revealed that should terrify every professional services business:

Hidden buyers are often MORE influential than the primary decision makers.

Why? Because they're not emotionally invested in your area of expertise. They're looking at your content through a different lens:

  • Does this person seem trustworthy?
  • Can they explain complex concepts clearly?
  • Do they understand business beyond their specialty?
  • Would I feel confident recommending them to leadership?

Your industry expertise got you in the room. But your brand determines whether you get hired.


The Brand Strategy Lesson Hidden in Plain Sight

This research isn't just about content strategy - it's about brand positioning for a broader audience.

Most professional services businesses position themselves for other experts in their field. But the people with budget authority? They need to understand:

What you do (in simple terms)

Why it matters to their business

How you're different from other options

Why you're the safe choice

This is brand strategy, not just marketing.


The Five Brand Principles That Win Over Hidden Buyers

Based on this research, here's what your brand needs to communicate to influence every decision maker:

1. Clarity Over Cleverness
Your brand message should be understandable to a smart person outside your industry. If the CFO can't explain what you do to the CEO, you've lost.

2. Business Impact Over Technical Expertise
Lead with outcomes, not process. "I help businesses increase revenue" beats "I optimise conversion funnels" every time.

3. Credibility Over Creativity
Hidden buyers are risk-averse. Your brand needs to scream "safe choice" before it whispers "innovative approach."

4. Accessibility Over Authority
You can be the expert while still being approachable. Intimidating expertise loses to relatable competence.

5. Strategic Thinking Over Tactical Execution
Show that you understand the bigger picture, not just your specialty. Business leaders want strategic partners, not order-takers.


The Content Strategy That Actually Influences Buyers

Here's what this means for your thought leadership content:

Instead of: "Advanced techniques for conversion rate optimisation"
Try: "Why your sales process might be losing 40% of qualified leads"

Instead of: "The technical specifications of our methodology"
Try: "How this approach helped a similar company increase revenue by 23%"

Instead of: "Industry trends and predictions"
Try: "What these trends mean for your bottom line"

See the difference? Same expertise, broader appeal.


The Brand Positioning That Works for Everyone

Your brand positioning should work for both the technical expert AND the hidden buyer:

For the expert: Demonstrates deep knowledge and innovative thinking 
For the hidden buyer: Shows business acumen and strategic understanding

The sweet spot? Position yourself as the expert who speaks fluent business.


The Walking Conversation That Changed Everything

Ian and I were discussing this research during our evening walk yesterday (yes, still committed to those fitness goals!), and he made this observation:

"It's like you need to be bilingual - fluent in your expertise AND fluent in business impact."

Exactly.

Your brand needs to translate your expertise into business value that anyone can understand and appreciate.


What This Means for Your Brand Strategy

This isn't just about creating different content - it's about building a brand that appeals to multiple audiences without diluting your message.

Your brand should:

  • Be clear enough for non-experts to understand
  • Be credible enough for experts to respect
  • Be strategic enough for executives to trust
  • Be accessible enough for procurement to recommend

That's not easy. But it's exactly what separates premium brands from commodity services.

The Questions Every Professional Services Brand Should Ask

About your current brand positioning:

  • Could someone outside your industry explain what you do?
  • Does your brand communicate business impact or just technical capability?
  • Would a CFO feel confident recommending you based on your brand?

About your content strategy:

  • Are you writing for your peers or your buyers?
  • Does your thought leadership demonstrate strategic thinking?
  • Can non-experts understand the value you provide?


The Opportunity Right in Front of You

Most of your competitors are still creating content for other experts in their field.

Which means there's a massive opportunity for brands that can speak to the broader buying committee.

The professional services businesses that crack this code? They'll win more deals, command higher fees, and build stronger client relationships.

Because they understand that buying decisions are made by committees, not individuals.


The Bottom Line

Your expertise gets you noticed. Your brand gets you hired.

But only if that brand speaks to everyone who has a say in the decision.

The businesses that understand this - that build brands accessible to both experts and hidden buyers - will dominate the next decade of professional services.

Because they're not just selling to their audience. They're selling to the entire buying committee.

Who are the "hidden buyers" in your industry? What questions do non-experts ask about your services? Hit reply and let me know - I'm fascinated by how different industries handle this challenge.


Ready to build a brand that influences every decision maker, not just the obvious ones?

Let's talk about creating positioning that works for your entire buying committee →