Unlocking Knowledge: Navigating the IBM Education Funnel

This is how big brands like IBM use customer education and thought leadership, and you can too. IBM is known for their PCs and software, but also for their education programs where they teach their customers. For those who don't know, customer education and thought leadership is a strategy where the company, in this case IBM, educates their customers in order to build trust.

The IBM Watson Academy is one of many examples of educational and thought leadership initiatives. IBM Watson Academy is basically an online education campus that teaches technology and AI. IBM isn't just creating a course but also building a community filled with people interested in what they provide.

This is a subtle marketing strategy that many don't recognize as advertising. Many gurus do this by giving the audience advice, and once people start recognizing the brand or guru, they see that more is offered. They are more likely to buy because they think, "He's helped me so much in the past, so I believe he will help me again." In essence, that's how they build trust.