Third-party validation can take several forms. It could be award wins, speaker slots at industry conferences, thought leader mentions in well-known publications, category recognition from top analyst firms, and so on. These ‘wins’ demonstrate that independent organizations think your company is as great as you yourself say it is — without the inherent bias. This form of validation matters because it grows brand awareness, credibility and trust for your company, its executives and its offerings. Building a corporate resume demonstrates to key stakeholders (think current customers and future investors) that you can walk the walk. A corporate portfolio might take the form of your website or a slide deck that details your company’s award wins, speaking engagement videos, hyperlinks to industry articles the leadership team is quoted in, and analyst reports inclusion. Third-party validation shows you’re not just putting out empty marketing promises into the world like so many companies who don’t fully understand the importance of corporate credibility. 

Developing a track record of third-party validation not only helps impress existing stakeholders, but it can also contribute significantly to lead conversion and, ultimately, company brand awareness and valuation. Prospects often ask when is a good time for third-party validation campaigns, I say, “It’s when you have something to sell!”