Lead Generation
Sales
Demand Generation Playbook: Strategies for Sustained Growth
Learn what demand generation is and how it can help you attract, engage, and convert customers in a competitive market.
Learn what demand generation is and how it can help you attract, engage, and convert customers in a competitive market.
Many businesses struggle to be seen in a crowded market. Demand generation helps you stand out and grab people’s attention.
You might know about lead generation, but demand generation is a different story. Instead of just collecting contact info, demand generation creates excitement around your brand. It’s like planting seeds that grow into a strong customer base.
We'll explain what demand generation is, why it's important, and how it differs from traditional marketing. We’ll also show you how to start using it today.
Demand generation turns your company into the life of the party who shares interesting stories, not just handing out business cards.
It’s a marketing strategy for creating awareness and interest in your products or services. It's not just about getting people to buy right away—it's about building a relationship with potential customers over time.
Here's what it involves:
1. Creating Awareness
This is like introducing yourself to the market. You're letting people know you exist and what you're all about.
2. Educating Your Audience
You're not just saying, "Hey, buy our stuff!" Instead, you provide valuable information that helps your potential customers better understand their problems and how your solutions can help.
3. Building Trust
You're positioning your brand as a reliable authority in your field through consistent, helpful interactions.
4. Nurturing Interest
You're guiding potential customers through their journey, from first hearing about you to considering your product as a solution to their needs.
5. Encouraging Action
Ultimately, you want to motivate your audience to take the next step, whether signing up for a newsletter, downloading a whitepaper, or requesting a demo.
Lead generation is like casting a wide net and hoping to catch as many leads as possible, regardless of their size or type.
Demand generation, on the other hand, is like creating an irresistible environment that attracts the exact fish you want, making them eager to jump into your boat. What does this mean?
While lead generation focuses on gathering as many leads as possible, demand generation prioritizes providing value to build trust with potential customers. Instead of pushing for sales, it emphasizes offering useful insights and creating meaningful connections.
For example, with lead generation, you might run a campaign offering a free trial in exchange for contact details. The focus is on capturing as many leads as possible quickly.
With demand generation, you’d start by sharing valuable content like industry insights and how-to guides. You’d build a relationship with your audience by addressing their needs and interests over time.
This approach attracts leads and nurtures them into qualified prospects who see your company as a trusted resource.
Let’s look at the differences in more detail:
Lead Generation and Demand Generation play important roles in marketing, but they serve different purposes. So, why should you focus on Demand Generation?
Here are several compelling reasons:
Research shows that B2B buyers spend only 17% of their time talking to potential suppliers. This means buyers do much of their research independently before engaging with sales teams.
Demand generation aligns with this behavior by providing valuable content and information throughout the buyer's journey rather than waiting for a sales conversation.
For example, you might create blog posts and webinars to help prospects understand their challenges and see how their solutions can address them. Then, buyers are well-informed and more engaged when ready to talk to a salesperson.
Traditional lead generation can often leave sales teams chasing leads that are not genuinely interested, which can be discouraging. Demand generation, on the other hand, focuses on nurturing leads with valuable content and insights.
If your marketing team shares educational content and engages prospects over time, your sales team receives more qualified leads who show genuine interest in your solutions. It can boost morale as sales reps spend more time closing deals with interested prospects.
One common issue in lead gen is the misalignment between sales and marketing teams. Only 8% of companies have a strong alignment between sales and marketing.
In this situation, marketing generates a high volume of leads without considering their quality. Demand generation helps bridge this gap by focusing on creating high-quality opportunities.
For example, marketing might work closely with sales to understand the type of leads that convert best and tailor their content to attract those ideal prospects.
This collaborative approach ensures that sales teams receive leads that are more likely to convert, improving overall alignment and efficiency.
Aggressive lead generation tactics, such as frequent cold calls or spammy emails, can negatively impact how potential customers view your brand. Demand generation respects the buyer's journey by offering valuable, relevant content without pushing for immediate sales.
65% of B2B decision-makers say that thought leadership content significantly influences their perception of a company.
For instance, if your company provides a free industry report or insightful blog posts, it helps build a positive perception of your brand as a knowledgeable and helpful resource. Buyers are more inclined to choose your brand when they are ready to purchase.
Demand generation focuses on building genuine interest and trust in your brand, leading to long-term growth rather than short-term wins. Let’s say a company invests in creating a robust content library and engaging in thought leadership activities.
This investment pays off over time as it builds a strong brand reputation and attracts a steady stream of interested prospects. Unlike tactics that provide quick but fleeting results, demand generation builds a solid foundation for sustainable business growth.
Gated content—like requiring users to fill out a form to access a whitepaper—can generate leads, but it may also limit the reach of your content.
81% of people say they'd decide not to download content if they must fill out a form. What’s more, 39% admit they'd enter false information just to get past the form.
Demand generation often uses ungated content to drive traffic and engage a broader audience. For example, publishing insightful blog posts or videos that are freely accessible can attract more visitors to your site, improve SEO, and establish your brand as an authority.
A broader reach can lead to better long-term results as more people become aware of and engage with your brand.
Now that we understand the importance of demand generation, let's dive into some practical strategies you can implement. We'll break this down into two main approaches: Demand Capturing and Demand Creation.
Demand capturing focuses on making your brand visible and accessible when potential customers actively seek solutions. Here’s how you can effectively capture existing demand:
To capture demand through SEO, you should target keywords indicating a potential customer’s intent to purchase.
For example, create content around keywords like "best CRM software for small businesses." This approach ensures your content appears in search results when users seek specific solutions.
Ensure your content provides clear answers and actionable insights, focusing on relevant details that resonate with users actively seeking solutions. Incorporate keywords naturally and ensure readability.
Here’s a sample template for a blog post:
Use PPC to target commercial intent keywords. This involves bidding on terms like "buy CRM software" to reach potential customers in the final stages of their decision-making process. Craft compelling ad copy that highlights your unique selling propositions.
Focus on targeting keywords that indicate strong purchase intent, such as "buy" or "best." Your ad copy should highlight your solution's unique benefits and features, addressing your audience's pain points.
Ensure your call to action is compelling and direct, like "Get a Demo" or "Try Free." Also, link your ad to a relevant and user-friendly landing page, reinforcing the message from your ad and making it easy for visitors to take the next step.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on platforms like G2 or TrustRadius. Reviews build credibility and can influence potential buyers. Reach out to customers with a friendly request for feedback.
Personalize your email by addressing the customer by name and referring to their experience. Explain that their feedback is valuable for helping others make informed choices and provide a direct link to the review platform to simplify the process.
Show appreciation in advance for their time and support, which helps foster positive sentiment toward your brand.
Demand creation is about generating interest and awareness for your brand, even when potential customers aren’t actively looking for solutions. Here’s how to create demand:
Develop educational content that addresses your audience’s challenges and pain points. This could include blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and videos that provide valuable insights and position your brand as a thought leader.
Focus on producing educational content that tackles your audience’s pain points. Regularly publish blog posts, whitepapers, and videos that provide value and address key challenges within your industry.
Here’s what your content calendar could look like:
Engage with your audience on social media by sharing valuable content and building brand awareness. Post regularly to maintain visibility and foster interaction with your followers.
Share valuable insights and engage with your audience on platforms where they are most active. Regularly post content that includes industry news, customer success stories, and tips related to your solutions.
Use a mix of content types, such as articles, infographics, and behind-the-scenes posts, to maintain interest and build brand awareness. Then, interact with your audience to foster relationships and increase engagement.
Weekly Social Media Plan Template:
Use email newsletters to nurture your audience with valuable content and updates. Send out newsletters regularly to keep your audience informed and engaged.
Send regular newsletters packed with valuable content and updates. Structure your emails to include featured articles, deep dives into relevant topics, product features or company news updates, and whatever else your audience might be interested in.
Monthly Newsletter Structure Template:
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a strategy where you focus on personalized marketing for a few high-value customers, treating each one like a unique audience.
Start by thoroughly researching target accounts to understand their industry challenges and decision-makers. Then, tailor your content to address their specific needs, such as creating personalized reports or case studies.
Connect with stakeholders using multi-channel outreach, including personalized emails, LinkedIn engagement, and direct mail.
Design a tailored landing page with custom branding and follow up with a strategic plan that includes consistent touches across email, phone, and social media.
Demand generation is not just about collecting leads; it's about creating genuine interest in your brand and offerings. It's about building relationships, providing value, and positioning your company as a trusted resource in your industry.
Focusing on demand generation sets the stage for sustainable, long-term growth, but lead generation strategies need not be abandoned. Lead generation helps you capture and qualify prospects, too. There’s something to learn and gain from the two approaches.
Find what works best for your unique situation and goals, and then you can create a strong marketing plan that drives both short-term results and long-term growth.
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