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Demand Generation B2B
Written By Alexandra Flygare
Businesses are constantly seeking effective strategies to capture the attention of potential customers and guide them through the notoriously lengthy B2B decision-making process. Demand generation is the key to making your brand known, trusted, and desired in the marketplace, paving the way for sales teams to convert these educated and interested prospects into loyal customers.
But what exactly is demand generation, and why is it so vital for B2B marketing success?
What is Demand Generation?
Demand generation (or demand gen, if you're on a first-name basis) is the holistic, data-driven approach to creating and nurturing interest in your products or services. Think about it as setting the stage for potential customers to discover what your company offers. It's kind of like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that guide prospects toward realizing they have a problem that your solution can fix. This process is ongoing, as you continually nurture prospects and position your brand as the best possible choice.
Why is Demand Generation important for B2B marketing?
In B2B, the sales cycle can be long and winding. Demand generation helps keep your sales pipeline flowing with potential customers who are already familiar with your brand and what you offer.
Demand generation helps you educate the market because, truth be told, B2B products and services can be complicated. Potential buyers need to understand not just what you’re offering, but why it matters. Through demand gen efforts, you can guide them, provide valuable insights, and make your brand a trusted source of information.
In a world where options are endless, you want your company to stand out as a knowledgeable and reliable choice.
The shortcomings of Demand Generation
Of course, no strategy is perfect and demand gen is no exception.
For starters, it takes time. You can’t just flip a switch and expect instant results. It requires consistent effort and a good dose of patience.
Another challenge is measuring success. Since it's more about building awareness and interest, the results aren’t always immediately visible in sales numbers. It's a long game, and sometimes it can be hard to justify the investment without clear, immediate metrics.
There’s also the challenge of integration. Demand generation isn’t a one-channel wonder; it involves content marketing, social media, SEO, webinars, and more. Keeping all these pieces in sync can be a logistical headache, requiring careful coordination and resources.
How does Demand Generation work?
Demand generation usually kicks off with content marketing. AKA creating and sharing valuable content—think blog posts, whitepapers, videos, and webinars. This content should be tailored to address the pain points and questions your target audience has.
Next up is making sure people find this awesome content. That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) come into play. SEO helps your content rank high in search engine results, while SEM involves paid search strategies to get your content in front of the right eyes. Social media is another avenue for engaging with your audience, joining conversations, and building a community around your brand.
Email marketing complements these efforts. It’s a great way to nurture leads, keeping them engaged with personalized content and updates.
Finally, webinars and live events offer a more direct way to connect with potential customers, providing them with deep dives into your products or services and answering their questions in real-time.
When to use Demand Generation
Demand generation is especially useful in a few scenarios. It’s perfect for early-stage markets where your product or service is new, and potential customers need a lot of information before they’re ready to buy.
Buyers need time to research, consider, and make decisions. Demand gen helps keep your brand top-of-mind throughout this lengthy process.
And if you’re launching a new product? Demand generation will help create buzz and educate the market.
It’s also a good strategy for products with long sales cycles (like B2B), but when its no longer early customer-relationships, your business might benefit from an Account-Based Marketing strategy. You can read more about what to choose and when, here.
How to execute successful Demand Generation
Nailing demand generation requires a clear understanding of who are your ideal customers (more on that here). Armed with this knowledge, you can create content and engagement strategies that speak directly to them.
After that, consistency is key. It’s about showing up regularly with high-quality content that resonates with your audience. Don’t just put out content for the sake of it; make sure it’s valuable and relevant. For more advice on content check out this talk with Tim Soulo.
Use data to track what’s working and what’s not, and be ready to tweak your strategies as needed.
💡Remember: demand generation is not just a marketing effort. It requires alignment with your sales team to ensure that the leads you’re nurturing are effectively converted into customers.
In the end, demand generation is all about playing the long game. It’s not the fastest way to get sales, but it’s one of the most effective for building lasting relationships with customers. If you have a high-value product, it can however come with too high a acquisition cost, and your approach might benefit from Account-based marketing. For 5 unconventional account-based marketing tactics for b2b’s, you can read more here in our interview with Vladimir Blagojevic.
Personalization and Engagement
Demand generation isn't about shouting into the void and hoping for an echo. It's about creating personalized experiences that resonate on a deeper level. Use dynamic content, tailor your messaging based on behavior and preferences, and keep the conversation going through multiple touchpoints. The more personalized your approach, the more engaged your audience will be.
Conclusion
Demand generation is like laying the groundwork for long-term B2B marketing success. By focusing on creating valuable content, engaging with your audience, and staying consistent across channels, you set your brand up for success in a competitive market. So, if you're ready to elevate your marketing game and keep your sales pipeline buzzing with qualified leads, it's time to embrace demand generation.