Two strategies often dominate in business growth, lead generation (lead gen) and demand generation (demand gen). Often, they’re talked about as if it’s one option or the other, lead gen vs demand gen. That isn’t, and shouldn’t, be the case. They certainly sound similar, but it’s worth the time to understand the nuances that separate them.
Lead gen is the process of finding potential customers and building a relationship until they become active leads. The aim is to build interest and the foundations of a loyal relationship. It’s one of the best ways to have a healthy sales pipeline. Demand gen is a far broader approach. Rather than targeting specific individuals, you look at the target market and build a need or desire for your product or service.
In this article, we will investigate the differences between the two terms and see how they can be used with strategic synergy. You’ll also understand how to explain the differences in the lead gen vs demand gen debate.
- How do lead gen and demand gen work together?
- In what ways can you leverage both to build a great marketing campaign?
- Can you focus on either lead gen or demand gen?
Examining Lead Generation
There’s more to lead generation than simply identifying potential customers. It’s the art of engagement. It’s acting as the guiding hand that takes them from stranger to customer. Lead generation itself focuses on the start of that journey, but it lays the foundations.
Lead generation works thanks to its targeted approach. Target markets are broken into audience segments. Those segments get shown content made especially for them. They receive emails tailor-made for their demographic and interests. They are shown solutions to their specific problems. This takes place on various channels, as long as there’s the ability to personalize content and engage directly. That’s often handled by lead generation software.
Businesses measure success in strategic lead generation through conversion rates. Based on the group of people that received the marketing, how many completed the desired action? That action doesn’t have to be sales-related. It’s far more likely it will be an action such as signing up for a demo or an email newsletter, or downloading a guide. These actions can be closely tracked, allowing marketers to adapt and adjust campaigns based on data.
Understanding the audience is at the heart of lead generation. Businesses need to know their audience inside-out. That means creating buyer personas and getting to know the people they’re working with. This knowledge allows them to hone and tailor their content accordingly.
The Demand Generation Side
Demand generation is a far more holistic approach. The aim is to build interest in your products and services and then establish a demand for them. Companies spend time creating their brand, making people aware of it, and solidifying their position in the market.
When embarking on demand generation, there’s no immediate focus on conversions. This is the long game. It’s like planting the seed of an idea and carefully tending to it in the hope that one day a plant will flourish.
As with lead generation, content plays an important role but with more of a focus on education. Businesses act as thought leaders so that a narrative is established around their brand. Content takes the form of educational blog posts, webinars that share knowledge, and reports about the industry. The aim is to position the brand as the place to find information in that field.
Comparing and Integrating Lead Gen and Demand Gen
The table above clearly outlines the core differences. The two strategies might seem very different now, but there’s synergy between them. When planned together, business growth can be phenomenal. Demand gen sets the stage. It spends time slowly building brand awareness and creating an audience that’s ready to hear a message. Then lead gen can focus on specific prospects with the aim of converting them to leads.
Let’s take an example. A business begins with a demand gen campaign by releasing a report that details specific insights into their industry. This is backed by webinars that offer deep dives into findings. An audience is slowly built, and they are growing in receptiveness.
Following this process, lead generation tactics are employed. People who attended the webinar or accessed the report receive personalized email campaigns. Those who were previously interested readers go on to engage with the content and convert themselves into leads. From here, the sales team can take over.
Applied to sales funnel stages, you’d see demand generation tactics taking place near the top of the funnel. Then as you move further through, the lead generation funnel takes over. Working together in synergy, the tactics naturally flow from one to the other. Generating growth and prosperity for the business.
Key Takeaways
There isn’t an argument here. It isn’t lead gen vs demand gen. The two are one side of the same coin. They need to work together hand in hand to build a masterful marketing approach. Businesses that use both strategies together will benefit from a strong brand and successful conversions.
- Both strategies can be tracked, measured, and analyzed. Data can then influence the evolution of the campaign.
- It’s important that sales and marketing departments work collaboratively to achieve the best results.
- Personalized and tailored content ensures maximum engagement in both strategies.
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Two strategies often dominate