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<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nIn this guide, I\u2019ll clear up the confusion. I\u2019ll give you an updated definition of demand generation, along with the components of a successful demand generation strategy. And finally, you\u2019ll learn why demand generation is not the same as lead generation<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Demand generation<\/a> captures the umbrella of marketing programs that get customers excited about your company\u2019s products and services without<\/em> trying to explicitly sell to them.<\/p>\n Demand generation programs can help your organization reach new markets, promote new product features, build consumer buzz, generate PR, and re-engage existing customers. This includes things like ambassador programs, influencer partnerships, educational content campaigns, interactive webinars, and more.<\/p>\n Essentially, demand generation is a long-term, education-focused marketing strategy that prioritizes reaching and engaging \u201cout of market\u201d buyers.<\/p>\n The ultimate goal of B2B demand generation is remaining top of mind while your potential customers are not in a buying cycle \u2014 so that whenever the need arises, your product or service is immediately considered for purchase.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve found what makes demand generation a distinct concept from other customer acquisition tactics is a commitment to long-term customer relationships and a strategic mindset.<\/p>\n HubSpot pioneered inbound marketing as a demand generation strategy by creating high-value educational content (blog posts, guides, webinars, and free tools) that nurtures potential customers long before they\u2019re ready to buy. I\u2019m biased, of course, as a writer for HubSpot, but I do believe there is a lot that we can learn from this strategy.<\/p>\n HubSpot offers free tools like a CRM and Website Grader, which introduce users to our ecosystem. These folks can then keep HubSpot top-of-mind when they need a paid solution. My favorite tool recently has been the AI Search Grader<\/a>.<\/p>\n This strategy builds trust and authority over time rather than pushing for immediate conversions, making it a textbook example of long-term demand creation.<\/p>\n I also love when a product offers me genuine value upfront without pushing a product or sale immediately in my face.<\/p>\n Drift<\/a> disrupted traditional B2B marketing by shifting the focus from lead capture forms to real-time conversations via AI-powered chatbots and messaging.<\/p>\n Instead of gating content, Drift prioritized making it easier for potential customers to get answers quickly, reducing friction in the buyer journey.<\/p>\n I really appreciate their approach to thought leadership content, including books like Conversational Marketing,<\/em> which positioned them as the go-to brand for real-time B2B customer engagement.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Drift\u2019s approach aligns with modern buyers who prefer on-demand, interactive experiences rather than filling out forms and waiting for follow-ups.<\/p>\n Gong<\/a>, a revenue intelligence platform, has built its demand generation strategy around original research and data insights, often using proprietary sales analytics to create compelling, shareable content.<\/p>\n They publish data-backed insights on LinkedIn, in newsletters, and on their blog, providing valuable information that naturally attracts their target audience.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a sucker for new data or industry-insider information, so I think their State of Revenue Growth<\/a> is the perfect example of how you can use proprietary research to serve as demand gen for your product.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n I think Gong\u2019s demand generation success lies in leveraging data to educate and create authority \u2014 a winning formula for credibility and engagement.<\/p>\n Notion<\/a>, a productivity and workspace tool, focuses on community-driven demand generation by fostering an engaged user base that creates and shares templates, tutorials, and best practices.<\/p>\n They encourage user-generated content through Notion Ambassadors and Certified Consultants, who promote the tool organically.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Their freemium model allows individuals to get hooked on Notion before upgrading to a paid plan, creating natural demand among teams and businesses. I can see firsthand how effective this model can be. Most everything I know about Notion is through peers who use it religiously and refer to it to me. Such an organic recommendations engine really can\u2019t be beat.<\/p>\n By prioritizing word-of-mouth and community-driven growth, Notion fuels bottom-up adoption \u2014 where individuals introduce the tool to their workplaces.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Demand generation marketing is about educating your audience with no expectation in return. Meanwhile, lead generation is optimized for capturing contact information \u2014 but prematurely pushes non-solution seeking people to sales automation workflows, which is highly ineffective.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The reality is that traditional lead generation is riddled with inefficiencies, outdated tactics, and a fundamental misunderstanding of today\u2019s B2B buyers.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s explore six reasons most lead generation strategies can be unsuccessful.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been struggling with lead generation, try HubSpot\u2019s lead generation tool<\/a>. Built-in analytics and reporting then make it easy to learn which pages, offers, ads, and traffic sources are driving the most conversions.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Is gated content an acceptable lead generation tool for demand generation?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start by looking at the biggest drawbacks of gated content<\/a><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n But if you\u2019re going to march on with gated content, it should be done for ABM warm-up<\/a><\/strong> and not direct response sales follow-up.<\/p>\n Gated content \u2014 used correctly \u2014 can offer the following benefits:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Inbound marketing<\/a> is a key component of any high-performing demand generation campaign. However, this is no longer about content calendars or the AIDA framework<\/a>.<\/p>\n Instead, it\u2019s about alignment with sales to properly respond to a buyer\u2019s intent to purchase (declared intent), while orchestrating and facilitating the desired purchasing experience.<\/p>\n Today, with inbound marketing, you are either capturing<\/em> demand or creating<\/em> demand.<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s explore what that means.<\/p>\n Capturing demand means responding to and fulfilling existing customer needs or wants. I find it best to show up where your target audience is already looking. Here are some resources you can leverage to make your offering easier to find:<\/p>\n Creating demand means generating interest and desire for your offering before customers are actively searching. I like to think of this as \u201csoft\u201d marketing \u2014 showing up in your audience\u2019s space to introduce them to your brand and products. Here are some ways you can do that:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Rewind to five years ago and ask anyone about demand generation \u2014 they\u2019d tell you it was marketers disguised as salespeople running lead generation tactics via marketing automation.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s because marketing used to be a service organization to sales, until B2B executives realized that marketing should be a strategic partner \u2014 not an order-taker.<\/p>\n Today, outbound-focused demand generation is not about high-volume cold outreach with automated follow-up sequences. Instead, it\u2019s about ABM<\/a><\/strong> (account-based marketing), the inverted marketing funnel.<\/p>\n I find the most successful companies recognize that sales and marketing must work together to educate, engage, and build relationships with potential buyers long before a purchase decision is made.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Instead of a top-down inbound marketing approach, ABM is a bottom-up marketing strategy that collaborates with sales to engage with high-quality leads and target accounts during complex B2B sales cycles.<\/p>\n Revenue teams have learned that full-funnel marketing with a hybrid mix of inbound, outbound, and lifecycle marketing<\/a><\/strong> is the right balance for a high-performing demand generation program.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Your demand generation marketing efforts should be guided by a north star: lead quality<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to understanding<\/strong> key SaaS metrics<\/a>, I\u2019ve gathered some important questions to ask:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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What is demand generation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Demand Generation Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1. HubSpot\u2019s Inbound Marketing Strategy<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n2. Drift\u2019s Conversational Marketing Approach<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Gong\u2019s Data-Driven Demand Generation<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n4. Notion\u2019s Community-Led Growth<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy is demand generation different from lead generation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy are most lead generation strategies unsuccessful?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nGated Content: Bad Practices vs. Good Practices<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Role of Inbound Marketing in B2B Demand Generation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Demand Capturing: Intent Channels and Content Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Demand Creation: Education Channels and Content Types<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Role of Sales in B2B Demand Generation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nMetrics and KPIs for Measuring Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Leading Indicators: Example Metrics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Lagging Indicators: Example Metrics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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