Demystifying B2B Demand Generation: 5 Key Takeaways

Demand generation isn’t a new thing, it’s just called a new name and has a few more components that go into it.

Demand generation is really it’s very name – it’s using expertly crafted content, deployed at the right time on the right channels, that works at creating demand for your product or service at a high level. Think top of funnel (aka TOFU).

Of course like all marketing, it may sound easy and straight forward but there are some nuances to it. You need to consider things like:

• who your audience actually is
• where they spend their time
• what their pain points are
• why your solution is the best one for them

So let’s talk about demand generation for our B2B companies, because demand gen for you is even more nuanced than our B2C friends!

Ever wondered what makes demand generation tick in the world of B2B? It’s like cracking open a treasure chest filled with golden opportunities to connect with your target audience and get those warmer, nice leads (this felt like the best way to describe it, IYKYK).

Navigating the waters of B2B demand gen requires a cleaver eye, a focus on creativity, and a healthy dose of strategic thinking.

So what are our 5 top takeaways for getting really comfortable with #demandgen for our B2B friends?

1. Know Thy Audience: Understanding your target audience is the compass that guides your demand gen ship. Dive deep into their pain points, challenges, and aspirations. What keeps them up at night? What solutions are they seeking? Armed with this knowledge, you can craft hyper-targeted campaigns that resonate with their needs and desires. This also helps with so much more than just demand generation, but that’s a conversation for another day (and another blog post. Or two.)

2. Content is King (and Queen): In the B2B world, content reigns supreme. From informative blogs and insightful eBooks to engaging webinars and thought leadership pieces, quality content is your secret weapon for capturing the attention of potential leads. Serve up content that educates, inspires, and adds value to your audience’s lives, and watch as they flock to your digital doorstep. This is such an area of “conversation” with clients – especially tenured businesses who want to gate everything for the sake of the lead. You need to be able to give away a LOT more content than you gate. It’s just a fact of the matter – because if you aren’t giving it away for free or next to nothing (in marketing and sales currency aka form fields) than your competition is.

3. Embrace Multi-Channel Magic: Gone are the days of putting all your demand gen eggs in one basket. Today, success lies in embracing a multi-channel approach. From email marketing and social media to SEO and paid advertising, cast your net wide and harness the power of multiple touchpoints to engage prospects at every stage of the buyer’s journey. However, we do advise caution as there are times when people take on too many marketing channels, which is just as bad as not enough marketing channels. KNOW THY AUDIENCE and spend time where they spend, creating great and engaging native content.

4. Data, Data, Data: Ah, sweet data – the lifeblood of demand generation. Track, measure, and analyze every interaction to gain valuable insights into what’s working (and what’s not). Leverage marketing automation tools and CRM systems to capture data on lead behavior, campaign performance, and conversion rates, then use this intel to refine your strategies and drive better results. Find the data set that works for you and really love it.

5. Never Stop Testing and Iterating: The world of demand gen is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape. What works today may not work tomorrow, and that’s okay. The key is to adopt a mindset of continuous improvement. Test different strategies, experiment with new tactics, and be willing to pivot based on the results. Remember, every failure is a stepping stone to success. Always find time for fun and creativity, testing and exploration, and doing something unexpected. There are so many fun marketing and content tactics and strategies – make sure you are trying to add some FUN into it!