3 Keys to Orchestrate Demand Generation for Excellence

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Demand Generation is challenging to begin with. This is especially true at larger B2B Brands where there is a myriad of ICPs, products, messages, CTAs, etc. to manage. In this week’s Buzz, I share some tips from lessons learned to manage scaled demand gen programs with excellence.

What are your thoughts on Demand Gen Management Excellence? Share your feedback on The Buzz Community. New on the Buzz Community is Premium Buzz an Education and Events program designed to instill B2B go to market excellence. Learn More.

And, of course, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for being part of the Buzz community. This endeavor is not possible with you -- our readers. For questions, comments, and feedback, please don't hesitate to let me know.

IN THIS ISSUE

• This Week's Topic: Demand Generation

• Buzz Community: Network with Fellow B2B marketers. It’s Free.

• Premium Buzz: An educational and events program for B2B go to market excellence. Learn More.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

3 Keys to Orchestrate Demand Generation for Excellence

Larger demand generation programs require two things that at first may appear opposing: Rigor & Flexibility. But, in larger organizations, this is exactly the dichotomy you need for an effective scaled demand generation program.

The rigor creates the foundations to ensure brand, messaging, measurement, etc. consistency. And the flexibility, meanwhile, allows for the ebbs and flows of supporting complex markets, product portfolios, lines of businesses, and geographies. It is the balance of these opposing forces, that many larger B2B brands fail to manage correctly. This ends up either squelching creativity by being too rigorous. Or missing opportunities for compounding return on marketing investment by lacking consistency. Marketing is accretive.

Key #1: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Many B2B go to market leaders - and other executive leaders for that matter - focus on the wrong metrics to understand the success of B2B go to market. The business outcome is Revenue. Full stop.

For demand generation, specifically, we need to use this metric as the business outcome. Not leads, not pipeline, but Revenue. So in our campaign optimization and program success measurement, we need to ensure that Revenue is center stage. But many firms report the success of demand generation in terms of tactics (e.g., pipeline, leads) and fail to truly determine the ROI of their demand generation programs. As I like to say, the “R” in ROI is Revenue.

Key #2: Everything is a Building Block

Demand Generation has almost too many moving parts, content, design, technology, data, and so much more. This is why I’m a big believer of using modular frameworks, templates, and systems for demand gen at scale. It enables the management of our Rigor & Flexibility dichotomy with excellence.

Let’s take a tactical example. Let’s start with a well-used demand gen tactic landing pages. A landing page has various components: design elements; messaging by ICP / Persona; messaging by product / brand; CTA by campaign objective; brand requirements; analytic and measurement needs; data requirements and so on. With a modular go to market framework, we can iimplement landing pages with ease. No longer is there a need for reinventing the wheel for each new landing page. And as you can see standing up a Landing Page Optimization Tool won’t solve the marketing challenge. In fact, setting up an LPO stack can only show how un-modularized your GTM really is. And is lacking the strategic flexibility to operate demand gen with Rigor & Flexibility Excellence.

Key #3: Visualize Your Strategy

Demand generation is a fast-paced implementation effort that requires Rigor to have excellence. One important way to convey strategic approaches is to develop visual frameworks that enable a team, at a quick glance, to implement that specific strategy. Take messaging, for example, it is very complex. The are brand stories; product stories; ICP need stories; and so on. And if your messaging is built correctly there is a giant matrix in your GTM strategy that explains that messaging framework.

But a matrix isn’t a functional visualization in the fast-paced world of demand gen. In the consulting side of my life, I use use messaging “pinwheels” to demonstrate that messaging framework (example above). These pinwheels then get turned into a playbook for your GTM. This one is by ICP, but there are others where the hub is your brand story; your product story; and so on. This “book” of pinwheels then gets shared and trained upon. The Book becomes the lexicon for company wide collaboration across the entire go to market engine.

What are your thoughts on Demand Generation Management Excellence? Share your feedback on The Buzz Community.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Be the “Goldilocks” of B2B Lead Quality

Marketing teams want to always provide high-quality leads to the sales team, but finding the perfect lead-scoring methodology is balancing quality and quantity. You're either in the land of high volume and low quality or high quality and low volume.

In both scenarios you're getting complaints from sales like they're one of the three bears with 'bad' porridge. So what do you do?

Here's 5 tips from 50 years of B2B marketing experience to get you started.

TOOLS WE USE*

• FEATURED: SalesIntel - B2B Account Intelligence and Contact Data

• Freshworks - CRM + Sales Automation.

• Quickbooks - Financial Management for business.

• Zoominfo - B2B Data & Tech Solutions B2B Marketers & Sellers.

• Jasper AI - AI for Marketers for copywriting.

• Apollo.IO - Lead Sourcing & Cold Outreach.

THINGS IN OUR INBOX*

• SEO for Lunch - SEO Tips and Tricks

• They Got Acquired - For entrepreneurs who are thinking about selling their company

• Growing Up - For Founders and Leaders of SaaS and Software Firms

*Note The Buzz receives affiliate fees for completed customer referrals.