Demand generation and Lead Generation: An Integrated Approach

Now that we are on the same page regarding integrating demand gen with lead gen, let us see what benefits this approach provides.

Benefits of Integrating Demand gen and Lead gen

These are some of the top benefits you achieve when you integrate demand gen and lead gen activities.

Boosts Short Term Sales

The B2B Pulse study that I pulled out the graphic from has an interesting challenge for you:

We are much more likely to buy from companies that we have heard of already. By priming potential buyers with brand messaging, you will find that your activation campaigns work much harder. Brand thus lowers activation costs, increasing its overall efficiency. If you don’t believe us, try removing the brand name from your lead generation ads and see what happens to your CPAs…

They term lead gen as sales activation and demand gen as branding, but do give their challenge a try. Or do you shudder at the mere thought of it! 

That’s why marketers need to take an integrated approach to demand gen and lead gen for their campaigns.

Augments Long Term Sales

Not all potential leads generated by demand generation are ready to buy immediately. Through lead gen activities such as case studies or free trials or demos and testimonials, you can continue to touch base so that you have a strong recall value when they are ready to buy, and you manage to make it to their shortlist. 

Again, an integrated effort enables marketers to fill the sales pipeline with future buyers that add to long term sales. 

Strengthens Pricing Power

What do you do when you find yourself in a party full of people you hardly know? You make your way to the person you know best, in the hope of making the most out of it.

A decision maker who is part of a buying committee is no different.

When they are confronted with a list of products to consider, they get attracted towards those they can recall. Greater the recall value, the easier it is for the sales team to negotiate or remain firm on pricing. 

Helps Beat Competition

And why just pricing, a strong recall value helps beat competition and move to the top of the shortlist. A most desirable situation to be in. 

And considering that it takes at least eight touchpoints to reach a prospect and at least six more to convert into sales, it is crucial that all marketing activities are orchestrated to support each other, irrespective of whether they are targeted at top of the funnel or bottom of the funnel.

Makes  Clients More Accessible

A fundamental question…why do businesses undertake marketing? To reach prospects and convert them into clients. To get a prospect to say yes, make it to the shortlist and get sales. Demand generation activities build a strong foundation on which the sales team can reach out to prospects with better results.

When prospects are aware of your product or brand, they are more likely to respond to a cold call, open an emailer or sign up for a free trial. 

How to Integrate Demand Gen and Lead Gen Activities

You now know that integrating demand gen and lead gen is the right approach to account based marketing. But what next?

Implementing this requires a mindset change for all stakeholders. Start with the ABM team members and take it from there.