What sucks about Demand Generation programs?
The beginning. Demand generation takes time and loads of effort to get going. Initially, you need dedication – almost a kind of religious belief – to stick with it until the results come.
Not so with lead generation (cold outbound, MQL-focused inbound etc.): you start cold calls at 9am and you can book 3 demos by 10. Results can come fast.
Demand generation is much slower.
(Demand gen can loosely be defined as building awareness and brand by creating content, building communities and networks.)
I stole the graph you see in the video from the Fullfunnel.io gentlemen.
It’s about how the ramp-up period is much slower for demand gen programs, but the payoffs are exponential and ALWAYS surpass leadgen, when executed fully.
And how most companies quit demand gen just before seeing the returns compound.
Why is that? Here are some reasons:
1. demand generation has strategic, long-term implications: building a brand, building an authoritative status. These impact strategy.
2. with demand generation, you’re building platforms and assets that will go exponential.
Here’s what I mean: you’re building media, community, networks… «« these are exponential platforms in the sense that the assets you build, and the results you earn, compound over time.
One thing to ponder about:
1. think of 3 large businesses that you admire… ones you follow, who are creative and have disrupted the market.
2.a. how many of them have built awesome content, media, great buyer experiences, perhaps a community?
»»I’m betting all of them
2.b. how many of them are sales-led with content and marketing just running in the background, serving pure lead generation plays?
»» I’m betting none of them.
You can build a legacy with demand generation executed consistently, but you can’t do that with just lead generation in the 2020s and beyond.
