Demand Generation is a dynamic marketing activity that is critical at every stage of the buyer’s journey. It isn’t the kind of technique that can be used just once in the entire sales cycle or only for a particular stage of the buyer’s journey. For attracting the best leads that convert, demand generation should combine various techniques that are intended to address every part of the customer journey and be used at various stages of the sales funnel.
Let us see some smart demand gen techniques that can be used at different stages of the customer journey to help augment lead conversion.
Creating awareness for lead generation-
Every customer journey starts with the awareness stage. Your brand is something that resonates or does not resonate with the needs of the customer. Before the customer gets to know your brand he needs to be aware of your brand. Generating brand awareness is therefore a very critical part of generating demand.
Demand generation plays a vital role in establishing your brand and keeping its value alive in the customer’s mind. It also helps to keep the brand in the eye-line of the customer and therefore you need a solid plan to help raise brand awareness and make the customers remember your brand.
This is how you can generate demand in the awareness stage
Staying in the eye-line of the customer-
- You can create a solid brand image that resonates with the buyer persona
- Create relevant and strong messaging that also resonates with the buyer persona and the buyers needs and requirements
- Create solution-oriented messaging through email marketing campaigns that throw light on addressing the pain points and solutions that can eliminate those pain points
- Have a strong social media presence
Build a smart website to attract leads in the consideration stage-
A website is the most critical asset in the demand gen journey. It is something that attracts leads on its own and generates demand for your products or services. Website visitors are the ones that have come looking for your services and can be the most potential leads that can get converted easily. As a b2b marketer, you need to have a website that is primed for lead generation.
Get your website designed in such a way that your customers get the exact information they are looking for. Have CTAs that will direct the prospect to take action when it comes to making buying decisions. Have a short form to fill that does not ask for too much information but asks for just the right data. Have a landing page that can help customers get exactly what they are looking for and urge them to take quick buying decisions.
Go for a customer-centric approach for the decision stage-
Buyer-centric sales processes almost always win. A buyer-centric sales process is a huge part of successful demand generation.
When it is more about the customer and less about you, the customer feels you are walking the extra mile to get them what they need. Customers come to you for solutions.
Attract more leads with a customer-first approach. Thinking of how your services can benefit the customer instead of thinking only about sales can go a long way in attracting the right leads to you.
Conclusion-
Most marketers do demand generation everyday even without realizing that they are doing it. But if you do it more consciously and with a strategy in place it can streamline your lead gen journey with more good leads that convert easily.