Speaking the same language as your clients is vital, and that is not something that is achieved overnight; you have to cultivate it and maintain it over time as part of your company policy. Luckily, you have in your favor a discipline of online marketing called Demand Generation.
It is the practice of marketing strategies that increase the interest and visibility of your company’s products or services, provided they are published on a website. To understand it more thoroughly, we have prepared this complete guide in which you will find from its meaning, the main benefits it can bring to your company and what techniques it uses.
The Demand Generation (Generation Demand) is a discipline that seeks to marry marketing programs with structured sales processes; removing from the game any barrier that exists between the brand and the customer
The main objective of the GDD is to attract more clients to your commercial portfolio. It uses different techniques to get a potential consumer to establish some commercial or functional action with the product or service that you offer.
Does your company need Demand Generation programs?
Any company that needs to generate leads and then develop them commercially can rely on a demand generation program. However, those who make use of this discipline the most are those companies that have medium and long-term commercial processes.
There are also cases in which the sale is advisory, so the company has the need to “preach” about its product or service. There, the products being of a certain complexity, require the intervention of the different actors involved in the purchase; This of course results in the application or use of a GDD program, an activity in charge of a good digital marketing agency.
The resources you need to implement these programs will depend on the budget you have; this shows that fortunately the generation of demand is scalable and flexible because it can be adapted to different types of budget and needs.
Even so, it is necessary that you know that the resources that you cannot miss are:
- Content of value that is focused on responding to the problems or pain of your customers.
- Positioning strategy, in addition to an editorial line that clearly indicates what is going to be communicated.
- Email marketing software, which is integrated with marketing automation and a CRM so that you can track leads.
- Lead scoring, which is a module or mechanism to qualify leads and be able to detect hot sales opportunities and deal with them on time.
- Measurement system (KPIs) that allow the results of the program to be critically and objectively evaluated.
Techniques most used in GDD
To make a clearer picture of the techniques that are generally used, we bring up an example from the approach of “Solving problems”; in which the seller is positioned as an authority with a specific topic, such as web positioning.
Then, through different techniques, it contributes to supporting the potential client on the subject. Here are techniques such as:
- Webinar. «Tricks to position your website in search engines»
- E-mail marketing campaign. With techniques to optimize your website.
- Video tutorial. Where step by step it is told how to grow conversions on your website.
- Blog. With notes and weekly on the subject.
Requirements for a demand generation campaign
All demand generation programs that are at an advanced level are supported by marketing actions that dynamically generate leads; as well as in actions and processes such as Branding, Optimization for Search Engines, Viral Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing and Search Marketing.
Through the process that includes it, other aspects are developed that facilitate the capture of leads. For example, demo versions, webinars, free downloads and whitepapers.
The generation of demand is not the same or similar to the conversion process, the latter is an independent task that occurs once the generation is given.
Ways to achieve an effective Demand Generation
- Create content that speaks of the value that your brand offers. When a product is sold, a promise of value is delivered, so you have to forge a content creation plan that talks about that value and how it is linked to the needs and desires of customers.
- Let existing customers talk about your product. Nobody knows your product better (apart from you) like real customers, those who have already used it. That is why it is appropriate to let users talk about their experience, because this gives you a more personal and human perspective.
- Offer plugins that speak the same language as your customers. Offer them guides, articles or graphic pieces to download and save; thus, you will speak a language closer to the client.
