You’ve likely used sales and marketing funnel strategies to attract clients, but you may not have tried demand generation. Like other funnels, the ultimate goal of demand generation is a sale. However, demand generation focuses on brand awareness and customer interest to achieve the goal. The result is a sales process that feels natural instead of forced.
There are various ways to build an effective demand generation funnel that yields results. This article will look at a few standard techniques.
1. Create Brand Awareness
All demand generation funnels start with brand awareness. Brand awareness begins when the customer first becomes cognizant of the company and its offerings. However, brand awareness isn’t as simple as running an ad and hoping people see it. Marketers must strategically work to attract their intended audience. They may need to vary their techniques to appeal to various customer segments.
A well-designed brand awareness campaign will resonate with targeted customers. It will leave a lasting impression, which is enough to encourage them to learn more about the company and the products or services it offers.
Most brand awareness strategies incorporate frequency into their advertising techniques. The more often the consumer sees ads from the business, the more likely they are to remember the company and follow up when they’re considering a purchase.
There are various ways to generate brand awareness. Commercials, social media posts, and paid search ads are all effective. Other strategies include direct mail circulars, press in a news article, or customer reviews.
2. Use Content to Your Advantage
At the heart of any demand generation is content. Content includes blog posts, articles, videos, product demonstrations, commercials, whitepapers, and e-books. The content you create for your demand generation strategy will accomplish a few goals.
First, content helps establish your credibility in your industry. If people see you as the go-to company in your niche, they’re more likely to trust your company when they need your products or services. You’ll enhance your reputation as an authority when you consistently use content to talk about industry-related topics.
You can use content to answer buyer questions. For instance, if your product is relatively complex, customers will probably have a lot of inquiries about how it works and its benefits. Creating FAQ guides, video product demonstrations, and other resources can help people determine whether your items suit their needs.
Content can also help you generate brand awareness. Captivating and fun social media posts will attract comments, likes, and shares, which can help establish your company as a household name. Consider creating various types of content to speak to multiple audience segments. While doing so may require more marketing resources, you’ll likely see more substantial results.
3. Make the Most of Your Leads
Lead nurturance is one of the most critical elements of any demand generation strategy. Without a proper lead nurturance process, the clicks and social media comments you receive won’t result in the sales you’re looking for.
To develop a lead nurturance strategy, it’s a good idea to collaborate with your sales team. Partner with them to learn the steps customers usually take before they decide to make a purchase. Once you understand the process, you’ll be in a better position to determine how to create content that leads them through your demand generation funnel.
In an ideal lead nurturing campaign, customers will receive the exact content they need to push them further toward a purchase at precisely the right time. The more intel you have about your clients, the easier it is to provide them with the requisite information.
As you learn more about your customers, you can create lead sequences that result in more sales. For instance, if they sign up for your email newsletter, you’ll learn how they interact with your content. If they regularly read your communications, you know they have an interest in your brand. Clicks on ads within your emails will tell you what products they like. You can use that information to send them special discounts on the items they’ve browsed or recommendations for similar goods.
An Effective Demand Generation Strategy Requires Careful Planning
As with other marketing strategies, you’ll want to devote time to planning a demand generation funnel. Learn as much as possible about your clients and what attracts them to your brand. You’ll also want to team up with your sales reps to understand how they close their deals.
The more insights you have into your customers’ buying behaviors, the easier it will be to create a successful demand generation funnel.