3 building blocks for accelerating demand generation

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3 Building Blocks forDemand Generation


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Today’s Presenter

Jay HidalgoDemand Gen Coach@jayhidalgo


Agenda

• The State of Demand Generation Today

• Overview of the Demand Gen Process and Framework

• 3 Building Blocks for Demand Generation

• Questions


The State of Demand Generation Today


Marketers Are Still Struggling To Generate Leads

• More than two thirds (68%) of companies report struggling with lead generation

Source: Source: Lattice Engines/CSO Insights


The Buyer Doesn’t Need Us

• 90% of business buyers say when they’re ready to buy, they’ll find you

Source: Demand Gen Report


The Buyer Doesn’t Need Us

Although it varies greatly with product complexity and market maturity, today’s buyers might be anywhere from two-thirds to 90% of the way through their journey before they reach out to the vendor.

Source: Forrester (L. Wizdo)


We Don’t Know The Buyer

"Half of the marketers create and use content that educates buyers on their issues and problems, but only 14% align compelling content with buyer journeys in a way that tells a story."

Source: Forrester (J. Ernst), “The State Of B2B Demand Generation: Disjointed”


“86% of the 'unique benefits' touted by vendors were not perceived as unique or having enough impact to create preference.”

Source: Tim Riesterer, "Three B2B Value-Proposition Rules That Create Preference, Not Just Parity,”

We Don’t Know What The Buyer Wants


As A Result…

• 79% of marketing leads never convert into sales.(Source: MarketingSherpa)

• 61% of B2B marketers send all leads directly to Sales; however, only 27% of those leads will be qualified. (Source: MarketingSherpa)

• 90% of marketing deliverables are not used by sales. (Source: The New Rules of Sales Enablement)


And Yet…

• Companies with mature lead generation and management practices have a 9.3% higher sales quota achievement rate. (Source: CSO Insights)

• 46% of marketers with mature lead management processes have sales teams that follow up on more than 75% of marketing-generated leads. (Source: Forrester Research)

• Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales ready leads at 33% lower cost. (Source: Forrester Research)

• Companies with better than average demand generation process experience a 416% increase in closed deals over companies with little to no process. (Source: SiriusDecisions)


Source: “The Best Practices of the Best Marketers”, CRMsearch, and Vantive Media

• Leaders aligned nurture campaign content with buyer persona and buy cycle stage more than twice as often as laggard organizations.

• As a result of this the best-in-class firms also averaged a 20% lower average nurture cycle period and 48% higher nurture campaign leads.

Here’s The Difference


The Demand Generation Process


The Framework

The Buyer


Start with Knowing the Buyer – Buyer Persona

• What is a Buyer Persona?• A short bio of the typical customer• Person description • Includes information on

• Buyer’s background• Daily activities/behavior• Current solutions to problem• What’s important to this buyer


Sample Persona

Source: Hubspot, Warehouse 1


Buyer Persona Matrix - Example

Manager Director/Sr. Director

Vice - President CxO

Buyer Background

Daily Activity

Challenges

Solutions to Challenges

Compelling Event


Knowing the Buying Process

• The steps the buyer goes through from need identification to post purchase

• From THEIR view, not yours• Should be customized, not “vanilla”• Provides a framework for providing

the right message at the right time


• Whiteboard the hypothetical buying process• Test initial hypotheses with internal and external marketing research• Validate with stakeholders (prospects, customers, sales, marketing)

After reviewing all options, narrow down to top 2 or 3 and plan onsite visits

• Season of Life• Dissatisfaction

with current school

Looking for other options; looking at features such as proximity, culture, safety, academics

Select the preferred institution; confirm that this choice meets our needs

Fill out application; learn about the enrollment process and get ready for first day

Change of Status Quo

Info Gathering

Narrow Choices Choose Enroll

Building the Buying Process


• They are the basis for database segmentation• They are the basis for lead qualification• They are the basis for developing content

Why is the Buyer Persona & Buying Process Important?


Database Structure


Lead Qualification Rules for Routing and Criteria

The following criteria/rules will be captured (as much as is feasible) on all Responses and Leads.

RulesResponses will become Marketing Qualified when…

1.The response is a product download (behavior)2.The response requests a contact from sales (behavior)3.The response is an registrant or attendee from a product oriented webinar (behavior)4.The response registered for or attended a seminar (behavior)5.Have 11 or more technicians (background)

CriteriaThe following criteria will be built into the Lead Management process, and will be captured from Responses and Leads:

Budget (background)Approved?Not Approved?Need Help Developing a BudgetUnknown, Too early to determine

•Industry (demographic)•Number of Help Desk Staff (background)•Initial Product Interest (Current Solution to Problem)

Product A Product BProduct CProduct D Product E Product F

Lead Qualification Example


Build Content

Source: Keith Holloway, One Degree

Buyer Persona/Buying Cycle Stage

Gain Permission Overcome Objections Support Decisions

Economic Whitepaper A ROI/CTO Calculators • Proposal• ROI/TCO Calculators

Technical • Brochure• Whitepaper B• Webinar

• Free Trial• Test Drive• Help Files• Documentation

• Case Studies• Testimonials

Influencer • Success Stories• Newsletter

ROI/CTO Calculators References and Endorsements

Executive Whitepaper A ROI/CTO Calculators • Proposal• References and

Endorsements


Build a Content Plan

• Content is information that is of value to visitor/prospect/customer. Often, they are willing to exchange their contact details to access it

• Different content will be more/less effective depending on the buyers relationship with the company, and their place in the buying journey

• Content can be delivered across multiple channels: • Web• Email• Social media• Mobile• Call center• Offline: direct mail, advertising, events


Keys to Building Content Plan

• Engaging with and building a relationship with prospects and customers

• Providing relevant and timely information based on their needs, not yours

• Content can/should be repurposed for different campaigns and channels (Rule of 4)

• Offers should be developed for a specific persona(s)

• Will aide in a greater velocity in deals through the pipeline

• Marketing and sales should collaborate


Content Matrix Model

Source: Tom Pisello, Content Marketing Institute


Content Blueprint

Buyer Persona/Buying

Stage

Stage 1 Stage2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5

Persona

Persona

Persona

Persona


Takeaways…

• The difference between best-in class companies and laggards is the implementation of the 3 Building Blocks• Buyer Personas• Buyer Process• Content Plan

• Develop these 3 collaboratively with sales

• Roll out demand generation programs and process AFTER these are established


Learn More About Act-On Software

Interested in Demo?+1 (877) [email protected]

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Q&A

Jay HidalgoDemand Gen Coach@jayhidalgo

3 building blocks for accelerating demand generation

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