Only B2B shifted to a demand generation funnel in the last few years.
Our marketing team saw the increasing importance of driving more qualified inbound opportunities compared to the sheer volume of marketing qualified leads (MQLs).
We figured out that inbound leads work best. They are more valuable. And contributed to a much higher percentage of our closed-won deals.
This hinted us to rework our strategy. Moving away from relying on just MQLs and instead focusing on generating genuine demand.
It helped Only B2B to scale more effectively, driving a higher volume of inbound leads and hitting revenue targets more efficiently.
What is a demand generation funnel?
Table of Contents
The B2B demand generation funnel is the virtual representation of several stages of the customer’s journey.
Demand generation funnel aims to create the demand for the product and services while building brand awareness.
From building brand awareness to converting leads, each stage requires targeted strategies to drive engagement and eventually, purchase.
Let’s take a closer look at each stage of the funnel:
Awareness Stage
At the awareness stage, prospects recognize a need or a problem but are unaware of the solutions available. This stage is about making them aware of your brand and the value you provide.
This also means using the marketing campaigns, content pieces and the channels to educate and engage the audience, creating a positive brand association with potential customers.
In essence, it’s about attracting attention, building awareness, and introducing prospects to your solutions.
Interest Stage
In the interest stage, prospects begin actively seeking information.
At this point, buyers research possible solutions to their problem, read blog posts, download whitepapers, and engage with various types of content.
Your primary goal here is to keep them engaged and nurture their interest in your product or service.
You can also use lead scoring to identify high-value prospects and focus your efforts on them.
Keep in mind the following:
- Relevance: Tailor content to the audience’s needs.
- Timeliness: Align content with the lead’s position in the funnel.
- Consistency: Ensure messaging is consistent across channels.
- Balance: Focus on key strategies without overwhelming prospects.
Consideration Stage
At this stage, prospects are comparing your offerings with those of your competitors.
They are aware of their options and are evaluating which solution best meets their needs.
Your content should differentiate your product by emphasizing your unique selling points (USPs), benefits, and success stories.
Providing case studies and product demonstrations is key to showcasing your solution’s value and moving leads to the next stage.
Intent Stage
Prospect is moving down the funnel. They demonstrate a clear interest in your solution. Yet they are not ready to buy.
Sure, they are narrowing down their options. They might be reviewing final details, such as pricing and features.
It is time to offer personalized attention, resolve any objections, and guide them toward a purchase decision.
Here you’ll want to prioritize sales follow-ups and objection handling. This is where AI helps. How? AI-driven insights can help sales teams prioritize the leads closest to conversion.
Decision Stage
In the decision stage, prospects are ready to make a purchase. They’ve completed their evaluation and are now poised to become customers.
This make-or-break stage and demands swift action from your sales team to close the deal and ensure a smooth transition from prospect to customer.
Done, no need to nurture. Common mistake. Closing the sale is not the end of the funnel. You need to follow up. Offer personalized customer success strategies to ensure long-term satisfaction and loyalty.
Key Strategies for Each Stage of the Funnel
Now that we’ve outlined the stages of the B2B demand generation funnel, let’s dive into the key strategies you can implement at each stage to optimize conversions.
Awareness Stage
As discussed, this stage is about building brand awareness and capturing the attention of potential leads who are unfamiliar with your brand.
The idea here is not to sell but deliver the educational and valuable message to the prospect to build the relationship with the prospective leads.
a. Content Marketing
Content marketing educate your audience and provide them with valuable information about their pain points.
Is content marketing just about blog posts? No, it shouldn’t be. It should also include infographics, videos, podcasts, and interactive content.
By offering diverse formats, you can better engage wide types of audiences.
Your content marketing should focus on:
- Consistently generating high-quality content
- Creating content that resonates with your audience
- Measuring content marketing effectiveness
b. Social Media
Another powerful tool to boost visibility. And when B2B – LinkedIn and Twitter are particularly effective.
Is social media only for brand awareness? Absolutely no. Infact social media can also drive leads and nurture prospects through engagement.
So, don’t overlook it. Use these channels to share your content, engage with your audience, and build relationships.
c. Paid Advertising
Use targeted paid advertising campaigns such as Google Ads or LinkedIn Ads to drive traffic to your website.
These ads can reach new audiences who may not be familiar with your brand but are searching for relevant solutions.
d. Public Relations
PR and media coverage build credibility and expand your reach. Publishing press releases and earning mentions in reputable industry outlets helps raise brand awareness.
Interest Stage
Here the goal is to keep leads engaged by providing valuable information relevant to their needs.
a. Lead Nurturing
Lead nurturing at this stage is key. Use email drip campaigns and automated workflows to provide content tailored to their interests.
b. Email Marketing
Segment your email list to send targeted content like newsletters, webinars, or case studies that educate and engage prospects.
c. Webinars and Events
Host webinars or virtual events to directly engage with prospects and showcase your expertise on industry topics, building credibility and interest in your brand.
d. Personalized Content
Create personalized content based on the prospect’s behavior, such as customized reports, guides, or case studies tailored to their specific business challenges.
Consideration Stage
In this stage you’ll want to provide detailed information that helps prospects evaluate and understand the value of your solution.
a. Product Demonstrations
Offer live or recorded product demos to show how your solution works, especially for complex B2B products.
b. Case Studies
Share case studies that highlight successful outcomes with similar clients, providing proof that you can solve your prospect’s challenges.
c. Free Trials or Demos
Offering free trials or demos lets prospects experience your solution firsthand, reducing perceived risk and demonstrating its value.
Intent Stage
Build trust and help prospects take the final steps toward a purchasing decision.
a. Sales Follow-Up
Direct, personalized outreach from your sales team is essential to answering prospects’ questions and finalizing the decision.
b. Objections Handling
Prepare to address common objections like pricing or scalability. To do this equip your sales team with clear responses to overcome potential barriers.
c. Negotiation
Effective negotiation is key to finding terms that work for both sides, ensuring a smooth deal closure.
Decision Stage
Finally close the deal and establish a foundation for long-term success.
a. Closing Techniques
Sales teams should use strategies like the assumptive close or scarcity close to nudge prospects toward a final decision.
b. Post-Purchase Follow-Up
After closing the deal, continue building the relationship through post-purchase follow-up and onboarding support to ensure customer satisfaction.
In Conclusion:
Depending on your industry and audience, certain steps will need to be tailored to fit your unique goals.
At Only B2B, we made the shift from focusing solely on MQLs to generating genuine demand. This change has helped us attract more qualified inbound leads and meet our revenue targets more effectively.
By implementing these strategies, you can refine your own demand generation funnel and drive stronger results for your business. We’d love to hear how demand generation is working for you — let us know how we can help take your funnel to the next level!
Vikas Bhatt is the Co-Founder of ONLY B2B, a premium B2B lead generation company that specializes in helping businesses achieve their growth objectives through targeted marketing & sales campaigns. With 10+ years of experience in the industry, Vikas has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by businesses today and has developed a unique approach to lead generation that has helped clients across a range of industries around the globe. As a thought leader in the B2B marketing community, ONLY B2B specializes in demand generation, content syndication, database services and more.
