Lead Generation vs. Demand generation: Stop Being Confused

For most people content marketing is ALL about marketing content That is partially right. However, we cannot ignore the advanced nuances of content marketing which focuses on the purpose of creating content and different strategies to achieve it. In this post, we will focus on two significant purposes of content marketing: 

Demand Generation and Lead Generation. B2B marketers often use lead generation and demand generation interchangeably. That’s sad. If they do not realize the difference between the two, how are they suppose to carry it out for you? Ouch!  But, marketers often forget the difference between the two gen-twins because they use similar content and tactics to drive results. For example, you can use blogs as a part of lead generation as well as demand generation. Understanding the difference between lead generation vs. demand generation is crucial to your business if you want to scale your content marketing initiatives to the next level.  So lets discuss a few differences between the lead generation vs. demand generation and analyze how content marketing is different for both.  

Must Read: 9 demand generation books every marketing expert should read

Do you know what this is?

 Of course, a horse cart! But, there is more to it. Keep wondering for just a few seconds!  Don’t (already) roll your eyes, I will explain it.  

What is demand generation?

Demand generation, as the name suggests, drives awareness for your product/services.   What is the first thing we do when we need to buy a new product? Google it?  

As the customers rely more and more on their research, marketers will continuously be engaged in content marketing. By creating content for every level of the buyer’s journey, a brand or a business can expand its reach and influence their customers. It is simple. If you address a pain point of your customer through content, they are likely to consume your product or services later.  

Must Read: Top 6 Demand Generation Strategies Which Work!

What am I getting at?

The goal of any demand generation campaign is to increase the awareness for your content and shape the perception of your business.  If you are still scratching your head, this example will clarify it. A demand generation campaign would market content without you having to give any information or fill out any form. Blog posts are a good example of this.

Must Read: How the lead generation in USA market differ from the rest of the world

What is lead generation?

Lead generation focuses on interest. If it was a lead generation campaign, you would give content in return of information (like contact details, name, your designation etc). Your focus will be on gathering information about that visitor and nurture them into qualified leads (Sales qualified or Marketing qualified). The content which is typically offered as a part of the lead generation campaign are ebooks, white papers, reports, webinars etc. The reason is quite simple – neither of us will part away with our contact information unless somebody is providing us with data which isn’t available for free. Any visitor who is willingly giving you the details is most likely one of your target audience. It is safe to say that lead generation will have a tougher time without a good demand generation strategy. And you know what happens without a good lead generation campaign.  Getting back to the horse cart. The horse cart is the perfect depiction of how demand generation and lead generation work. A good marketer should never place lead generation (cart) before demand generation (horse).

Where do we see them in sales funnel?

According to Arts Store Front, a sales funnel is the buying process that your typical customers go through in order to make a purchase, like so:

Picture by ArtsStoreFrontIf you notice, the first stage is awareness and the second stage in interest. This is how the gen-sisters should be placed for best results.  

Lead Generation Vs. Demand Generation: Putting it all together

By now you would have realized that lead generation and demand generation are not mutually exclusive but interdependent. You need a combination of both to succeed in your content marketing efforts. Before penning down any content marketing strategy ask yourself – do you want to cast a wide net that catches as many fish or you want to catch the interested fish?    

Must Read: 17 Types of Crazy Leads Generation Methods