Lead generation or demand generation?

Do you know the difference between demand generation and lead generation? We were surprised to hear that many marketers don’t.  Each can play a huge role in driving business growth, but to think of the two as one and the same is a serious misstep that can lead to unsatisfying results.. This month, we’re taking a closer look at how they’re different, how they’re similar and how they each relate to brand success. To kick it off, we’re discussing the relationship and how to know which one will work for your business.

Separating demand generation from lead generation

Demand generation is any activity that creates awareness and interest of your business/product/service, and can include inbound and outbound tactics. Lead generation, on the other hand, is all about using content or other marketing efforts to collect names and contact information. Lead gen is often paired with a lead nurture strategy, where the marketing team and sales team work to  convert those prospects into customers, to generate revenue. Successful lead generation campaigns begin with an established level of brand awareness.

Which should you use?

We’ll be discussing the tactics associated with demand generation and lead generation campaigns later in the month, but for now, you need to know which strategy will work better for your needs. Are you unsure if your current needs should be taken care of through lead generation efforts or a broader demand generation campaign? Consider the following:

• Who are you targeting and are they familiar with your organization?
• Are you looking to gather personal information on specific prospects, or impact a broad population?
• Are you looking to drive sales directly, or to build your brand reputation for increased sales down the road?
• Do you already have a robust community of interest to market to, or is growing one a priority?

Or, if you have a campaign in mind and you aren’t sure how to properly categorize it, ask yourself:

• Am I asking for individuals to exchange their personal information for content? (Lead generation)
• Is this about driving concrete prospects? (Lead generation)
• Is this campaign focused on growing awareness of the brand? (Demand generation)
• Is this about reaching people who have not yet entered the sales funnel? (Demand generation)

Check back every Tuesday and Thursday for a new post on demand generation and lead generation. In the meantime, take a look at our demand generation page for more on how Movéo specifically uses it to drive growth for clients.

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