{"id":12346,"date":"2017-05-24T16:41:37","date_gmt":"2017-05-24T16:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/directiveconsulting.com\/uk\/?p=12346"},"modified":"2024-05-23T07:42:36","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T11:42:36","slug":"difference-b2b-demand-gen-lead-gen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directiveconsulting.com\/uk\/blog\/difference-b2b-demand-gen-lead-gen\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference Between B2B Demand Gen & B2B Lead Gen (Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse)"},"content":{"rendered":"

B2B marketers frequently\u00a0use the terms “demand generation<\/a>” and “lead generation<\/a>” interchangeably. As vague and confusing as they may sound, they do not actually refer to the same thing. Two different terms, two different meanings! In this post, I will focus on the individual value of each tactic and how striking a balance between them can empower your\u00a0<\/a>B2B marketing strategy<\/a><\/u>.<\/p>\n

Demand Generation Versus Lead Generation<\/h2>\n

Demand generation<\/a><\/u>\u00a0drives awareness and interest in a company’s product and services. The goal is to drive closed business with minimal interaction with the consumer or business you’re targeting.<\/p>\n

If that definition makes little sense to you (and rightfully\u00a0so), the key takeaway is awareness<\/em>. Demand generation uses targeted marketing programs to drive brand awareness\u00a0<\/em>and interest.<\/p>\n

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A demand gen campaign will market sharable content, often without requiring the reader to complete a call to action<\/a> (CTA). Thus, a demand gen campaign prioritizes reach. It is less focused on gathering immediate leads and\/or contact information.<\/p>\n

Lead generation<\/a><\/u>, on the other hand, drives interest or inquiry into products or services. The goal here is to collect qualified connections to build relationships to nurture. Your sales team needs contact information to follow up and close the deal.<\/p>\n

Therefore, lead generation focuses its efforts towards collecting names and contact information for future follow-up.<\/p>\n

These campaigns center their content around a call to action, motivating readers to record their information before accessing the content\u00a0<\/a>(\u201cWant to read this awesome eBook? Fill out this form for a free download!\u201d).<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

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Lead generation campaigns typically\u00a0require\u00a0direct collaboration with your sales team\u2014due to the resulting longer sales cycles, sales interactions, or negotiations necessary to convert leads to a close. Your\u00a0<\/a>marketing and sales teams should be working together<\/u><\/a>\u00a0to nurture leads to encourage closing sales.<\/p>\n

Examples of Demand & Lead Generation in Consumer Terms, Without the Semantics<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m scrolling through featured Snapchat content, as I typically\u00a0do to avoid productivity at all costs, and suddenly\u00a0an unprompted advertisement flashes across my screen.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a glossy ad featuring Kim Kardashian and a few other pop-culture staples, pushing brand awareness for E Network. It is immediately recognizable and draws the reader (shamefully, me) right in. Now that <\/em>is the demand generation component of this E Network marketing campaign:<\/p>\n