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If you’re planning a demand generation strategy for your business, you’ll want to consider the planning process carefully. While your goal should always be to heighten brand awareness, you don’t want to waste your budget on ineffective techniques. Instead, take the time to flesh out your demand generation campaigns.
Here are a few essential elements to consider as you make plans.
Understand What Your Buyers Want
People won’t become your clients unless they have a reason. You’ll need to look past your company to understand your audience’s needs and what will attract them to your business.
Consider the products or services you have to offer. What features do they provide? What will a client gain from purchasing them? Will your products save them time or help them achieve a specific goal?
Competitor research is vital during this stage. There are likely other companies that offer products and services similar to yours. Do some research to understand how they differ from your organization. Look at the features they offer, their pricing strategy, and how they market their items. Identify the key differences you can capitalize on that will help you stand out.
When you know what your buyers are looking for, you’re in a better position to develop demand generation content that resonates with their needs.
Define Your Content Strategies
Most demand generation campaigns revolve around content. Content can mean different things for various businesses. Some companies may focus on articles and blogs, while others may look to videos, podcasts, and e-books to generate interest.
You may find that a variety of content is best for your company. For instance, you might dedicate resources to creating an ongoing series of blog posts. At the same time, you could repurpose your blogs into short instructional videos or develop a long-form educational course.
Once you begin distributing your content, it’s essential to maintain consistency. For example, if you decide to publish two blogs each week, keep it up. If you suddenly cease your efforts, you may discourage potential clients who will wonder if you’re still actively in business.
Consistency is also critical for your company’s social media accounts. While you probably don’t need to post daily, a weekly or biweekly post keeps your brand top of mind with your audience.
Demonstrate Your Value Proposition in Your Landing Pages
A demand generation strategy helps spread awareness of your business, but the ultimate goal is a sale. Most companies connect their content with various landing pages that encourage viewers to purchase.
Your landing page should clearly define what you have to offer to your buyers. Customers shouldn’t need to leave your landing page to find answers to their questions. Instead, they should be able to readily find everything they need to know.
If you have a complex product or service, consider adding an FAQ section that customers can scroll through. You can also include customer testimonials or video product demonstrations to further their understanding.
Experiment with different messaging and calls to action to get optimal results from your landing pages. Remember that what you find appealing may not resonate with your buyers. Track the results from each landing page to determine which one is best.
Test, Test, and Retest
Much of the work that goes into demand generation strategies involves testing and optimizing your campaign. While you don’t want to attempt a spaghetti-on-the-wall approach, where you try everything to see what yields results, you can test different techniques.
For instance, experiential marketing is a popular technique for specific brands. In experiential marketing, the company creates something unique, like a pop-up store or special event, with the primary aim of publicity.
For example, TJ Maxx marched 100 elves through downtown Manhattan to advertise its holiday products. Seeing 100 people dressed as elves will attract lots of attention and potential mentions in the press.
Once you implement a new tactic, carefully analyze your results to track how it’s working. Be ready to make changes to make it more effective. Marketers must often make multiple changes to get the most from their techniques.
Compare the new tactic to your other strategies to determine whether it achieves your goals or whether other advertising methods yield better results.
A Solid Demand Generation Campaign Requires Planning
The key to success in demand generation is planning. Consider your customer’s needs and how your company can meet them. Determine your content strategy, and ensure you have dedicated landing pages that clearly explain what your company offers. With the correct demand generation blueprint, you’ll kickstart an influential campaign in no time.
