If you have recently established a business that provides a wide range of goods and services, then you need people to start purchasing your products – here comes a common small business challenge. How to generate demand and brand awareness to attract more people and convert more visitors into customers.
The generation of leads or customers should not be your primary goal as a new brand. Instead, concentrate on raising brand awareness to create demand for your product.
That’s why we have created this comprehensive SMB demand generation guide to provide you with the most effective tactics you need to know and implement for your brand to raise brand awareness.
Definition of demand generation
Demand generation, also known as “demand gen,” is a marketing tactic used by companies to increase demand for their goods or services by raising consumer awareness of their brand through advertisements, social media, and other means in their intended market.
Therefore, the purpose of demand generation is to raise awareness of your brand, product, or service, as well as the issues that people are facing and the solutions you can provide. You would produce content to discuss your areas of specialty, establish leadership in that field to make people believe in your brand, and pique their interest in what you have to offer.
Demand generation vs. lead generation
Let’s first define what lead generation is – by exchanging names and email addresses for a lead magnet (such as an ebook, white paper, or report), leads are acquired through lead generation. The leads are then developed using various platforms, such as email marketing, to persuade them to become paying clients.
The goal of demand generation is to generate interest in your brand so that people will visit your website and social media pages, subscribe to your channels, and share your posts. Therefore, it would be a step above lead generation in the marketing funnel, as you can see.
You don’t think about getting leads; you only think about raising awareness.
You now realize that a demand generation is just a form of awareness-building. Although it’s beneficial if the demand results in leads, your main objective is to establish a positive perception of your brand among consumers. By increasing the number of leads, you can eventually widen the top of your funnel and boost sales.
Why should your SMB use a demand generation strategy?
Increasing brand awareness is the obvious motive. However, brand recognition should not be valued as it affects consumers’ choices. People are more likely to turn to you when they need something, rather than purchasing from a company they have never heard of if they are aware of the kinds of products you offer.
Additionally, brand awareness can assist you in saving money on lead generation. Without first creating demand, the majority of brands waste money trying to increase lead generation. Leads will come to you if your brand is well-known because they are aware that you offer what they need.
5 Most Effective Strategies
1. Email marketing
One of the most uncomplicated and effective marketing strategies for demand generation is by using email marketing. The idea is to consistently appear in people’s inboxes and provide them with pertinent content.
As demonstrated in the aforementioned example, you can send newsletters to distribute such educational content with a tiny bit of self-promotion inside the emails. When they need your products or services, they can recall your name and what you do by thinking of your email.
2. Blogging and Lead Magnets
One of the most popular types of demand generation marketing collateral you can produce to increase your online visibility, draw in your target audience, and establish credibility is a blog.
You can create blog posts that provide useful information to your target audience and deal with their problems. You can establish yourself as an industry thought leader by educating people and addressing their problems.
Additionally, they are more likely to return to you in the future for additional solutions.
Therefore, blogging aids in demand generation.
People are more aware of your brand and the content or solutions you offer as a result.
Make sure to give customers opportunities to become leads as you begin utilizing these demand generation techniques. To convert website visitors, create lead magnets. For instance, you could provide customers with a beneficial eBook for free. Encourage them to enter their email in a form so they can download the PDF.
On your website, you can also use lead magnets like chatbots, pop-up forms, and others. Make sure your website is responsive to mobile devices and quick to load as you add lead magnets to it. Otherwise, visitors might leave without making a conversion. For assistance getting started, contact a seasoned B2B demand generation company.
3. Social Media Marketing
Think about your social media marketing strategy if you want to increase brand recognition online. Your audience can be entertained and educated with the aid of social media. Keep in mind that educating your audience may aid in creating demand.
To increase your online visibility, use social media. You’ll increase brand recognition and credibility. To post intriguing, timely, and engaging content to your audience, use a variety of social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, and YouTube. Similar to blog posts, you can research your audience’s needs, identify their problems, and offer solutions.
Through organic and paid channels, social media offers you fantastic opportunities for broad reach. Therefore, if you can establish a strong social media presence, you can raise brand awareness.
Send customers to your website so they can learn more about your product or service. On social media, users also share user-generated content. Consumers can talk about their interactions with your company.
4. Maximize your brand awareness
Look at your brand before implementing demand generation marketing. Assure the distinctiveness and originality of your brand. If not, building brand awareness might be difficult.
Before customers even learn that you are in business, it may take more than 5 impressions.
You won’t continue to be top-of-mind if you aren’t building brand awareness.
As a result, you might have trouble creating a market for your products.
Instead, discuss your branding with a seasoned B2B demand generation company. Your: are part of your brand by emphasizing on your unique value proposition, mission and vision statement, logo and font styles, choice of color, images, and other assets.
You can distinguish your business from competitors by creating a distinctive brand. Your customers can easily recognize and remember your business when they look for your product or service.
When building your brand, put the most emphasis on your distinctive value proposition. Focusing on your value could help you create a demand for your offerings by highlighting what you can provide that consumers can’t get elsewhere.
Building brand recognition and awareness is essential to your demand generation strategy. Soon you’ll be able to begin keeping your regular, devoted clients. Actually, a devoted customer is worth ten one-time buyers.
Even a 2% increase in retention rates could result in a 10% cost reduction. You can raise ROI and begin expanding your company.
5. Measure the effectiveness of your SMB demand generation efforts
As you employ these SMB demand generation techniques, be sure to assess your progress. Which tactics are generating leads for you, and which posts are engaging your target audience?
Make future decisions based on the data you have collected.
As you define your key performance indicators, remember to include
- Site Traffic
- Free tool and trial signups
- Lead magnet downloads
- Customer acquisition cost
Tracking your KPIs will help you track your progress.
Conclusion
You can also try webinars or interviews with industry thought leaders to establish your prominence in the industry field and that your brand is knowledgeable about the subject matter. Through industry thought leaders, try to provide solutions to some issues your audience is currently experiencing and to show them how to get past those issues.
You can also collaborate with influencers and micro-influencers so that you don’t have to focus on the big names. This is so because micro-influencers can form a more personal and genuine relationship with your customers.
Because people are more likely to believe and try out products recommended by the influencers they follow, influencers can help you increase brand awareness and credibility. This will increase awareness and demand while utilizing the effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing.
At Sootra, we specialize in strategizing demand generation for our client’s unique business needs. Our experts with years of expertise in demand generation can help you with thorough assistance from the start to success.
If you seek some professional help to get started with SMB demand generation, then let Sootra Consulting guide you. All you need is to ask or send us your business information or email requirements at support@sootraconsulting.com. So, let’s start talking!
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