Demand Creation Programs Falling Flat?

Feeling the pressure to deliver leads? That’s not going away anytime soon. B2B Marketing reports that 85% of marketers face growing pressure to generate more leads. (Personally, we’re wondering where the other 15% work …)

We’re sure you and your team are knee-deep in the process of implementing demand creation programs to reach your lead goals. But are your programs set up for maximum success? To make sure, let’s look at three of the most common pitfalls that can derail marketers’ demand creation programs — so you can avoid them.

1. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Frustrating but true: There are only so many hours in a day. To counteract the inevitable time crunch, many marketers take shortcuts to get their demand creation programs up and running faster. This is especially true in terms of planning. It’s tempting not to spend the time evaluating your metrics from past programs, or setting milestones for your new ones.

Don’t get us wrong: We understand the impulse. 10 or 15 years ago, setting quantifiable marketing goals was nearly impossible. But these days, marketers have a wealth of data at our fingertips. There’s no excuse not to get granular about what you want to achieve — and what it takes to get there.

You know what they say: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

2. Not Defining Responsibilities

Marketing is a team sport, and it takes serious collaboration to achieve the best results. But most teams go through turmoil now and then. New hires. Turnover. Vacations. These factors all create uncertainty about who’s responsible for what.

It doesn’t have to be that way! When you are setting up your next demand creation program, define and document roles and responsibilities for each position on the team. That way, the marketing team can spend less time wondering how to execute a successful program, and more energy doing so. After all, every team knows the benefits of putting in the work beforehand.

Sure, defining responsibilities takes some upfront effort. But the more you practice an effective process, the faster and more efficient you’ll get!

3. Using a Faulty Framework

Maybe you’re new to demand gen. Maybe you’re an experienced pro. Whatever the case, building a demand creation program from the ground up can be challenging. Did you miss a step? Are all the right people involved? It can be tough to tell. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Fortunately, a successful framework doesn’t have to be complicated. The most successful ones are often deceptively simple. Think about what you want from your program — measurable goals, seamless execution, ongoing optimization — and work backward from there.

Plus, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, when you can use an existing framework to get your programs on the right track. Of course, you’ll want to tailor it to your needs. But successful demand creation is easier when you start with proven insight.