19 Apr

Effective B2B demand generation should not be complicated

Resurrecting the KISS Rule for Successful Demand Generation

Richard Branson certainly doesn’t need more publicity, but when I read this Q&A article in Time Magazine, one of his answers really caught my eye:

Q. Has your dyslexia hindered you in the business world? —Skye O’Brien, Dartmouth, Mass.

A. Strangely, I think my dyslexia has helped. When I launch a new company, I need to understand the advertising. If I can understand it, then I believe anybody can. Virgin speaks in normal language instead of using phrases that nobody understands, like “financial-service industry.”

 Although Sir Richard (yes, he’s been knighted) was speaking mostly about the message, that old military acronym, “keep it simple stupid” (or KISS) applies equally to the demand generation (DG) process as well.

Unfortunately, with the advent of sophisticated CRM and sales automation tools, we are seeing a tendency to over-think and over-complicate the DG process or to rely too heavily on technology as a “silver bullet.” With marketing staffs stretched painfully thin in an era of limited resources, this is understandable. In this environment, people will naturally look at anything that promises to automate processes and produce superior results.

Technology, no matter how sophisticated, is merely a tool, not a substitute for sound DG strategy and implementation. At its core, successful demand generation can always be boiled down to six basic processes:  (1) Targeting, (2) Engagement, (3) Qualification, (4) Nurturing, (5) Tracking, and (6) Reporting.

 Technology, properly applied, can help simplify and accelerate these processes. However, if these processes are not already in place, technology will only “muddy the water.”