If you're a B2B marketer, you're probably familiar with the pressure of creating demand for your product or service. You might even have heard the old adage that "demand creation is a linear, predictable, instantaneous, and infinitely repeatable process." Unfortunately, that just isn't true. In this article, we'll break down what demand creation really entails and what you can expect when implementing it.
The Short-Term Gains
When companies hire a marketing leader, they often expect quick results. And while there are some short-term gains you can achieve, they will depend on how much of your target market is already solution-aware. This means that they know they have a problem they want to solve, but they may not yet know about your product or service. To capture these leads, you need to be there and make sure they know you're the solution.
However, it's not as simple as just putting in money and receiving good leads. Established brands may have issues with reputation or association with other products, while smaller brands may struggle with building trust, especially in the enterprise market.
Saturation Point
At some point, you'll reach a saturation point where the number of relevant prospects that are solution-aware is maxed out. This is when you need to start mobilizing more of the target market to restock the "fish in the pond." To do this, you'll need to turn to prospects that are problem-aware but don't know there's a solution.
Demand Creation
This is where demand creation comes into play. Many companies make the mistake of assuming that everyone is solution-aware and use messaging like "We're Acme Co. and we sell dynamite. Want a demo?" This completely overlooks the target of the messaging and is not effective.
The job of marketing in this case is to radically educate those in the market that are problem-aware about the solution. You don't even need to talk about your company or product. Sell them the solution, and then when they need help solving their problem, they'll think of you.
A Process, Not an Instantaneous Result
Demand creation is a process, and it takes time. It's like farming - you have to turn over the soil, plant some seeds, water them, give them some fertilizer and sunlight, and then eventually, you can harvest your crops. But all the time, effort, and money invested are necessary to get to that point.
The Truth About Demand Creation
Demand creation is not a linear, predictable, instantaneous, and infinitely repeatable process. It's dependent on many factors and can take time to see results. The return on investment of your efforts may be unclear for some time, but with patience and persistence, you can achieve success.
Wrapping up
It's important to understand that demand creation is not a quick fix. It's a process that requires time, effort, and investment. But with the right strategy and execution, you can achieve the demand you need for your product or service.
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