How to Drive Growth with Demand Generation

If you’ve been in B2B marketing for a while, you’ve probably heard the term demand generation tossed around a lot lately. And for good reason.

With buyers consuming content on their terms and timelines, traditional outbound tactics are losing ground. Demand gen has emerged as a sustainable strategy to engage modern B2B buyers early in their purchasing journey and nurture them toward conversion.

Let’s be clear, though; demand generation isn’t about pushing your product to as many people as possible or tricking buyers into a sales call. It’s about helping the right people realize they have a problem, and showing them how you can solve it.

That’s why more and more B2B companies—especially those with long, complex sales cycles—are turning to b2b demand gen strategies. Getting someone to complete a form is not the only goal, but also to generate lasting, significant interest.

So, how do you build a strategy that delivers, not just clicks? Let’s break it down.

What is Demand Generation?

Demand generation is a strategic program designed to create awareness, build interest, and guide potential buyers through a non-linear, often self-directed journey—from “never heard of you” to “let’s talk.”

Your goal is to educate, engage, and stay visible, so when a buyer finally reaches a decision point, your brand is already top of mind.

Platforms like Google Ads have evolved to support this approach through Demand Gen campaigns. Unlike traditional search ads, these appear across visual, behaviorally targeted channels such as YouTube, Gmail, and Google Discover. They’re designed to meet buyers where they already are—whether browsing for inspiration or researching a challenge.

It’s not “buy now.” It’s more like, “Here’s something useful you might care about.”

That shift is what makes demand generation so powerful, as it creates the conditions for leads to come to you rather than you having to chase them.

What Does Enterprise B2B Demand Generation Look Like?

When selling to enterprise-level organizations, demand generation goes far beyond one-off campaigns or gated content.

Enterprise b2b demand gen is about creating a long-term presence. You’re not just generating leads—you’re building market authority across entire buying committees. From SEO to analyst reports to executive roundtables, the approach is layered, strategic, and ongoing.

One key difference? You’re delivering value long before anyone fills out a form. It’s about establishing trust at every stage, using personalized content, smart targeting, and a deep understanding of your buyer’s priorities and pain points.

And yet, nearly 68% of B2B businesses still struggle with lead generation. This makes a case for stronger, more intentional demand gen frameworks that drive interest earlier in the buyer’s journey.

See why B2B companies choose Callbox as a demand generation agency partner.

The Demand Generation Funnel and How It Works

To understand demand generation’s impact, it’s helpful to contrast it with related strategies:

• Lead Generation captures contact information—often through gated assets.
• Inbound Marketing draws people in with educational content.
• Demand Generation combines these and more to create demand before capturing it.

A Typical B2B Demand Generation Funnel:

If you’re wondering how this all ties together, think of demand generation as a layered funnel. It’s not linear, and it’s not fast—but it is effective.

1. Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): Create awareness through thought leadership, social media, podcasts, and media placements.
2. Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): Build interest with webinars, interactive content, retargeting, and email nurturing.
3. Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): Enable conversion through product demos, case studies, and personalized outreach.

So, where does lead gen fit into this? It’s part of the process—but it’s not the whole story. Lead generation captures contact information. Demand generation creates the need for that contact to begin with.

The best demand gen strategies don’t operate in silos. For example, a buyer may read a blog (inbound), receive a personalized email (outbound), and then attend a webinar before ever engaging with sales.

In this sense, demand generation isn’t a replacement for lead gen or inbound—it’s the framework that unifies them.

See how Callbox Demand Generation generated 100+ sales appointments for a financial firm.

Building a Demand Generation Strategy That Works

A high-performing demand generation strategy doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on a clear understanding of your audience and a well-coordinated plan to guide them from awareness to action.

Let’s break down the key strategies that make demand gen work and how you can apply them to fuel long-term growth.

1. Know Your Target Audience

Every strong demand gen program starts with a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). But this isn’t just about listing industries or job titles. You need to dig deeper.

• What problems are your buyers trying to solve?
• Who influences the decision?
• What triggers them to start looking for a solution?

Take time to map out not just the decision-maker, but the buying committee—champions, blockers, and influencers included.

For example, a data security solution may need to win over both the CISO and the compliance officer. When you understand these dynamics, your messaging becomes more transparent and more effective.

2. Create Content That Educates and Builds Trust

At the top of the funnel, your job isn’t to sell—it’s to help. Focus on creating educational content that answers questions, simplifies complex concepts, and offers valuable insights. This could be blog posts, industry guides, or webinars that address common pain points.

Let’s say you’re marketing a SaaS platform to operations leaders. Instead of pitching your product directly, publish a guide like “5 Signs Your Workflow is Costing You Time and Money.” This builds awareness and trust, positioning your brand as a resource, not just a vendor.

3. Be Everywhere Your Buyers Are

Buyers don’t live on one channel—and neither should your strategy. From search engines to social feeds, inboxes to industry events, your audience is everywhere. A cohesive multi-channel approach ensures that your message lands—wherever your buyers happen to be.

Imagine this journey: a prospect discovers your blog via Google, sees a LinkedIn ad a few days later, gets an email invite to a webinar, and then books a demo. When these touchpoints are connected and purposeful, they create a seamless experience that builds credibility and accelerates the funnel.

4. Nurture Leads with Context and Care

Most leads aren’t ready to buy right away, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be. The key is to stay top of mind with nurturing that’s smart, relevant, and timely.

Set up email workflows based on engagement, not just time-based drips. If someone downloaded your pricing guide, follow up with a case study. If they registered for a webinar but didn’t attend, send the recording and a personalized “sorry we missed you” note. Small touches like these show you’re paying attention—and build trust.

5. Align with Sales to Convert Interest into Revenue

You can generate all the leads in the world, but if sales isn’t aligned, they won’t close. That’s why sales and marketing alignment is one of the most important (and often overlooked) components of demand generation.

Work together on defining lead qualification, scoring, and handoff processes. Share insights across teams—what messaging is resonating, which personas are converting, and where objections arise. One simple tactic? Include a lead summary with every sales handoff: what they downloaded, emails they engaged with, and top pain points based on behavior.

Demand generation isn’t about random acts of marketing—it’s about guiding the right buyers with the right message, at the right time. When you put these pieces together, you build a system that not only attracts attention but also converts interest into long-term revenue.

Not sure where to begin, or don’t have the internal bandwidth? This is where a trusted demand generation company can step in. If you’re looking to execute this strategy with expert support, check out our list of Top Demand Generation Agencies for B2B Companies in 2025 to find the right-fit partner for your goals.

Is Demand Generation Inbound or Outbound?

Short answer? It’s both.

While many people associate demand generation with inbound content—such as blogs, SEO, and webinars—outbound marketing also plays a key role. Think about it:

• A prospect reads your blog (inbound)
• A few days later, they get a personalized LinkedIn message or email (outbound)
• They engage with a webinar invite (inbound again)

All of these touchpoints work together to build momentum.

So don’t box yourself into one approach. Demand generation is about delivering the right message on the right channel at the right time—regardless of who initiates the conversation.

Creating Demand Is a Long Game—And It Works

If you’re only measuring success by how many leads you generate this quarter, you’re missing the bigger picture.

Demand generation isn’t about chasing short-term wins. It’s about building a foundation for long-term growth—earning attention, building relationships, and staying top of mind until your buyers are ready to make a purchase.

And the good news? When you do it right, the results compound. Your brand becomes more than a name on a vendor list. It becomes a trusted partner.

So, whether you’re planning your next program or rethinking your marketing approach entirely, remember: don’t just capture demand—create it.