If you're looking to grow your business and increase revenue, having a high-performing demand generation team is essential. But how do you structure a demand generation team, and what roles should it include? In this article, we'll explore the key components of a demand gen team structure, the roles and responsibilities of each team member, the main demand generation categories, and the metrics that demand generation teams measure.

How to Structure a Demand Generation Team

A demand generation team is a marketing team that typically consists of several roles, each with a unique set of responsibilities. Here are the most common roles you'll find in a demand gen team structure:

‍

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) plays a crucial role in the demand generation marketing team. The CMO is typically responsible for developing and implementing the overall marketing strategy for the company, which includes demand generation efforts. They are the top-level decision-makers and oversee the entire marketing department, including the demand generation team.

In the demand generation marketing team, the CMO usually serves as the team leader or manager. They are responsible for ensuring that the team is aligned with the company's marketing goals and objectives. The CMO sets the tone for the team, establishes performance expectations, and provides direction and guidance to team members. They are responsible for ensuring that the team has the necessary resources and tools to succeed.

The CMO also plays a critical role in the collaboration between the demand generation team and other teams in the company, such as the sales team. They ensure that the demand generation team is aligned with the sales team's needs, and that they are providing qualified leads that the sales team can convert into customers.

‍
In addition to leadership and collaboration, the CMO also plays a role in the demand generation team's budgeting and resource allocation. They are responsible for allocating resources, such as budget and personnel, to ensure that the demand generation team has what they need to meet their goals.

‍
Overall, the CMO is an essential member of the demand generation marketing team. They provide leadership, guidance, and resources to ensure that the team is aligned with the company's marketing goals and objectives. They collaborate with other teams in the company, such as the sales team, to ensure that the demand generation efforts are aligned with the company's overall goals.

• Demand Generation Manager: The manager is responsible for overseeing the entire demand generation process, from developing the strategy to executing the marketing campaigns.
• Strategist: The strategist is responsible for developing the demand generation strategy, including identifying the target audience, developing buyer personas, and determining the best messaging and touchpoints.
• Marketing Manager: The marketing manager is responsible for executing the demand generation campaigns, including managing the team members and coordinating with other stakeholders.
• Content Marketer: The content marketer is responsible for creating the content used in demand generation campaigns, such as whitepapers, case studies, and webinars.
• Product Marketer: The product marketer is responsible for promoting the company's products and services through demand generation initiatives.
• Marketing Operations: The marketing operations team is responsible for the technology and tools used in demand generation, such as CRM and marketing automation software.
• Outreach: The outreach team is responsible for reaching out to potential customers through channels like email marketing, social media, and LinkedIn.
• Sales Team: The sales team works closely with the demand gen team to convert leads into customers, and to ensure that the demand generation marketing efforts align with the sales cycle to optimize lead nurturing.

The Main Demand Generation Categories

There are three main categories of demand generation: inbound, outbound, and account-based marketing (ABM).

1. Inbound: Inbound demand generation focuses on attracting potential customers to your website or other online properties through search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and other tactics.
2. Outbound: Outbound demand generation focuses on reaching out to potential customers through channels like email marketing, social media, and outbound sales calls.
3. ABM: Account-based marketing (ABM) is a targeted approach to demand generation that focuses on a specific set of high-value accounts, with personalized messaging and touchpoints.

Metrics to Measure for Demand Generation Teams

Demand generation teams measure a variety of metrics to assess the effectiveness of their campaigns. Here are some of the most important metrics to track:

1. MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads): These are leads that have shown interest in your company's products or services and are deemed ready for further engagement from the sales team.
2. SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads): These are leads that have been deemed qualified by the sales team and are ready to be contacted directly.
3. Conversion Rates: These are the percentages of website visitors or leads that convert into MQLs, SQLs, or customers.
4. ROI: This is the return on investment from your demand generation efforts, and is calculated by dividing the revenue generated by the cost of the marketing campaigns.

Best Practices for Demand Generation Marketing

To build a successful demand generation strategy, there are several best practices to keep in mind:

1. Target the Right Audience: Identify your target market and develop buyer personas to ensure that your messaging and touchpoints resonate with your potential customers.
2. Optimize Messaging and Touchpoints: Develop messaging and touchpoints that align with the buyer's journey and address their pain points.

Once you have identified your target audience and developed buyer personas, it's important to develop messaging and touchpoints that align with the buyer's journey and address their pain points. This involves creating content and marketing campaigns that speak directly to the needs and interests of your potential customers.

Content marketing is an important component of demand generation. Creating whitepapers, case studies, and webinars that showcase your thought leadership and expertise can help establish your brand as a trusted authority in your industry. This can lead to increased brand awareness and credibility, which can ultimately drive more leads and sales.

In addition to creating content, demand generation teams must also be skilled at using marketing automation tools to execute campaigns and track performance. This involves setting up landing pages, email marketing campaigns, and lead scoring systems to ensure that the most qualified leads are passed on to the sales team.

Metrics are also an important part of demand generation. Teams should measure key performance indicators such as MQLs (marketing qualified leads), SQLs (sales qualified leads), conversion rates, and overall ROI (return on investment) for marketing activities. This data can be used to optimize campaigns and inform future marketing strategy.

Overall, the demand generation team structure should be designed to support the sales cycle and drive revenue growth. Whether you're working for a startup or an established enterprise, having a dedicated team focused on demand generation can make a significant impact on your bottom line.

In terms of team structure, demand generation teams typically include a mix of different skill sets, including content creators, strategists, marketing managers, and digital marketing experts. Depending on the size of your organization and your marketing needs, you may also want to consider bringing in outside consultants or agencies to provide additional support.

To ensure that your demand generation initiatives are successful, it's important to have a clear strategy in place. This includes understanding your target market, developing buyer personas, creating content and marketing campaigns that align with the buyer's journey, and using metrics to track performance and optimize your approach.

In conclusion, demand generation is a critical component of any marketing strategy. By focusing on lead generation, brand awareness, and overall revenue growth, demand generation teams can help drive business success. With the right team structure, skill sets, and marketing tools in place, your organization can achieve significant results through effective demand generation marketing.