The landscape for marketing agencies is a dynamic environment. It is relentless in its pursuit of the next creative peak and unforgiving of plateaus. Technology advancements are changing client expectations. Today’s savvy clients demand that agencies not only differentiate, but also monetize their creative endeavors. There are some moments in time when steps are taken, and there are some moments in time when jumps are made. This is one of those moments.
Demand Generation is a revenue-focused business philosophy that impacts revenue through awareness, education, differentiation and monetization of creative content.
Marketing Automation is a technology solution that supports the marketing and sales process by capturing leads, defining criteria that determines the relevant content to provide to leads, and then nurtures those leads to become a sale. In essence, it is generating demand.
Demand Generation is part of a mostly Inbound Marketing strategy in which marketers provide valuable information to the right prospect at the right time with the prospect coming to you.
Demand Generation is an emerging business service that collects web analytics and drives awareness, interest, and sales, for a brand or idea through the targeted use of creative content. The tool used to manage this process is a Marketing Automation (MA) platform. MA tools support the marketing and sales process to manage leads then apply criteria that determines proper content to provide the prospect, and nurtures those leads to become a sale. The combined engine that feeds this process takes creative and analytic staff along with fresh, relevant and creative content. This is exactly the capability agile agencies are suited to provide.
Considering a New Revenue Stream?
When considering a new revenue stream, it’s important to make an informed decision. Agencies need to consider their own organizational readiness and resources. They must investigate the tools and techniques that exist within the space and then develop a supportable business case. Multiple sources of information exist on the case for Demand Generation and MA. Tools to support the effort run the gamut of simple collection tools to fully-integrated white label marketing automation solutions that allow agencies to define and brand their MA efforts under their creative direction.
We recommend you consider the following information to determine if Demand Generation is in your near term.
- Are you looking for a growth oriented service to provide your clients?
- Do you have technically savvy staff?
- Are you willing to grow your staff capabilities to include non-creative roles such as analyst, technologists, account manager, implementation manager?
- Does your client rely on you for strategy or are you their tactical arm?
- Does your agency want to move from ‘order taker’ to a more strategic role with you client?
- Do you have clients with complex, expensive or highly regulated products or services?
- Do your clients view you as a partner in their brand awareness or marketing efforts?
- Do you have the ability to provide great creative to your client on a consistent basis that is tied to a system that monitors, measures and reports on its results?
- Does your agency interface directly with your client’s Director of Marketing or Chief Marketing Officer?
- Have you investigated MA tools and are you willing to recommend the right tool for your client regardless of the vendor?
When you are able to answer yes to most of these questions, you’ll be on your way to providing your clients with the right Demand Generation solution to meet their needs. Demand Generation solutions increase revenue for clients and agencies alike. Agencies that can provide Demand Generation services now are novel, unique and perfectly suited to capitalize on this emerging market.
