- name:
- demand-lifecycle
- description:
- Use this skill for the demand lifecycle model — how B2B buyers move from unaware to in-market and what paid media's job is at each stage.
The Demand Lifecycle
Overview
The Demand Lifecycle is a comprehensive framework for planning and executing B2B go-to-market programs across the entire buyer journey - not just up to conversion.
Why the 5-Stage Demand Engine?
The 5-Stage Demand Engine replaces traditional TOFU/MOFU/BOFU because the traditional funnel only plans up to conversion, but in B2B reaching all points in the buyer's journey matters. The 5-Stage Demand Engine plans across all lifecycle stages past initial conversion.
The 5-Stage Demand Engine
1. Create (Build brand affinity & trust)
Outcome: Build brand affinity & trust
Awareness Level: Unaware, Problem Aware
Offers: Educational content & thought leadership
Tactics: Boosting content with sponsored paid social ads
KPIs: Cost per consumption, blended cost per opportunity
2. Capture (Convert interest from in-market buyers)
Outcome: Convert interest from in-market buyers
Awareness Level: Solution Aware, Product Aware
Offers: Demo requests, free trials
Tactics: Bidding on high intent keywords, paid listings, retargeting
KPIs: Pipe-to-spend, direct cost per opportunity, ROI
3. Accelerate (Sales Led) / Activate (Product Led)
Outcome: Help sales close deals faster / get free users to convert
Awareness Level: Product Aware, Offer Aware
Offers: Testimonials, case studies, events, webinars
Tactics: Sponsored paid social ads
KPIs: Pipeline velocity, paid signups
4. Revive (Restart closed lost opportunities)
Outcome: Restart closed lost opportunities
Awareness Level: Offer Aware
Offers: Incentivized demo requests, guided trials
Tactics: LinkedIn conversation ads
KPIs: SQOs created, blended cpSQO
5. Expand (Drive revenue from existing customers)
Outcome: Drive revenue from existing customers
Awareness Level: Most Aware
Offers: Referral program, Certification program
Tactics: Sponsored newsletters/partnerships
KPIs: Influenced SQOs created, Expansion revenue
Eugene Schwartz's Stages of Awareness
This is the foundation that determines which stage a prospect belongs to. The process a customer goes through before purchase:
- Unaware: No clue they even have a problem. Example: blissfully mismanaging customer relationships with no system.
- Problem Aware: Know they have a problem but not sure how to solve it. Example: realize managing customer relationships is important but don't know how.
- Solution Aware: Need help deciding on the right solution. Example: should I use Google Sheets, a filing cabinet, or a CRM?
- Product Aware: Know of your brand/product but not sure if you're the best option. Example: comparing Salesforce vs HubSpot vs Pipedrive.
- Offer Aware: Know of your brand and exactly how you can help but need nudging. Example: pricing discounts, better contract terms, customer references.
- Most Aware: Existing customers, familiar with your brand and working with you. Example: referral program.
How Awareness Maps to the 5-Stage Demand Engine
- Create --> Unaware + Problem Aware
- Capture --> Solution Aware + Product Aware
- Accelerate/Activate --> Offer Aware (need to get them over the finish line)
- Revive --> Offer Aware (previously evaluated, fell through the cracks)
- Expand --> Most Aware (existing customers)
Key Principles
- You don't have to build a full-funnel strategy at once
- Build bottom-up for quickest ROI: expand --> revive --> accelerate/activate --> capture --> create
- The target audience's awareness level determines the stage
- No one knows for certain where someone is in their buyer's journey - use best judgment