Demand Gen vs Lead Gen
Create demand before you capture it.
Explanation
Lead generation focuses on capturing people who are already looking for solutions like yours through forms, gated content, and qualifying leads. Demand generation creates awareness of problems people didn't know they had and educates them about new solutions. Most B2B companies focus entirely on lead gen but struggle because there isn't enough existing demand to capture.
Real-World Example
Gong created demand by teaching 'revenue intelligence' before selling it. Produced ungated content about sales conversations. When people understood the problem, Gong was obvious solution. Lead gen would have failed—no one was searching for their category.
How to Apply
Split budget: 60% demand creation, 40% demand capture. Demand gen: Ungated content, podcasts, events, education. Build audience before selling. Lead gen: SEO, paid search, retargeting—for those already interested. Measure: Branded search volume, direct traffic, word of mouth.