What are demand generation tools?
Demand generation tools are software applications that help businesses attract, engage, and convert potential customers into paying ones. They streamline the process of nurturing leads by automating repetitive tasks and providing valuable insights into customer behavior.
Demand generation tools are crucial for businesses in today’s competitive landscape for several reasons:
- Fueling the Sales Funnel: They act like a powerful engine, driving new potential customers (prospects) towards your business. By creating brand awareness and interest, they prime the pump at the top of your sales funnel, ensuring a steady stream of leads.
- Efficiency and Amplification: These tools automate repetitive tasks like email marketing and social media management, freeing up marketing teams to focus on strategic initiatives. This allows them to amplify their reach and impact without being bogged down by administrative burdens.
- Sharper Targeting and Personalization: Many tools offer features for segmentation and personalization. This enables crafting targeted campaigns that resonate with specific audience segments, leading to higher engagement and better conversion rates.
- Data-Driven Insights and Optimization: By tracking and analyzing customer interactions, these tools provide valuable data and insights. Marketers can leverage this information to optimize campaigns, identify what’s working and what’s not, and tailor their approach for maximum effectiveness.
- Improved Lead Quality: Through lead scoring and nurturing automation, demand generation tools help identify high-quality leads. This ensures the sales team focuses on the most promising prospects, improving their efficiency and closing more deals.
- Building Brand Reputation: By consistently delivering valuable content and engaging with potential customers, these tools can help establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry. This fosters trust and positions your business favorably when prospects make buying decisions.
There are many different demand generation tools available, each with its own unique features and benefits. Some of the most popular categories of demand generation tools include:
- Marketing automation: These tools help you automate tasks such as email marketing, lead scoring, and social media marketing.
[Image of Marketing automation demand generation tool] - Content marketing: These tools help you create and manage content that is relevant to your target audience.
[Image of Content marketing demand generation tool] - Social media management: These tools help you schedule and publish social media posts, track your social media performance, and engage with your followers.
[Image of Social media management demand generation tool] - Website analytics: These tools help you track website traffic, understand how visitors interact with your website, and identify areas for improvement.
[Image of Website analytics demand generation tool] - Lead generation: These tools help you capture leads from your website, social media channels, and other marketing campaigns.
[Image of Lead generation demand generation tool] - Customer relationship management (CRM): These tools help you manage your relationships with your leads and customers.
[Image of Customer relationship management (CRM) demand generation tool]
By using demand generation tools, businesses can improve their marketing efficiency, generate more qualified leads, and close more deals.
20 top paid demand generation tools
Here’s a table outlining 20 popular paid demand generation tools, categorized by type, highlighting key features, price range, and providing links to their websites:
| Tool Name | Type | Key Features | Price Range (Monthly) | Popularity | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Marketing Automation | Email marketing, lead scoring, CRM integration | Free – $3,200+ | High | https://www.hubspot.com/ |
| Marketo Engage (Adobe) | Marketing Automation | Lead nurturing, marketing attribution, event management | Contact Sales | High | https://business.adobe.com/products/marketo/marketing-automation.html |
| Salesforce Marketing Cloud | Marketing Automation | Multi-channel marketing, customer journey mapping, personalization | Contact Sales | High | https://www.salesforce.com/products/marketing/ |
| Pardot (Salesforce) | Marketing Automation | B2B marketing automation, lead scoring, web forms | $1,250+ | High | https://go.pardot.com/ |
| SharpSpring | Marketing Automation | Landing pages, email marketing, marketing automation workflows | $449+ | Medium | https://sharpspring.com/ |
| Constant Contact | Email Marketing | Email marketing automation, landing pages, reporting | $9.99 – $499 | High | https://www.constantcontact.com/ |
| ActiveCampaign | Email Marketing | Email marketing automation, marketing automation workflows, CRM | $15 – $219 | Medium | https://www.activecampaign.com/ |
| Mailchimp | Email Marketing | Email marketing automation, landing pages, marketing analytics | Free – $299+ | High | https://mailchimp.com/ |
| Outreach | Sales Engagement | Multi-channel outreach, email sequencing, meeting scheduling | $100 – $400+ | Medium | https://www.outreach.io/ |
| ZoomInfo | Lead Intelligence | Prospect identification, contact data enrichment, account-based marketing | Contact Sales | High | https://www.zoominfo.com/ |
| Leadfeeder | Visitor Identification | Identify website visitors, track company visits, website analytics | €99+ | Medium | https://www.leadfeeder.com/ |
| Unbounce | Landing Page Builder | Landing page creation, A/B testing, lead capture forms | $80 – $300+ | Medium | https://unbounce.com/ |
| Instapage | Landing Page Builder | Mobile-responsive landing pages, heatmaps, integrations | $99 – $799+ | Medium | https://instapage.com/ |
| Leadpages | Landing Page Builder | Drag-and-drop landing page builder, popups, alert bars | $27 – $79 | Medium | https://www.leadpages.com/ |
| Clearbit | Lead Intelligence | Identify website visitors, enrich contact data, build lead lists | Free – $900+ | Medium | https://clearbit.com/ |
| LinkedIn Sales Navigator | Lead Generation | Advanced search filters, lead recommendations, inMails | $64.99 – $129.99 | High | https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/sales-navigator |
| Demandbase | Account-Based Marketing (ABM) | Account identification, targeted advertising, content personalization | Contact Sales | Medium | https://www.demandbase.com/ |
| Terminus | Account-Based Marketing (ABM) | Account scoring, intent data integration, campaign measurement | Contact Sales | Medium | https://terminus.com/account-based-marketing-overview/ |
| Spectrum | Conversational Marketing | Live chat, chatbots, website messaging | Contact sales | Low | https://spectrm.io/ |
| Drift | Conversational Marketing | Chatbots, lead qualification, meeting scheduling | Free – $500+ | Medium | https://www.drift.com/ |
Note:
- Pricing can vary depending on features, number of users, and contract length. Be sure to check the vendor website for the latest pricing information.
- Popularity is a subjective measure based on industry recognition and market share.
20 top free demand generation tools
The following table explores 20 free (or freemium) demand generation tools, categorized by type, highlighting key features, and providing links to their websites:
| Tool Name | Type | Key Features | Limitations (Free Plan) | Popularity | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | CRM | Contact management, deal tracking, free email marketing | Limited contacts & features | High | https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm |
| Mailchimp (Free Plan) | Email Marketing | Email creation & automation, limited landing pages | Limited contacts, branding limitations | High | https://mailchimp.com/ |
| Constant Contact (Free Trial) | Email Marketing | Email templates, basic automation, reporting | Limited features, trial period | High | https://www.constantcontact.com/ |
| ActiveCampaign Lite | Email Marketing | Email marketing automation, basic CRM features | Limited contacts, limited automation | Medium | https://www.activecampaign.com/ |
| SendPulse | Email Marketing | Email marketing automation, landing pages, webinars | Limited contacts, limited sending volume | Medium | https://sendpulse.com/ |
| BuzzSumo (Free Plan) | Content Marketing | Content discovery, competitor analysis, influencer research | Limited searches, limited data export | Medium | buzzsumo.com |
| Canva | Content Marketing | Graphic design tool, social media post creation, templates | Limited free templates, limited storage | High | www.canva.com |
| Google Search Console | SEO | Website traffic insights, keyword ranking, technical SEO checks | Free | High | search.google.com/search-console |
| Answer the Public | SEO | Keyword research tool, generating questions & long-tail keywords | Limited searches per day | Medium | answerthepublic.com |
| SEMrush (Free Plan) | SEO | Basic keyword research, limited project tracking | Limited data, limited features | High | www.semrush.com |
| Ubersuggest (Free Plan) | SEO | Keyword research tool, limited competitor analysis | Limited searches per day | Medium | neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/ |
| Google Analytics | Website Analytics | Website traffic tracking, user behavior analysis, conversion measurement | Free | High | https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/ |
| Hotjar (Free Plan) | Website Analytics | Heatmaps, session recordings, form analytics | Limited recordings, limited heatmaps | Medium | www.hotjar.com |
| Typeform | Lead Capture Forms | Interactive & engaging forms, surveys, quizzes | Limited questions, limited responses | Medium | www.typeform.com |
| Google Forms | Lead Capture Forms | Create online surveys, collect lead data | Limited customization options | High | https://www.google.com/forms/about/ |
| Zoho Forms | Lead Capture Forms | Online forms, web forms, data capture | Limited fields, limited integrations | Medium | www.zoho.com/forms/ |
| Trello | Project Management | Organize tasks, collaborate with teams, manage workflows | Limited boards, limited power-ups | High | trello.com |
| Asana | Project Management | Task management, project planning, team communication | Limited projects, limited collaborators | High | asana.com |
| Buffer | Social Media Management | Schedule social media posts, track performance, | Limited scheduling, limited analytics | High | buffer.com |
| Hootsuite Free | Social Media Management | Manage multiple social media profiles, schedule posts | Limited accounts, limited analytics | High | hootsuite.com |
Note:
- Freemium plans often have limitations on features, contacts, storage, or functionality. Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks more features and removes limitations.
- Popularity is a subjective measure based on industry recognition and market share.
How do demand generation tools generate demand?
Demand generation tools employ a variety of strategies to cultivate interest and excitement around your product or service. Here’s a breakdown of some key methods:
1. Content Marketing:
- Content Creation: Many tools assist in creating valuable content (blogs, articles, infographics) that educates potential customers about your industry and positions your brand as a thought leader.
- Content Distribution: They help distribute content strategically across various channels like social media, email marketing, and website optimization to reach your target audience.
2. Website Engagement and Lead Capture:
- Landing Page Builders: These tools simplify the creation of targeted landing pages that capture leads through enticing offers like ebooks, webinars, or free trials.
- Website Analytics: They provide insights into user behavior on your website, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and optimize lead capture forms.
- Pop-Ups and Lead Capture Forms: Tools can help design and deploy eye-catching pop-ups and lead capture forms that encourage visitors to provide their contact information in exchange for valuable content.
3. Email Marketing Automation:
- Email List Building: Tools facilitate the creation of targeted email campaigns to nurture leads at different stages of the buying journey.
- Email Segmentation: They enable segmenting your email list based on demographics or interests to send highly relevant and personalized messages that resonate with each audience segment, driving higher engagement.
- Email Automation: These tools automate email workflows, sending personalized emails based on specific triggers, such as signing up for a newsletter or downloading a white paper.
4. Social Media Management:
- Scheduling and Publishing: Tools allow you to schedule social media posts in advance, ensuring consistent brand presence across platforms.
- Social Listening and Engagement: They help monitor brand mentions and conversations on social media, enabling you to participate in relevant discussions and build relationships with potential customers.
5. Lead Generation and Qualification:
- Lead Scoring: These tools assign points to leads based on their activities and demographics, helping you prioritize high-quality leads that are most likely to convert into paying customers.
- Website Visitor Identification: Some tools identify companies visiting your website, allowing you to target them with personalized messages and accelerate the sales cycle.
6. Account-Based Marketing (ABM):
- Account Identification: ABM tools can help identify high-value target accounts that best fit your ideal customer profile.
- Targeted Advertising: They enable creating targeted advertising campaigns that specifically reach decision-makers within those accounts, increasing brand awareness and driving engagement.
By implementing these strategies, demand generation tools automate tasks, personalize outreach, and provide valuable data-driven insights. This allows businesses to generate a steady stream of qualified leads, ultimately driving sales and revenue growth.
Tim is a B2B enterprise marketing expert with nearly 10 years of specialising in lead generation content marketing for B2B enterprise products and services in Southeast Asia and the US.