Lead Generation & Demand
Comprehensive demand generation playbook for B2B SaaS companies focused on pipeline creation, CAC optimization, and multi-channel lead acquisition.
Quick Start
- Define ICP — Identify ideal customer profile (firmographics, psychographics, technographics)
- Map Funnel — TOFU → MOFU → BOFU stages with clear goals
- Select Channels — Prioritize by CAC, lead quality, and timeline
- Create Assets — Lead magnets, landing pages, nurturing sequences
- Launch & Optimize — Track, measure, iterate continuously
ICP Framework
Firmographics
| Element | Question | Example |
|---|
| Industry | What sector? | B2B SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare |
| Company Size | Employee count? | 50-500 employees |
| Revenue | Annual revenue? | $5M-$50M ARR |
| Geography | Where? | US, UK, EU |
Psychographics
- Values: What matters to them?
- Pain Points: What keeps them up at night?
- Goals: What are they trying to achieve?
Technographics
- Current tools and stack
- Technology gaps
- Integration needs
Full-Funnel Strategy
Funnel Stages
| Stage | Goal | Content | Channels | Metrics |
|---|
| TOFU (Awareness) | Attract visitors | Blog, guides, calculators | SEO, social, content | Traffic, new visitors |
| MOFU (Consideration) | Capture leads | Whitepapers, webinars, case studies | Email, retargeting, gated content | Leads, MQLs |
| BOFU (Decision) | emos, consultations, Convert opportunities | D proposals | Sales outreach, direct | SQLs, opportunities |
Channel Strategy Matrix
Channel Performance (B2B SaaS)
| Channel | CAC Range | Lead Quality | Timeline | Priority |
|---|
| SEO/Content | $50-150 | High | 6-12 months | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| LinkedIn Ads | $150-400 | High | Immediate | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Google Search | $80-250 | Very High | Immediate | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Webinars | $100-200 | High | 2-4 weeks | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Email Nurture | $20-50 | Medium-High | Ongoing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Referrals | $0-50 | Very High | Variable | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Budget Allocation ($30-50k/month)
| Channel | Budget | Expected MQLs | Expected SQLs |
|---|
| LinkedIn | $15k | 50 | 10 |
| Google Search | $12k | 80 | 20 |
| Google Display | $5k | 120 | 5 |
| Meta | $5k | 100 | 8 |
| Partnerships | $3k | 20 | 5 |
Lead Magnets
High-Converting Formats
| Type | Conversion Rate | Best For |
|---|
| Interactive Calculator | 15-30% | Technical evaluation |
| Technical Guide/Whitepaper | 10-20% | Education |
| Case Study (detailed) | 8-15% | Social proof |
| Webinar Registration | 20-40% | Engagement |
| Free Assessment | 25-40% | Qualification |
| Code Repository | 10-25% | Developer trust |
Lead Magnet Hooks
- Quick Win — "The 5-Minute Audit"
- Forbidden Knowledge — "Secrets agencies don't want you to know"
- Shortcut — "30-Day Framework Instead of 90 Days"
- Social Proof — "How 500+ Founders Achieved X"
- Diagnosis — "Discover Your Blind Spots"
Landing Page Framework
High-Converting Structure
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HEADLINE (Clear value proposition) │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SUBHEADLINE (Supporting benefit) │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ HERO IMAGE/VIDEO │ FORM │
│ Visual proof │ Name, Email │
│ │ Company │
│ │ [CTA Button] │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOCIAL PROOF (Logos, testimonials) │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ BENEFITS (3-5 key benefits) │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SECONDARY CTA │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Conversion Checklist
Lead Scoring Model
Scoring Criteria
| Category | Criteria | Points |
|---|
| Fit | Target industry | +20 |
| Company size 50-5000 | +15 |
| Decision maker title | +25 |
| Target geography | +10 |
| Engagement | Downloaded lead magnet | +10 |
| Attended webinar | +20 |
| Visited pricing page | +15 |
| Multiple site visits | +5 each |
| Email engagement | +5 per click |
| Negative | Student/academic | -30 |
| Competitor | -50 |
| Unsubscribed | -20 |
Lead Classification
| Score | Classification | Action |
|---|
| 80+ | SQL | Sales outreach |
| 50-79 | MQL | Nurture + sales alert |
| 20-49 | Engaged Lead | Continue nurturing |
| <20 | Cold Lead | Long-term nurture |
Email Nurture Sequences
Welcome Sequence (New Leads)
| Email | Timing | Goal |
|---|
| 1: Welcome | Immediate | Deliver content, set expectations |
| 2: Value Add | Day 2 | Related helpful content |
| 3: Social Proof | Day 4 | Case study highlight |
| 4: Education | Day 7 | Technical insight |
| 5: Soft Offer | Day 10 | Introduce services |
Metrics Targets
| Metric | Target |
|---|
| Open Rate | >25% |
| Click Rate | >3% |
| Unsubscribe | <0.5% |
CAC Optimization
CAC Calculation
CAC = Total Marketing & Sales Costs / Number of New Customers
Benchmarks (B2B SaaS)
| Company Stage | Target CAC | LTV:CAC Ratio |
|---|
| Early | $500-2000 | >3:1 |
| Growth | $300-1000 | >4:1 |
| Scale | $200-500 | >5:1 |
Reduction Strategies
- Improve conversion rates — Better landing pages, forms
- Increase organic traffic — SEO, content marketing
- Referral programs — Leverage satisfied customers
- Lead scoring — Focus sales on high-intent leads
- Marketing automation — Scale without headcount
Attribution Modeling
Multi-Touch Attribution
| Model | First Touch | Middle | Last Touch |
|---|
| First Touch | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Last Touch | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Linear | 33% | 33% | 33% |
| Recommended (U-Shape) | 40% | 20% | 40% |
| Recommended (W-Shape) | 40% | 20% | 40% |
UTM Structure
utm_source={channel}
utm_medium={cpc|email|organic}
utm_campaign={id}
utm_content={variant}
utm_term={keywords}
Lead Research Framework
Research Process
- Analyze Product/Service — Understand value proposition
- Define ICP — Industry, size, location, pain points
- Find Companies for matching — Search companies
- Prioritize — Score by fit (1-10)
- Research Contacts — Identify decision makers
Output Format
For each lead provide:
- Company name and website
- Why they're a good fit (2-3 specific reasons)
- Priority score (1-10 with explanation)
- Target decision maker role
- Personalized outreach strategy
Paid Media Playbook
LinkedIn Ads
Campaign structure: Awareness → Consideration → Conversion
Targeting: Company size 50-5,000, Director+ titles, SaaS/Tech
Creative: Thought leadership, social proof, problem-solution
Google Ads
Priority: Brand → Competitor → Solution → Problem → Display
Bid strategy: Manual CPC → Target CPA at 50+ conversions
Ad copy: 15 headlines covering value props, features, CTAs
Account-Based Sales (ABS)
When to Use ABS
| Criteria | Threshold |
|---|
| ACV | >$25K |
| TAM | <5,000 accounts |
| Buying committee | 3+ stakeholders |
| Sales cycle | >60 days |
ABS Framework
| Element | Execution |
|---|
| Target list | 50-200 named accounts, tiered |
| Account research | 30 min per Tier 1 account |
| Multi-threading | 3-5 contacts per account |
| Custom content | Pain-specific messaging |
| Orchestration | Coordinated email + LinkedIn + ads |
Best Practices
Do
- Start with ICP definition
- Focus on fewer, higher-quality channels
- Create valuable lead magnets
- Nurture before selling
- Track attribution carefully
- Continuously optimize conversion
Don't
- Buy email lists
- Spam cold prospects
- Gate all content
- Ignore lead quality for quantity
- Skip the nurture stage
- Neglect existing leads
Error Handling
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|
| Low conversion rate | Poor offer/targeting | Test new lead magnets, refine ICP |
| High CAC | Inefficient channels | Shift budget to performing channels |
| Low lead quality | Too broad targeting | Tighten ICP, add qualification |
| Email deliverability | List hygiene issues | Clean list, warm up domain |
Metrics Dashboard
Weekly
Monthly
Related Skills