AMA: Demandbase Head of Digital Marketing, Matt Hummel on Demand Generation Career Path

This is a great question, and like most questions, there isn't one perfect answer. It really depends on the organization (size, growth rate, etc.), but I'll share some key things I would certainly want to evaluate for most situations. * Available support: unless they are expecting you to do everything, it's important you understand what type of support resources you have. Will you have Marketing Ops, Sales Ops, paid media support, content marketing, etc. Some demand gen marketers can do all of that - and more power to you if you can, but organizations that invest in those areas, particularly in Marketing Operations, are likely to perform much higher from a demand gen perspective * Alignment: this doesn't have to be perfect, but there has to be a desire. Alignment first and foremost with sales, but then also with Product as well as with Finance. If it's a smaller company you're going to want further alignment including those who drive influence such as the CEO * Customer retention: the most frustrating thing for a demand gen marketer is if you are successful in your job (acquiring and even growing customers), but those customers are leaving as soon as they can. It makes your job that much more difficult, and ultimately it's a strong indicator of a larger organizational problem that you should at a minimum discuss during the interview process Beyond those, just make sure it's a product/solution you can get excited about. The best marketing comes from marketers who are passionate about the customers they are serving. You don't have to be an expert in that particular field, but you should believe in what you are doing as that will show in your work!

Demand generation encompasses so many unique skills - both technical, but also business acumen. I'd contend there is no perfect singular answer to this question, as each company's situation will be unique and have some nuance around what skills would be most beneficial. With that said, there are some core fundamental skills you should develop: * Hard skills: SEO, CRO, digital advertising, data analytics, copywriting (super underrated!), nurture strategy (this one could differentiate you), and it wouldn't hurt to be dangerous with some of the common marketing automation platforms * Soft skills: creative, collaborative (you can't do this alone!), strong communication, disciplined and organized (this one is also highly underrated, but arguably when this one is lacking it can destroy all trust and credibility) These lists are by no means comprehensive, but certainly a great foundation that one should have entering into a DG Manager role and ones that will serve you well as you continue to progress in your career. 

This is a great question as Demand Gen has so many unique skills, responsibilities, paths, roles, etc. - one could easily go crazy trying to become an expert in every field, or feel inadequately prepared to be a leader if they don't feel qualified across the broad spectrum of DG responsibilities. I have good news for you - being a Demand Gen leader isn't easy, but it's not as hard as you may think. I belive if you focus on the following two things you will significantly improve your chances of success - Strategy and Sales Alignment. Strategy I can't emphasize this one enough. So many marketers (and non-marketers) get hung up on tactics - webinars, direct mail, Facebook, etc. - these aren't bad, but they are nothing without a strategy. A strategy means you have defined a problem or opportunity and you have a way to solve it. It means knowing what's going on in the market, being able to develop messaging that addresses those needs, and ultimately helping solve that problem once you've established the trust of your buyers. All of your tactics will only be as good as your strategy. If you don't have the right set of accounts, the right messaging, the right content and the right timing, your efforts, no matter how "cool" they may be will likely not amount to much. I go back and forth on the second one between business acumen and sales alignment. But for my second one I'm going to prioritize sales alignment. Sales Alignment I simply can't understate the importance of this one. I've seen the opposite of this, and it's messy. It's not that intentions are bad, or that everybody isn't doing "their job." It's that there is no alignment and strong demand gen (whatever that looks like in your company) simply can't be successful without alignment with sales. Being aligned on the target accounts, the messaging, the lead management process, follow-up, the data, the results ... the list goes on. My brother is a SaaS sales rep, so I can say this pretty confidently. Sales reps and marketers are different. That's not a bad thing. They should be different. And while the lines are blurring in some ways, each job does require some unique skills. But for both to be successful they need each other. And that means being aligned and working to stay that way.

Walk me through your favorite campaign. I love this question but it's pretty open-ended and can reveal a lot about the way in which a candidate thinks. Did they understand their audience? Did they design their program in a way to achieve the goals? Did it even have established goals? Was in creative in the sense that it ultimately achieved what it set out to achieve? It enables a candidate to demonstrate how they think about strategy, planning, and execution without leading the witness!

I believe there are two keys to growing your career as a demand marketer: * Know your numbers * Own your numbers Now this isn't to say demand gen is all about pipeline. There's more to unpack here. Knowing your numbers means knowing what's required to achieve the plan, both from a marketing perspective but also from an overall sales and revenue perspective. Beyond that, it means understanding the different levers you can pull to achieve your numbers (hint, it's not just about volume!). Owning your numbers involves building a strong partnership with sales - not just sales leadership, but across the organization. You need to create an environment of transparency and accountability if you want to succeed and grow in your career. You will have some great quarters, and you will have some not so great quarters. The key is owning it - not just your part - but being part of the overall growth of the business - the overall number. Similar to a sales rep growing their career there is certainly accountability for hitting your targets, but beyond that, and arguable of equal if not greater importance, you must demonstrate an understanding of the business and demonstrate that alignment and shared accountability.

The best demand gen candidates bring a balance of art and science! Demand Gen is not just being a digital marketer, and it's not just being really creative. It's so much more, and the best candidates I've worked with bring an appreciation of the customer to the forefront of the discussion. They combine that with an approach that balances both art and science, creating compelling programs that ultimately serve the customer which in turn serves their own organization.