Demand Generation: Through The Lens of CS

Jared Orr

Hi GGR Fam,

I've recently been thinking about Demand Generation and how customer success can play a pivotal role in it. Many say demand generation is more a marketing responsibility but I think there's much more to it than that. 

Creating demand for a product or service doesn't end when a client signs on. It's an on-going process. This is where CS comes in.

If a CSM is doing their job right, they are doing all three of these things:

1. Helping their clients have a great experience using their product or service
2. Helping their clients achieve their desired outcomes
3. Building an authentic relationship with their clients

It's through this, that CSM's can help generate more demand for their products. This can be done in two ways. 

1. The likelihood of cross-sell and up-sell opportunities will increase 
2. The client will be more willing to write a positive review or give a testimonial

Both of these things can increase the demand for your current and future products. Pretty simple, eh?

Or is it not that simple? Am I over my head thinking CS plays a role in demand gen? Let me know what you think!

Chris Guzek

Jared,
I think you are spot on with regards to Demand Gen and CS playing a role in it. If we dig deep into a clients strategic goals and initiatives we almost always find a path to a potential new opportunity for sales and or expansion in the current solution we are supporting. 
What we have done here is to internally map out where other solutions we offer intersect with client needs and focus playbooks to insert them into our discussions and or QBR's when appropriate. 
We also have tied our overall mission and strategy to how our portfolio accomplishes these for our clients goals as a second way of inserting the discussion naturally in our work with them. 
Lastly, when we map out customer pain to our solution we ask if they know anyone in their circle who is struggling with the same things. Its a page out of solution selling playbooks sales use but it has been highly effective. 
Would be happy to share more if you want. 
Chris