This is a great question! Demand generation marketing and content marketing should work hand-in-hand to achieve broader marketing objectives. When identifying KPIs and metrics to measure demand generation and content marketing together, you should consider the type of content being distributed and the channels through which it's being distributed. This will help determine your KPIs. For example, a blog post may not have the same KPIs as a gated piece of content or a video. The channel mix of promotions will also factor into KPIs. Is this a larger integrated marketing campaign that will require a more extensive mix of promotions and budget? Or is this a smaller campaign, perhaps targeted at a specific/smaller audience, that won't require as much external distribution and promotion? Once you understand these components, you can determine your KPIs. Here are some general KPIs to consider: * Number of site sessions to a blog post * For gated content: Conversion rates, form fills * Number of video views * MQLs, SQLS, sourced opps and/or influenced opps from the content being promoted (how many deals/opps were generated or influenced by this content) * Impressions * Share of voice * SEO metrics - keyword rankings, organic search traffic to the content

The most simple answer I can give is that they are both very similar - demand gen and growth marketing roles drive X% of the company's Pipe Generation and Revenue. Both are responsible for driving cross-selling, additional users and add-on/upgrades, new logos and new business for the business. Now the difference is what channels demand gen owns vs. what growth owns. As a result of this, where demand gen and growth will sit in an organization might differ (i.e. demand gen within the CMO org, vs. grown can sit within Product). Here are some of the stages that I think which function owns what. Customer Acquisition (Demand Gen & Growth) What are we trying to solve for? We want to optimize the traffic we get from all of our marketing tactics - like SEM, SEO, retargeting - so we get as many people into the conversion funnel as possible. In-trial Experience (Growth) The ultimate goal here is to build a product that is so great and valuable and the product creates active daily users on its own. But we know people are busy and it’s easy for people to forget all the apps and trials they sign up for. Retention (Growth) The first 90 days is a critical stage for customer success. If a new customer is not onboarded correctly, they will attrit. What can Growth do to help encourage our users to onboard correctly? (i.e: Onboarding newsletter with tips and tricks on how to get started, scalable webinars to get users to onboard correctly, partner with support to provide the right marketing assets/how-to guides/blog posts, and more). Cross-sell, Upsell and Upgrades (Demand Gen and Growth) There are 2 paths to generating more business from our existing install-base: Self-Service (Growth) and routing a hot lead delivered to Sales (Demand Gen) Self service: We look at feature usage and all the 1st party data we’ve gathered via a form. We then target our users with the “next best action” that is just for them. This type of promotion is in the apps you use everyday - like Netflix - they will show you a recommended list of shows/movies based on the ones you’ve viewed already. So my list of “next best” shows to watch is going to be different than yours. Same concept here. The recommended “next best action” is going to dynamically change for your users based on their app usage. That’s self-service. Lead/Opportunity Generation: The second cross-sell/upsell motion falls under Demand Gen. You can build propensity to buy scores based on the 1st party data (titles, what company segment they’re from) and then we pair that with what features they’re using inside the app. These can be signals for a product qualified lead score model - just like lead scoring but you’re now looking at product signals. For example, 5 mean they will buy regardless if a sales person is involved or not - so we leave those leads alone and let them Convert. A 4 or 3 might indicate buying interest but they’re not fully ready to self serve - and we can route them back to our direct sales channel. A 1 means they have the lowest probability to convert, so let’s not pass them to sales and nurture them via marketing journeys. As you can see there are so many ways to build marketing programs and we’re just getting started. Think about what AI can do on top of this.

I personally started my career as an entry level contractor at Salesforce, where I worked for 17 years and had 12 different roles. By the time I left, I was a Senior Vice President overseeing a large department that consisted of multiple functions and business units. My high level advice for anyone is to stay curious and slightly uncomfortable – because that will keep you learning and engaged. For recent graduates looking to start a career in Demand Generation, the key is to embrace continuous learning and adaptability. Demand Generation is a multifaceted field that touches many areas of marketing—paid media, content, email, field marketing, and analytics—offering exposure to a wide range of skills. This variety makes it an excellent starting point for those eager to develop a well-rounded marketing foundation. Early in your career, be open to taking on tasks beyond your immediate job description. In an entry-level role, saying yes to new challenges—whether it’s campaign execution, data analysis, or content development—can accelerate your growth. The more you immerse yourself in different aspects of Demand Generation, the more career pathways you create for the future. Since Demand Generation is both strategic and executional, building both soft and hard skills is crucial. Develop analytical skills to understand campaign performance, but also refine communication and collaboration skills to work cross-functionally. Being proactive, resourceful, and willing to experiment will set you apart. Finally, seek mentorship and stay curious. Follow industry trends, ask questions, and leverage every opportunity to learn from experienced marketers. Over time, this broad experience will help you identify your strengths and areas of interest, positioning you for long-term success in marketing. By staying open-minded, taking initiative, and continuously learning, you’ll set yourself up for a thriving career in Demand Generation and beyond.

Employee retention is almost always top of mind for me. I think as a people leader, it is very important to communicate the company goals and tie it back to that individual no matter what role or level. Everyone's contributions matter and being able to translate that back to what they are doing gives the individual 1) a sense of belonging and purpose and 2) motivation that their impact connects to a bigger picture. There are factors that drive people to look for new roles, maybe it's the pay, or career advancement, or they just want to solve new problems. I have had some incredible people leave my team due to various reasons. I was sad to see them go but supportive nonetheless and happy for them.

Start by establishing swimlanes with all key stakeholders and leaders, not just within Demand Gen. Map out the teams and define distinct areas of responsibility and roles within the wider organization to ensure that each team knows what they are accountable for. This involves creating boundaries around tasks, projects, and functions to minimize overlap and confusion. Document these roles and review them at least once a quarter, adjusting as needed. Additionally, don’t be afraid of conflict. By embracing disagreement and talking through it, you can build more trust with your internal partners and gain new perspectives that may lead to shifts in organizational planning or responsibilities, ultimately benefiting everyone.

CMOs come up from two paths typically - Demand Gen and Product Marketing. Demand Generation is ultimately about driving revenue growth for the organization. Having experience in collaborating with sales, nurturing prospects, triaging conversion issues and expanding within current logos etc. demonstrates your ability to contribute directly to the company's bottom line, a key responsibility of a CMO.

To be successful as a Demand Generation Manager, both soft and hard skills are essential. More hard skills early in your career, and a clear shift to soft skills later. Here's my hot take: Hard Skills Data Analysis: Proficiency in interpreting data and analytics to make informed decisions. Ability to use tools like Google Analytics, Tableau, or Excel to track and analyze campaign performance. Getting comfortable with fast, sloppy startup math (vs the ideal but rarified state of statistical significance and variables with little swing). Marketing Automation: Expertise in using marketing automation platforms such as HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot, or Eloqua. Understanding how to set up and manage automated workflows, email campaigns, lead scoring and lead delivery systems will all pay off for you over time. CRM Management: Familiarity with CRM systems like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. Getting hands on with your reporting, and the data-bridge between sales and marketing, is critidal. You gotta be able to get in and generate your own reports. Knowledge of and experience with integrating your CRM and your MAP is a real bonus. Content Creation and Management: Skills in developing compelling content that attracts and engages potential leads. Experience with content management systems (CMS) like WordPress isa plus. But the most important elements are 1) research capabilities and 2) writing skills. If you can identify customer pain and write in plain, easy to read english EVERY job will be easier for you. SEO and SEM: Understanding of search engine optimization techniques and search engine marketing strategies. As you grow in your career, you will benefit from the ability to conduct keyword research, optimize content, and manage paid search campaigns. You'll need to learn platform specific idiosyncrasies, and be able to keep up with the ceaseless flow of UI updates, algorithm changes, pricing models and creative formats. Project Management: Competence in managing projects, timelines, and budgets effectively. Massively helpful skill that can quickly transform you into the most valuable person in your department and your leader's go-to person. Get familiar with project management tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com. Read a book, attend a class or better yet...get certified (your company may even pay for it). Outbound and ABM (Account-Based Marketing): Knowledge of Outbound and ABM strategies will become more important as your organization inevitably moves "up market". The ability to work with Sales to develop a target account list, assemble Outreach sequences, execute personalized marketing campaigns and develop custom reporting for your efforts (it's always a shitshow at first) are tremendously valued by Marketing leaders at late stage growth startups. Soft Skills Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make data-driven decisions. At every level of the Marketing organization, the capacity to interpret complex data sets and derive actionable insights is going to be critical. So is the ability to translate the data into "insights" that can shape your organizations go-to-market strategy. Creativity: Innovative thinking to develop unique and compelling marketing campaigns. The ability to generate new ideas and approaches to attract and engage potential leads will never go away. Finding alternative solutions to business problems is what startups are all about. Build your creative problem solving skill set and watch your career blossom. Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey ideas clearly and persuasively. This one is under-rated. The ability to communicate effectively with team members, stakeholders, and customers is mission critical and will have a multiplying effect on your career. Every role you will ever have on a startup marketing team will be better if you invest in your communication skills. Not good at it? Now is the time to lean in and get good. Collaboration: Strong teamwork skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with sales, product, and other marketing teams. The willingness to share knowledge and collaborate on projects is going to matter more and more as you become more and more senior. In fact, your promotion to Director is dependent on it. If you can't partner with other marketing teams, with the SDR/BDRs or with Sales you are going nowhere my friend. Build a reputation as an amazing collaborator - it will serve you well for the rest of your career. Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions, technologies, and business priorities. Startup Marketers must be open-minded and willing to learn new skills and adopt new strategies. It's literally part of the job description. If you tell your manager "this is not what you hired me for" you are the problem and you have likely stunted your career. Get flexible, stay flexible or get out of the startup ecosystem. Leadership: Ability to inspire and lead a team towards achieving common goals. Skills in mentoring and developing team members is crucial for leaders. So is the much maligned cousin to leadership, "management." Both are required to run a successful marketing team. Talk to the leaders you admire, ask them their secrets, read interviews and form your own point of view on what great leadership looks like...then go and be that person. Time Management: Effective time management and organizational skills to juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines. Your going to run into the need to prioritize tasks based on their impact and urgency, at every level of the organization. Any success I have, from running a tactical meeting to delivering a major company strategy is constrained and multiplied by my ability to manage time well. Whew. That was a lot! But it's I think it's all true. By developing a blend of these hard and soft skills, Demand Generation Managers can navigate the complexities of modern marketing, drive effective campaigns, and lead their teams to success. Continuous learning and adaptation are key to staying ahead in this dynamic field. And remember, invest in your hard skills first...but don't neglect the soft skills. They are going to get you across that line from IC to Manager and eventually CMO.

It depends on the stage of growth, but if I had to pick one, I’d say Marketing Operations & Analytics. You can have the best creative, a well-funded ad budget, and an airtight product positioning, but if you can’t measure what’s working, optimize campaigns, or prove impact, then you’re just throwing money into the void. Marketing Ops is what makes everything run smoothly. They make sure leads are getting scored and routed correctly, that attribution is set up so we know what’s actually driving pipeline, and that we’re focused on quality over quantity. Because that’s a big trap—thinking that more leads means better performance, it doesn’t. If you’re bringing in leads that aren’t high-intent or a good fit, they won’t convert, and all you’ve done is inflate vanity metrics. That’s why having an Ops function is critical from the start. Once that foundation is solid, the next hire really depends on the business’s goals. If acquisition is a priority, then a paid media or growth marketing specialist makes sense. If you’re targeting larger accounts, you need ABM expertise. If retention is an area of focus, then a lifecycle marketer should be next. But none of those roles can function properly without a strong Ops foundation. If your data is a mess, your lead flow is broken, and your reporting isn’t giving you the insights you need, scaling becomes impossible. Operations is the backbone of a successful Demand Gen team. Without it, everything slows down.

Whenever there is an open position on the Demand Generation team, we go through an exercise to understand the overall technical skill set we want this person to have, and we review the team’s current strengths and weaknesses. We often look for someone who can lift the team up. That being said, when I interview, I find strong candidates have the following qualities: * Initiative—They are always trying to push themselves and run programs that do better each time. They have a mindset of constantly pushing the envelope. * Curiosity—They are willing to chase an idea and learn new things, and although they have a POV, they are willing to hold it lightly, e.g., changing their decisions to reflect new inputs. * Energized by Data—Someone willing to dig into the data to understand the “why” behind the results and, therefore, can pull new levers and run experiments to optimize future performance. * An Empathic Business Partner—We partner with many cross-functional business partners in Demand Generation. This is why it’s not just about what you do or achieve but also how you do it. You want to work with people who have a collaborative mindset.

* Own: * Lead volume and quality (MQLs, SQLs). * Campaign performance (CTR, conversion rates). * Pipeline contribution and ROI of demand gen efforts. * Don’t Own: * Pure revenue metrics (owned by sales). * Customer retention and expansion (owned by customer success). Focus on the metrics you directly influence and partner closely with sales to ensure alignment.