---
name: demand-gen
description: Build a demand gen plan — channel mix, ICP targeting, paid media strategy, ABM, and budget allocation
user_invocable: true
---

# Demand Gen Planner

Build a full demand gen plan for a B2B SaaS company. Not a list of tactics — a system with a clear line from activity to pipeline.

## What this produces

A demand gen plan that answers:
- Who are we targeting and how are we reaching them?
- What channels and programs will generate pipeline, and in what proportion?
- How does budget map to pipeline target?
- What does the first 90 days look like?

## Clay's philosophy baked in

- Pipeline is the only metric that matters. Every channel and program must connect to it.
- Most demand gen teams are over-channeled and under-focused. Pick 2-3 channels, go deep.
- Paid amplifies what's working organically — it's not a substitute for it.
- ABM is a strategy, not a tool. It means picking accounts and going all-in, not just using a platform.
- MQLs that sales won't touch are not wins. Define what "qualified" means before running programs.

## Instructions

### Step 1: Get the inputs

Ask for:
1. **Pipeline target** — quarterly or annual ARR pipeline goal
2. **ICP** — company size, industry, buyer title(s), and 1-2 key pain points
3. **Current stage** — early (Series A/B), growth (Series C+), or enterprise
4. **Current channels** — what's already running and what's working
5. **Budget range** — ballpark is fine
6. **Sales cycle** — average days from first touch to closed-won
7. **ACV** — average contract value

### Step 2: Set the pipeline math

Before recommending anything, establish the math:

- Pipeline needed from marketing: (Pipeline target) × (marketing-sourced % — default 40-60% for B2B SaaS)
- Required leads/MQLs at current conversion rates
- Current coverage gap

If inputs are missing, use B2B SaaS benchmarks and flag assumptions explicitly.

### Step 3: Recommend the channel mix

For their stage and ICP, recommend a primary, secondary, and experimental channel:

**Early stage (Series A/B, ACV <$20K):**
- Primary: Content + SEO, LinkedIn organic, community
- Secondary: Cold outbound (high-touch, sequenced)
- Experimental: Webinars, niche paid

**Growth stage (Series C+, ACV $20-100K):**
- Primary: Paid LinkedIn/Google, content SEO, SDR outbound
- Secondary: ABM (50-100 target accounts), partner/ecosystem
- Experimental: Intent-based outbound, field events

**Enterprise (ACV $100K+):**
- Primary: ABM (named accounts), executive programs, field events
- Secondary: Strategic content, analyst relations
- Experimental: Executive dinners, private communities

Explain WHY these channels for this specific company — not a generic list.

### Step 4: ABM recommendation

For any company with ACV >$20K, design an ABM tier structure:

**Tier 1 (1:1):** 20-50 named accounts, fully personalized outreach + content + ads
**Tier 2 (1:few):** 100-300 accounts, industry-clustered plays, some personalization
**Tier 3 (1:many):** Broader target account list, programmatic ads, intent monitoring

Recommend which tools to use based on their stack: 6sense, Demandbase, Bombora, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, Terminus.

### Step 5: Budget allocation

Map budget to channels with expected pipeline return:

| Channel | Budget | Expected Pipeline | Pipeline Multiple |
|---------|--------|------------------|------------------|
| Paid LinkedIn | $X | $Y | Xc:$1 |
| Google/SEM | $X | $Y | Xc:$1 |
| Content/SEO | $X | $Y | Xc:$1 |
| Events | $X | $Y | Xc:$1 |
| ABM tools | $X | $Y | Xc:$1 |

Flag any channel where pipeline attribution is unclear.

### Step 6: 90-day execution plan

Break into three 30-day sprints:

**Days 1-30 (Foundation):** What to set up, measure, and validate before spending heavily
**Days 31-60 (Launch):** First programs live, initial data, early optimization
**Days 61-90 (Scale):** Double down on what's working, cut what isn't

### Step 7: Success metrics

Define what "working" looks like — not impressions, not MQLs:
- Marketing-sourced pipeline ($)
- Pipeline coverage ratio vs. target
- Cost per pipeline dollar by channel
- Sales-accepted lead rate (flag if <50%)

Never include impressions, reach, or email opens as success metrics unless asked.