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Sep 17, 2025 Natasha Kassulke

Event Recap: Fueling Growth with Demand Generation

Past Event: Fueling Growth with Demand Generation

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Kudos to our guest blog writer this month, Natasha Kassulke.

As a fan of the Social Media Breakfast Madison network – I was especially proud to attend the “Fueling Growth with Demand Generation” presentation Sept. 17, 2025 by Joe Ballard. Ballard was a student of mine, and I introduced him – and the rest of the class – to the opportunities for networking and real-world learning that SMBMad offers.

Fast forward. Ballard is on the board of SMBMad and the owner of his own marketing agency, Quest Marketing Solutions.

Ballard’s presentation focused on a mind shift in marketing called “Demand Generation,” which he defines as attracting the right audience, building credibility, and nurturing long-term growth.

It works, he says, by using strategic marketing to build awareness with the goal to move the audience toward action. This is not just getting leads but creating demand, interest and awareness for your brand or cause before people buy or donate.

“Instead of chasing leads, you’re drawing people into your brand by providing visible or providing valuable information to keep you visible and helpful. The goal isn’t to just get an email. It’s about getting someone to say, ‘I trust this brand.’,” Ballard says.

Demand Gen vs. Lead Gen

He also explained the difference between “Demand Gen” and “Lead Gen,” which is often confused.

“Demand generation and lead generation are very similar, however there is a slight difference between them,” he says. “Demand Gen is a strategy that gets people curious and connected over time, whereas Lead Gen is the act of just getting them to sign up. Demand Gen would be creating a piece of content that says:10 signs your furnace needs help before winter. Lead Gen would be running a Facebook ad that says: need furnace help; book with us. It’s about providing the value to that customer when they are searching for help as opposed to just finding a place for them to submit information and hopefully get help later. You need both of these, and often they work in tandem.”

Why should small teams care about Demand Generation? Ballard says, it’s because it is incredibly scalable, builds trust and brand equity, increases marketing ROI, and support community-driven growth.

If you do it right, Ballard says, your audience will start providing you reviews, making referrals to you, and advocate for you in the community.

Ballard recommends reading, “They Ask, You Answer,” by Marcus Sheridan.

What steps should you take?

Steps that Ballard says to take includes listing questions your customers ask – what have people asked you about your company or product?. Answer the questions honestly and completely – write a blog that answers each one of the questions. Give them options and let people know you may not be the right solution at this time.

Become the trusted voice – a thought leader—in your field.

“People are smart,” Ballard says. “They also are capable of researching the information and finding your competitors and your prices.”

“Give the smart consumer what they need to make a decision,” Ballard says.

Ballard provided real-world examples, simple tactics, and recommended Google Looker Studio for make smarter marketing decisions with data—even if you’re working with a small team.

Use analytics to inform decision-making

In addition, Ballard recommends leaning into analytics – using Google Analytics and Google Search Console– and a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) to allow you to better understand your customers and mine the data to better inform trends and the platforms they are using.

“Google Looker Studio is free…it’s basically a data visualization tool. It plugs right into Google Analytics – right into the search console,” Ballard says.

One could use it to find out if people are doing what you need them to do: Are they filling out a subscribe now form? Are they filling out the contact us form? Are they donating? Are they visiting sponsorship pages?

In fact, with Social Media Breakfast Madison, one of the first things Ballard did was install Looker Studio to better understand what was working and what was not. The data produced was revealing and has helped direct programming needs, for example.

What does success look like?

It differs. Is it donations, more blog readers, more revenue. Identify what your goals are and then create goals to help you get there.

“Create content that educates and attracts,” Ballard says. “Give them the value now.”

Engage and convert. What problems are people facing? Become the thought leader as a trusted source of information.

Finally, track and test. Tag emails, social media, etc. to find out if people are engaging with the material or now. If you are seeing trends, find a way to make your content work better.

“I encourage you just go start experimenting, write down the questions, start answering them, try to make yourself the trusted source by just being you,” Ballard says.

Ballard is no longer my student but an expert in the field and a trusted source – just as he shared in his presentation. Nothing makes me happier as a teacher than learning from a former student who is now a great teacher.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Participants walked away with:

  • A clear understanding of demand generation – what it is, how it differs from lead generation, and why it matters for small organizations.
  • Practical tactics you can implement right away – from repurposing blogs into social posts to creating simple email nurtures and community-driven campaigns.
  • A roadmap for the demand generation funnel – awareness, engagement, conversion, and advocacy—plus how to apply it to your own business or nonprofit.
  • Data-driven decision making – how to track the right metrics (not just vanity numbers) to measure what’s actually moving the needle.
  • A beginner-friendly look at Google Looker Studio – see how this free tool, with just a few tweaks, can help you visualize performance, set goals, and measure success..

Missed it? No Worries!

Download the slides here.

Event Photo Album here.

Stay tuned for next month’s event and, as always, subscribe & follow @SMBMad for updates and more recaps!

ABOUT THE SPEAKER – 

With experience as a Journalist, Demand Generation Specialist, and now as the owner of his own marketing agency, , Joe has delivered impressive results in the marketing realm. He excels at creating engaging content, organically growing social media followers for brands in multiple industries, boosting customer acquisition and fueling revenue growth. His expertise has helped businesses jump-start email programs, track their return on investment, and generate substantial marketing pipelines.

Joe’s strong problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate effectively have been key to achieving success for his clients. By aligning with their marketing goals and objectives, he has consistently delivered impactful solutions that drive results and foster growth.

SPONSORS:

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: Pierre Outreach Services Safe Home (POSSH)

POSSH’s primary focus is on healing intergenerational trauma culture for black women, particularly the specialized mission of aiding young, developing girls who grapple with the weight of their mothers’ unresolved traumas. The organization recognizes that many black mothers in Madison are facing compounded challenges, and it is their goal to provide proactive social infrastructure to meet the daily complexities of trauma culture.

Website: 

Email: Jevon.Diming@gmail.com

What’s Next

Stay tuned for next month’s event and, as always, subscribe & follow @SMBMad for updates and more recaps!