It seems like lead generation has become the Red-Headed stepchild of modern marketing. But it’s certainly not going away—especially since most SaaS companies have built their sales and marketing infrastructures around it.

It does need to evolve though, and that was the gist of our discussion with Cristina Daroca, Senior Director of demand marketing at Riverbed Technology.

Leads are not created equal. 

For example, if someone wants a demo or to speak with sales, “Speed to lead” still applies. You should follow up with them as quickly as possible when they’re sales ready.

However, for content downloads of assets such as white papers, it’s not a good idea to annoy them with a quick phone call. Instead, try understanding where they are in their journey so you can provide the right assistance at the right time. 

Daroca also talks about how ABM and demand generation should not be separate functions and must work closely together. It’s when people start engaging with content where your ABM motion can start. 

Overall, lead generation and the lead funnel aren’t the problem. It's about how we evolve that to ensure that we're creating the demand so that when leads come in, they’re the ones we actually want. 

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