Demand generation is no longer a buzzword—it’s a battlefield. With rising customer acquisition costs (CAC), shrinking attention spans, and increasing competition, marketers need strategies that are not just smart but tactical and scalable. On a recent episode of GTM Secrets, host Stephen Lowisz had a candid conversation with Dasha Samson, Director of Demand Generation at inMoment, discussing what truly drives successful demand generation in today’s environment.

Dasha shared actionable insights into the effective use of data, the intricacies of account-based marketing (ABM), personalization strategies, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). Here’s a deep dive into what every demand gen marketer needs to know, packed with practical examples to inspire your next campaign.

The Role of Data in Demand Generation

Marketers throw around the term "data-driven" like confetti at a wedding, but using data effectively takes more than tracking clicks and impressions. At inMoment, data is the foundation of everything—from building ICPs (ideal customer profiles) to shaping multi-channel campaigns and optimizing performance over time.

Tactics for Using Data Like a Pro:

1. Go All-In on ICP Research:
   Building a great ICP starts with granular research into your existing customers. Who are your best-fit clients? What challenges do they face? Start by analyzing your CRM data and supplement it with tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Clearbit, or Bombora to uncover their industries, job titles, goals, and pain points.
   Example: Segment your ICP by vertical. For example, if you’re selling software, your healthcare personas will have completely different challenges (e.g., HIPAA compliance) compared to retail personas (e.g., inventory management). Building ICPs for each vertical helps tailor your messaging accordingly.
2. Segment Your Total Addressable Market (TAM):
   Dasha outlined how inMoment creates multiple TAMs for their diverse product offerings, separating audiences based on their needs. This not only sharpens targeting but reduces wasted ad spend.
   Example in Practice: If you’re offering CRM software, one TAM could target sales teams, using LinkedIn ads designed to boost pipeline efficiency, while another TAM focuses on leadership with messaging around top-line revenue growth.
3. Optimize Campaigns with Advanced Analytics:
   Tools like DreamData, Google Ads Audience Insights, or even HubSpot’s tracking suite provide more than just clicks and traffic numbers. Dashboards can highlight which ad groups generate the most engaged leads and which placements underperform.
   Pro Tip: Use attribution platforms like DreamData to connect engagement metrics to revenue outcomes. For example, instead of just knowing that LinkedIn Ads drove 1,000 clicks, you can track those clicks all the way to closed-won deals, refining your allocation of spend.
4. A/B Test Your Messaging Relentlessly:
   Even within defined account segments, use tools like Optimizely or VWO to test variations in your ad and landing page messaging. For example, test CTA copy like “Get Your Free Demo Today” versus “Try Our Solution—No Risk.” Use the data to pivot quickly.

Account-Based Marketing (ABM): From Concept to Execution

ABM can feel overwhelming if you’ve only skimmed the theory. Dasha broke it down into actionable steps, distinguishing between “named” and “unnamed” accounts, so even lean teams can dip their toes into ABM and scale responsibly.

Tactical Steps for Executing ABM:

1. Prioritize Named Accounts:
   Named accounts are the crème de la crème—high-intent, high-fit organizations with maximum conversion potential. At inMoment, each BDR handles 50 named accounts, which are carefully researched to enable personalized outreach.
   How This Plays Out: Select 30–50 high-priority accounts based on behavior signals like whitepaper downloads, webinar attendance, or intent data from platforms like 6sense or Bombora. Assign these accounts to SDRs (or BDRs) who can deliver personalization at scale.
2. Use Semi-Automated Campaigns for Unnamed Accounts:
   Managing thousands of unnamed accounts doesn’t mean resorting to generic spray-and-pray tactics. Harness semi-automated personalization for broader TAMs.
   Example Execution: Incorporate middle-funnel material (like case studies) into LinkedIn display ads targeted specifically to financial services firms—reducing the number of unqualified leads while introducing scalability.
3. Integrate BDRs with Marketing:
   ABM isn't just a trick for ads. Your marketing content and messaging need to align with outbound efforts. For instance, if your webinar educates on overcoming lead nurturing bottlenecks, train your BDRs to use an ebook follow-up tailored to attendees’ industries within 48 hours.
4. Target the Full Buying Committee:
   Dasha’s team doesn’t stop at decision-makers—they also target influencers and procurement approvers. Why? A well-written email to an operations manager might get forwarded to the VP with all the context they need.
   Real-World Tool Stack:
5. • LinkedIn Ads for targeting specific personas in accounts
   • Terminus for running highly personalized account-based display campaigns
   • Demandbase to enhance visibility into how personas in your targeted accounts behave across channels

Broader Application Tip: Identify accounts’ online patterns by job title—for instance, CFOs in manufacturing might absorb content via finance publications. Cross-check engagement metrics to adjust budget allocation.

Making Personalization Meaningful

It’s easy to say “personalize” and harder to actually do it well. Consumers know when your email is just a template with their name slapped on it. Worse, “lightweight” personalization can actively damage brand credibility. For inMoment, real personalization addresses individual pain points and challenges.

Practical Tactics for Personalization:

1. Point-Specific Personalization:
   Don’t talk about general benefits; instead, focus on highly specific use cases. For instance, if you’re targeting a regional manager, discuss how your solution improves localized performance.
   Example Email Personalization Formula:
2. • Subject Line Reference Point (e.g., “Saw Your New Initiative at [Company]”)
   • Acknowledgment of Pain Point (“I know scheduling optimization has been a challenge post-pandemic.”)
   • Subtle Value Offer (“Would it help if our platform generated location-specific insights?”).
3. Resource Alignment with SDRs
   Equip your SDRs with pre-made but editable templates for emails tailored by persona and pain point. For example, supply them with sequences targeting CFOs where messaging aligns with annual budget cycles.
4. Leverage AI for Hyper-Personalization:
   Paired with tools like Clay, GPT-4 can summarize LinkedIn profiles or company press coverage, and integrate it into outreach emails. Automation doesn’t equal inauthenticity when done correctly.

Real-World Example: Dasha noted that, while sending emails to a CEO might not lead to reply rates, CEOs often forward those messages to relevant departments—demonstrating why leveraging the entire company hierarchy matters.

AI in Demand Generation

AI isn’t just a hack; it’s evolving to become a core driver for modern demand generation strategies. Stephen and Dasha discussed how AI goes far beyond blog writing—the opportunities for scalability, personalization, and enrichment are enormous.

High-ROI AI Uses Marketers Should Explore:

1. Scale Ad Content:
   Platforms like Copy.ai or Jasper can automate the creation of ad variations. This allows your team to test extensively without bogging down resources.
2. Automated Enrichment:
   Tools like Clay and ZoomInfo can pair email addresses with in-depth LinkedIn insights, industry news, or even sentiment analysis. Use this to craft hyper-targeted pitches.
3. Streamline Competitor Analysis:
   AI can help you track competitors by summarizing press, new releases, or job promotions. Run a daily GPT-4-powered scan of competitors’ websites and announcements to inform messaging shifts.
4. Advanced Analytics Summaries:
   Summarization is life-changing when paired with platforms like Tableau or Power Bi. Instead of sifting through exports from Salesforce or Google Analytics, AI can give you actionable insights on which job title audiences convert fastest.

Looking Ahead to 2025:

Demand generation is experiencing a transformation, and 2025 will bring new trends. Here are Dasha’s key predictions and how to capitalize on them.

1. Live Experiences Make a Strong Comeback:
   Organizing workshops, roadshows, or speaking at industry-specific conferences could deeply engage enterprise buyers.
   Action Step: Plan moderated, interactive panels where customers can share benefits they’ve gained from using your solution directly.
2. Interactive Content Will Rise:
   Static landing pages are dead. Instead, quizzes, calculators, and toolkits offer utility while collecting data.
3. AI-Led Audience Consolidation:
   AI will reduce guesswork in identifying overlapping accounts, clarify cross-channel attribution, and elevate audience segmentation even further.

Want to win the demand gen game in 2025? Build better ICP profiles, leverage personalized ABM to create compelling touchpoints, and infuse campaigns with interactive, data-driven tactics. This isn't a paint-by-numbers exercise—it's about precision, experimentation, and evolution.

The market’s getting noisier—stand out with smarter execution, razor-focused targeting, and relentless testing. Time to disrupt.

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