marketing-demand-acquisition
Installation
SKILL.md
Marketing Demand & Acquisition
Acquisition playbook for Series A+ startups scaling internationally (EU/US/Canada) with hybrid PLG/Sales-Led motion.
Table of Contents
- Role Coverage
- Core KPIs
- Demand Generation Framework
- Paid Media Channels
- SEO Strategy
- Partnerships
- Attribution
- Tools
- References
Role Coverage
| Role | Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Demand Generation Manager | Multi-channel campaigns, pipeline generation |
| Paid Media Marketer | Paid search/social/display optimization |
| SEO Manager | Organic acquisition, technical SEO |
| Partnerships Manager | Co-marketing, channel partnerships |
Core KPIs
Demand Gen: MQL/SQL volume, cost per opportunity, marketing-sourced pipeline $, MQL→SQL rate
Paid Media: CAC, ROAS, CPL, CPA, channel efficiency ratio
SEO: Organic sessions, non-brand traffic %, keyword rankings, technical health score
Partnerships: Partner-sourced pipeline $, partner CAC, co-marketing ROI
Demand Generation Framework
Funnel Stages
| Stage | Tactics | Target |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU | Paid social, display, content syndication, SEO | Brand awareness, traffic |
| MOFU | Paid search, retargeting, gated content, email nurture | MQLs, demo requests |
| BOFU | Brand search, direct outreach, case studies, trials | SQLs, pipeline $ |
Campaign Planning Workflow
- Define objective, budget, duration, audience
- Select channels based on funnel stage
- Create campaign in HubSpot with proper UTM structure
- Configure lead scoring and assignment rules
- Launch with test budget, validate tracking
- Validation: UTM parameters appear in HubSpot contact records
UTM Structure
utm_source={channel} // linkedin, google, meta
utm_medium={type} // cpc, display, email
utm_campaign={campaign-id} // q1-2025-linkedin-enterprise
utm_content={variant} // ad-a, email-1
utm_term={keyword} // [paid search only]
Paid Media Channels
Channel Selection Matrix
| Channel | Best For | CAC Range | Series A Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Ads | B2B, Enterprise, ABM | $150-400 | High |
| Google Search | High-intent, BOFU | $80-250 | High |
| Google Display | Retargeting | $50-150 | Medium |
| Meta Ads | SMB, visual products | $60-200 | Medium |
LinkedIn Ads Setup
- Create campaign group for initiative
- Structure: Awareness → Consideration → Conversion campaigns
- Target: Director+, 50-5000 employees, relevant industries
- Start $50/day per campaign
- Scale 20% weekly if CAC < target
- Validation: LinkedIn Insight Tag firing on all pages
Google Ads Setup
- Prioritize: Brand → Competitor → Solution → Category keywords
- Structure ad groups with 5-10 tightly themed keywords
- Create 3 responsive search ads per ad group (15 headlines, 4 descriptions)
- Maintain negative keyword list (100+)
- Start Manual CPC, switch to Target CPA after 50+ conversions
- Validation: Conversion tracking firing, search terms reviewed weekly
Budget Allocation (Series A, $40k/month)
| Channel | Budget | Expected SQLs |
|---|---|---|
| $15k | 10 | |
| Google Search | $12k | 20 |
| Google Display | $5k | 5 |
| Meta | $5k | 8 |
| Partnerships | $3k | 5 |
See campaign-templates.md for detailed structures.
SEO Strategy
Technical Foundation Checklist
- XML sitemap submitted to Search Console
- Robots.txt configured correctly
- HTTPS enabled
- Page speed >90 mobile
- Core Web Vitals passing
- Structured data implemented
- Canonical tags on all pages
- Hreflang tags for international
- Validation: Run Screaming Frog crawl, zero critical errors
Keyword Strategy
| Tier | Type | Volume | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High-intent BOFU | 100-1k | First |
| 2 | Solution-aware MOFU | 500-5k | Second |
| 3 | Problem-aware TOFU | 1k-10k | Third |
On-Page Optimization
- URL: Include primary keyword, 3-5 words
- Title tag: Primary keyword + brand (60 chars)
- Meta description: CTA + value prop (155 chars)
- H1: Match search intent (one per page)
- Content: 2000-3000 words for comprehensive topics
- Internal links: 3-5 relevant pages
- Validation: Google Search Console shows page indexed, no errors
Link Building Priorities
- Digital PR (original research, industry reports)
- Guest posting (DA 40+ sites only)
- Partner co-marketing (complementary SaaS)
- Community engagement (Reddit, Quora)
Partnerships
Partnership Tiers
| Tier | Type | Effort | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strategic integrations | High | Very high |
| 2 | Affiliate partners | Medium | Medium-high |
| 3 | Customer referrals | Low | Medium |
| 4 | Marketplace listings | Medium | Low-medium |
Partnership Workflow
- Identify partners with overlapping ICP, no competition
- Outreach with specific integration/co-marketing proposal
- Define success metrics, revenue model, term
- Create co-branded assets and partner tracking
- Enable partner sales team with demo training
- Validation: Partner UTM tracking functional, leads routing correctly
Affiliate Program Setup
- Select platform (PartnerStack, Impact, Rewardful)
- Configure commission structure (20-30% recurring)
- Create affiliate enablement kit (assets, links, content)
- Recruit through outbound, inbound, events
- Validation: Test affiliate link tracks through to conversion
See international-playbooks.md for regional tactics.
Attribution
Model Selection
| Model | Use Case |
|---|---|
| First-Touch | Awareness campaigns |
| Last-Touch | Direct response |
| W-Shaped (40-20-40) | Hybrid PLG/Sales (recommended) |
HubSpot Attribution Setup
- Navigate to Marketing → Reports → Attribution
- Select W-Shaped model for hybrid motion
- Define conversion event (deal created)
- Set 90-day lookback window
- Validation: Run report for past 90 days, all channels show data
Weekly Metrics Dashboard
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| MQLs | Weekly target |
| SQLs | Weekly target |
| MQL→SQL Rate | >15% |
| Blended CAC | <$300 |
| Pipeline Velocity | <60 days |
See attribution-guide.md for detailed setup.
Tools
scripts/
| Script | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
calculate_cac.py |
Calculate blended and channel CAC | python scripts/calculate_cac.py --spend 40000 --customers 50 |
HubSpot Integration
- Campaign tracking with UTM parameters
- Lead scoring and MQL/SQL workflows
- Attribution reporting (multi-touch)
- Partner lead routing
See hubspot-workflows.md for workflow templates.
References
| File | Content |
|---|---|
| hubspot-workflows.md | Lead scoring, nurture, assignment workflows |
| campaign-templates.md | LinkedIn, Google, Meta campaign structures |
| international-playbooks.md | EU, US, Canada market tactics |
| attribution-guide.md | Multi-touch attribution, dashboards, A/B testing |
Channel Benchmarks (B2B SaaS Series A)
| Metric | Google Search | SEO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTR | 0.4-0.9% | 2-5% | 1-3% | 15-25% |
| CVR | 1-3% | 3-7% | 2-5% | 2-5% |
| CAC | $150-400 | $80-250 | $50-150 | $20-80 |
| MQL→SQL | 10-20% | 15-25% | 12-22% | 8-15% |
MQL→SQL Handoff
SQL Criteria
Required:
✅ Job title: Director+ or budget authority
✅ Company size: 50-5000 employees
✅ Budget: $10k+ annual
✅ Timeline: Buying within 90 days
✅ Engagement: Demo requested or high-intent action
SLA
| Handoff | Target |
|---|---|
| SDR responds to MQL | 4 hours |
| AE books demo with SQL | 24 hours |
| First demo scheduled | 3 business days |
Validation: Test lead through workflow, verify notifications and routing.
Proactive Triggers
- Over-relying on one channel -- Single-channel dependency is a business risk. Diversify acquisition across 3+ channels.
- No lead scoring -- Not all leads are equal. Route to revenue-operations for scoring setup.
- CAC exceeding LTV -- Demand gen is unprofitable. Optimize or cut underperforming channels.
- No nurture for non-ready leads -- 80% of leads aren't ready to buy. Nurture sequences convert them later.
Related Skills
- campaign-analytics: For measuring demand gen effectiveness with attribution and ROI.
- marketing-strategy-pmm: For positioning and GTM strategy that feeds demand gen campaigns.
- social-media-analyzer: For analyzing social channel performance within demand gen mix.
- revenue-operations: For pipeline analysis and forecast accuracy downstream of demand gen.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| CAC exceeding LTV ratio (below 3:1) | Over-spending on high-cost channels without sufficient conversion optimization | Audit channel-specific CAC against benchmarks. Cut or pause channels with CAC >$400 for B2B SaaS. Shift budget toward lower-CAC channels (SEO, email, organic social). A 3:1 LTV:CAC ratio is the minimum for sustainability; below 2:1 indicates immediate problems |
| LinkedIn Ads delivering low CTR (<0.4%) | Audience too broad, creative fatigue, or wrong ad format | Narrow targeting to Director+ titles at 50-5,000 employee companies. Refresh creative every 2-3 weeks. Test Thought Leader Ads before scaling standard formats -- they deliver 10-20% CTR at premium CPMs, which frequently beats standard LinkedIn ads' 0.5-1% rates |
| Google Ads CPA rising above target | Insufficient conversion data for automated bidding, or keyword competition increasing | Stay on Manual CPC until you have 50+ conversions, then switch to Target CPA. Google Ads CPC increased 164% from 2019-2024. Expand negative keyword list (maintain 100+). Focus on long-tail, high-intent keywords to reduce competition |
| MQL-to-SQL conversion rate below 15% | Lead scoring too loose, or MQL criteria not aligned with sales expectations | Tighten MQL scoring criteria. Require minimum engagement score (demo request or equivalent high-intent action). Align with sales on SQL criteria: Director+ title, 50-5,000 employees, $10k+ budget, buying within 90 days |
| UTM parameters not appearing in HubSpot contact records | Tracking script not firing, form stripping UTM values, or redirect losing parameters | Verify HubSpot tracking code is on all pages. Ensure forms pass hidden UTM fields. Test by clicking a UTM-tagged link and checking the contact record. Use server-side UTM capture if client-side tracking is blocked by privacy tools |
| Partner channel not generating pipeline | Partner enablement insufficient, or wrong partner tier selection | Ensure partners have completed demo training and have access to co-branded assets. Focus on Tier 1 strategic integration partners (high effort, very high ROI) before scaling to Tier 2 affiliates. Set clear success metrics and revenue model before launch |
| Single-channel dependency risk | Over 50% of pipeline from one channel | Diversify acquisition across 3+ channels immediately. Recommended 2026 allocation: AI-enhanced paid search 28-33%, omnichannel social 22-28%, content + experience marketing 20-25%. No single channel should exceed 40% of total pipeline |
Success Criteria
- Blended CAC: Target <$300 for B2B SaaS Series A (2026 benchmark). Channel-specific targets: LinkedIn $150-400, Google Search $80-250, SEO/Organic $50-150, Email $20-80. Average B2B SaaS CAC reached $1,200 in 2026 for all segments; self-serve targets $100-500 while enterprise can reach $5,000+
- CAC Payback Period: Achieve payback within 6-12 months (2026 median). Elite performers reach payback in under 80 days. Payback exceeding 18 months signals unsustainable unit economics
- LTV:CAC Ratio: Maintain minimum 3:1 ratio. Below 2:1 requires immediate intervention. Top-quartile SaaS companies spend $1.10 or less to acquire $1 of new ARR; median spends $2 per $1 ARR
- MQL-to-SQL Conversion: Target 15-25% for Google Search, 12-22% for SEO, 10-20% for LinkedIn, 8-15% for email. Overall blended target >15%
- Pipeline Velocity: Close marketing-sourced deals within 60 days average. SDR response to MQL within 4 hours, AE demo booking within 24 hours, first demo within 3 business days
- Channel Diversification: No single channel should represent more than 40% of pipeline. Maintain active campaigns across minimum 3 channels. LinkedIn generates highest quality B2B leads (40% of marketers cite it as most effective)
- Marketing Budget Efficiency: SaaS companies under $10M ARR should spend 20-35% of revenue on marketing; $10-50M spend 18-25%; $50-100M spend 15-20%. For 2026, allocate 18-28% of revenue total with clear channel allocation ratios
Scope & Limitations
In Scope:
- Multi-channel demand generation strategy for B2B SaaS (Series A+) with hybrid PLG/sales-led motion
- Paid media channel selection, budget allocation, and CAC calculation (LinkedIn, Google Search, Google Display, Meta)
- SEO strategy including technical foundation, keyword strategy, on-page optimization, and link building priorities
- Partnership program planning (strategic integrations, affiliates, referrals, marketplace listings)
- Attribution model selection (first-touch, last-touch, W-shaped) with HubSpot integration guidance
- UTM structure standards and campaign tracking
- MQL/SQL criteria definition and handoff SLA
Out of Scope:
- Campaign creative design (ad copy, images, video production)
- Platform-specific campaign management UI guidance (use LinkedIn Campaign Manager, Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager directly)
- Product-led growth (PLG) product instrumentation (freemium flows, in-app upgrade prompts)
- Sales process optimization beyond MQL-to-SQL handoff (see revenue-operations or sales-success skills)
- Advanced predictive analytics or ML-based lead scoring
- International regulatory compliance for advertising (GDPR consent, CCPA disclosures)
- Brand marketing and awareness campaigns without direct pipeline attribution
Market Context (2026):
- CAC is rising 40-60% since 2023 across B2B SaaS
- Google Ads CPC increased 164% from 2019-2024; LinkedIn costs up 89%
- Privacy regulations and cookie deprecation are reducing attribution accuracy
- AI-enhanced bidding strategies (Google Performance Max, LinkedIn Maximize Conversions) are becoming standard
Integration Points
| Integration | Purpose | How to Connect |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | Campaign tracking, lead scoring, MQL/SQL workflows, attribution reporting | Create campaigns with UTM structure (utm_source={channel}, utm_medium={type}, utm_campaign={campaign-id}). Configure W-shaped (40-20-40) attribution model. Set 90-day lookback window. Validate with weekly metrics dashboard |
| Google Ads | Paid search campaign management | Structure: Brand > Competitor > Solution > Category keywords. 3 responsive search ads per ad group (15 headlines, 4 descriptions). Start Manual CPC, switch to Target CPA after 50+ conversions. Weekly search term review |
| LinkedIn Campaign Manager | B2B paid social campaigns | Structure: Awareness > Consideration > Conversion campaigns. Target Director+, 50-5,000 employees. Start $50/day per campaign. Scale 20% weekly if CAC < target. Verify LinkedIn Insight Tag on all pages. Test Thought Leader Ads for higher CTR |
| Google Search Console | SEO performance tracking | Monitor indexing, Core Web Vitals, keyword positions. Target page speed >90 mobile. Submit XML sitemap. Track non-brand traffic percentage as key SEO health metric |
| campaign-analytics skill | Attribution modeling and ROI calculation | Export HubSpot journey data as JSON for attribution_analyzer.py. Use campaign_roi_calculator.py for cross-channel ROI comparison. Feed funnel data into funnel_analyzer.py for bottleneck detection |
| social-media-analyzer skill | Social channel performance within demand gen mix | Analyze paid social campaign performance with calculate_metrics.py. Compare social channel CAC against other acquisition channels |
| Partner Platforms (PartnerStack, Impact, Rewardful) | Affiliate and partner program management | Configure 20-30% recurring commission. Create affiliate enablement kit. Set up partner UTM tracking. Test affiliate link tracking through to conversion |
Tool Reference
calculate_cac.py
Type: CLI script (runs with example data or edit inline)
Usage:
python calculate_cac.py
Note: This script uses hardcoded example data. To analyze your own data, edit the example_data list in the script with your channel-specific spend and customer counts.
Input Format (edit in script):
example_data = [
{'channel': 'LinkedIn Ads', 'spend': 15000, 'customers': 10},
{'channel': 'Google Search', 'spend': 12000, 'customers': 20},
{'channel': 'SEO/Organic', 'spend': 5000, 'customers': 15},
{'channel': 'Partnerships', 'spend': 3000, 'customers': 5},
]
Functions:
| Function | Parameters | Returns |
|---|---|---|
calculate_cac() |
total_spend: float, customers_acquired: int |
Basic CAC as float. Returns 0.0 if customers is 0 |
calculate_channel_cac() |
channel_data: List[Dict] (each dict: channel, spend, customers) |
Dict with per-channel breakdown (spend, customers, cac) plus blended key with total_spend, total_customers, blended_cac |
print_results() |
results: Dict |
Prints formatted table to stdout with per-channel and blended CAC |
Built-in Benchmarks (printed at end of output):
- LinkedIn Ads: $150-$400
- Google Search: $80-$250
- SEO/Organic: $50-$150
- Partnerships: $100-$300
- Blended Target: <$300
2026 Context: These benchmarks reflect Series A B2B SaaS. Overall B2B SaaS CAC has risen to $1,200 average across all segments (up 40-60% since 2023). Self-serve models target $100-500; enterprise segments can exceed $5,000. The median SaaS company spends $2 to acquire $1 of new ARR.