• Although 2020 was a year of crisis, Demand Gen marketers delivered exceptional results over the past 12 months. Only 1 in 4 (26%) changed their levels of activity or KPIs in response to the pandemic — and of these, 86% met or exceeded their original or adjusted KPIs.

• In a vote of confidence for its effectiveness, three-quarters (73%) have increased their Demand Gen activity since the beginning of the year. When asked for reasons behind the increase, the proven ROI of Demand Gen featured as one of the top four responses, in addition to increased sales and marketing targets.

• As buyer behavior has changed, 8 in 10 (81%) have revised the way they evaluate lead quality. Most common is a change to lead scoring based on content and engagement. And for the first time, technology-driven processes (such as marketing automation) are the primary method of qualification, compared to SDR-based screening last year.

• Even though 70% used face-to-face events in 2019, almost 8 in 10 believe they were successful in replacing live events — and while online events were the most common replacement, marketers used a wide range of tactics to fill the gap.

• However, 90% of Demand Gen marketers believe that buyers are becoming fatigued with online events, and a growing share will be increasing high-quality lead programs over the next 12 months.