Demand Engine (WAVE Model)
Design the strategic demand gen machine: which channels, what content at each stage, how they interconnect, and how budget is allocated for maximum pipeline impact.
When to Use
- Pre-launch demand gen planning
- Annual marketing strategy
- Channel mix optimization
- New segment demand gen design
- Marketing budget planning
What You'll Need
Critical inputs (ask if not provided):
- Product and target audience
- Available budget range
- Sales motion (PLG, sales-led, hybrid)
Nice-to-have:
- Position Lock output (messaging to fuel campaigns)
- Journey Architect output (gates define content staging)
- Current channel performance data
Process
Step 1: Channel Inventory and WAVE Scoring
Evaluate 15+ demand channels:
Score each channel on 4 dimensions (1-10):
| Dimension |
What It Measures |
Scoring Guide |
| Weight |
Volume of qualified demand possible |
1=tiny reach, 5=meaningful, 10=massive scale |
| Audience-fit |
How well does this channel reach your ICP? |
1=wrong audience, 5=partial overlap, 10=perfect match |
| Velocity |
Time from first touch to hand-raise (inverse) |
1=12+ months, 5=3-6 months, 10=under 30 days |
| Efficiency |
Expected CAC relative to LTV |
1=unsustainable, 5=acceptable, 10=highly efficient |
WAVE Composite = (W x 0.25) + (A x 0.30) + (V x 0.20) + (E x 0.25)
Channels to evaluate: Organic search/SEO, Paid search, Social organic, Social paid, Content marketing, Email nurture, Events/webinars, Partnerships/co-marketing, Community/PLG, Analyst relations, PR/media, Review sites, Account-based marketing, Influencer/creator, Product-led virality, Referral programs
Step 2: Channel Mix Architecture
Based on WAVE scores:
| Classification |
WAVE Score |
Investment Level |
Action |
| Primary |
7.5+ |
Heavy -- full program build |
60% of budget |
| Secondary |
5.0-7.4 |
Moderate -- test and scale |
25% of budget |
| Experimental |
Below 5.0 |
Small experiments |
15% of budget |
Map channel interplay: how channels reinforce each other (e.g., content fuels SEO fuels organic social fuels email nurture).
Step 3: Content-to-Stage Mapping
Using Journey Architect's 7 gates (or simplified awareness-consideration-decision):
| Stage |
Content Purpose |
Content Types |
| G1-G2 (Awareness) |
Trigger problem recognition |
Thought leadership, industry reports, provocative POVs |
| G2-G3 (Education) |
Educate on solutions |
How-to guides, comparison frameworks, analyst reports |
| G3-G4 (Differentiation) |
Prove you are the best choice |
Case studies, demos, technical deep-dives, ROI calculators |
| G4 (Conversion) |
Remove purchase barriers |
Business case templates, security docs, implementation guides |
Step 4: Campaign Architecture
For each primary channel, define:
- Campaign theme and messaging (from Position Lock)
- Target audience segment
- Content assets required (from Step 3)
- KPIs and targets (impressions, clicks, MQLs, SQLs, pipeline)
- Timeline (pre-launch, launch week, post-launch sustain)
- Budget allocation
Step 5: Rebalancing Rules
Monthly rebalancing criteria:
- Channel exceeds CAC target by 25%+ for 2 months: reduce budget 30%
- Channel outperforms CAC target by 25%+: increase budget 20%
- Experiment reserve replenished quarterly from underperforming channel cuts
Output
Save to outputs/demand-engine-[YYYY-MM-DD].md
Deliverables:
- Channel Strategy Matrix: All channels scored, ranked, and classified with investment levels
- Demand Gen Playbook: Channel-specific tactics, content requirements, and KPIs
- Budget Allocation Model: Allocation by channel and month with rebalancing rules
- Content Requirements Map: What assets are needed, by stage and channel
Chain Connections
- Next skill: Run
enablement-forge to create the content and sales assets identified here
- Also feeds:
budget-allocator (demand gen budget feeds overall launch budget), launch-command (campaigns are a launch workstream)
- Enhanced by: Run after
position-lock (messaging drives content) and journey-architect (gates define staging)
1---2name: demand-engine3description: Multi-channel demand generation strategy builder that designs the full pipeline from awareness to hand-raise with channel scoring and budget allocation. Use when: demand generation, demand gen strategy, lead generation, pipeline strategy, marketing channels, how do we generate demand, channel strategy.4---56# Demand Engine (WAVE Model)78Design the strategic demand gen machine: which channels, what content at each stage, how they interconnect, and how budget is allocated for maximum pipeline impact.910## When to Use11- Pre-launch demand gen planning12- Annual marketing strategy13- Channel mix optimization14- New segment demand gen design15- Marketing budget planning1617## What You'll Need18**Critical inputs (ask if not provided):**19- Product and target audience20- Available budget range21- Sales motion (PLG, sales-led, hybrid)2223**Nice-to-have:**24- Position Lock output (messaging to fuel campaigns)25- Journey Architect output (gates define content staging)26- Current channel performance data2728## Process2930### Step 1: Channel Inventory and WAVE Scoring31Evaluate 15+ demand channels:3233Score each channel on 4 dimensions (1-10):3435| Dimension | What It Measures | Scoring Guide |36|-----------|-----------------|---------------|37| **W**eight | Volume of qualified demand possible | 1=tiny reach, 5=meaningful, 10=massive scale |38| **A**udience-fit | How well does this channel reach your ICP? | 1=wrong audience, 5=partial overlap, 10=perfect match |39| **V**elocity | Time from first touch to hand-raise (inverse) | 1=12+ months, 5=3-6 months, 10=under 30 days |40| **E**fficiency | Expected CAC relative to LTV | 1=unsustainable, 5=acceptable, 10=highly efficient |4142**WAVE Composite** = (W x 0.25) + (A x 0.30) + (V x 0.20) + (E x 0.25)4344Channels to evaluate: Organic search/SEO, Paid search, Social organic, Social paid, Content marketing, Email nurture, Events/webinars, Partnerships/co-marketing, Community/PLG, Analyst relations, PR/media, Review sites, Account-based marketing, Influencer/creator, Product-led virality, Referral programs4546### Step 2: Channel Mix Architecture47Based on WAVE scores:4849| Classification | WAVE Score | Investment Level | Action |50|---------------|-----------|-----------------|--------|51| **Primary** | 7.5+ | Heavy -- full program build | 60% of budget |52| **Secondary** | 5.0-7.4 | Moderate -- test and scale | 25% of budget |53| **Experimental** | Below 5.0 | Small experiments | 15% of budget |5455Map channel interplay: how channels reinforce each other (e.g., content fuels SEO fuels organic social fuels email nurture).5657### Step 3: Content-to-Stage Mapping58Using Journey Architect's 7 gates (or simplified awareness-consideration-decision):5960| Stage | Content Purpose | Content Types |61|-------|----------------|--------------|62| G1-G2 (Awareness) | Trigger problem recognition | Thought leadership, industry reports, provocative POVs |63| G2-G3 (Education) | Educate on solutions | How-to guides, comparison frameworks, analyst reports |64| G3-G4 (Differentiation) | Prove you are the best choice | Case studies, demos, technical deep-dives, ROI calculators |65| G4 (Conversion) | Remove purchase barriers | Business case templates, security docs, implementation guides |6667### Step 4: Campaign Architecture68For each primary channel, define:69- Campaign theme and messaging (from Position Lock)70- Target audience segment71- Content assets required (from Step 3)72- KPIs and targets (impressions, clicks, MQLs, SQLs, pipeline)73- Timeline (pre-launch, launch week, post-launch sustain)74- Budget allocation7576### Step 5: Rebalancing Rules77Monthly rebalancing criteria:78- Channel exceeds CAC target by 25%+ for 2 months: reduce budget 30%79- Channel outperforms CAC target by 25%+: increase budget 20%80- Experiment reserve replenished quarterly from underperforming channel cuts8182## Output83Save to `outputs/demand-engine-[YYYY-MM-DD].md`8485### Deliverables:861. **Channel Strategy Matrix**: All channels scored, ranked, and classified with investment levels872. **Demand Gen Playbook**: Channel-specific tactics, content requirements, and KPIs883. **Budget Allocation Model**: Allocation by channel and month with rebalancing rules894. **Content Requirements Map**: What assets are needed, by stage and channel9091## Chain Connections92- **Next skill**: Run `enablement-forge` to create the content and sales assets identified here93- **Also feeds**: `budget-allocator` (demand gen budget feeds overall launch budget), `launch-command` (campaigns are a launch workstream)94- **Enhanced by**: Run after `position-lock` (messaging drives content) and `journey-architect` (gates define staging)
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