Inbound Marketing Alone Isn't Enough Anymore
For more than ten years, inbound has been the best way to go. Make blog posts, optimize them for search engines, and write content that draws people to your site. That worked well when people mostly used Google to look for answers.
But things are different now. People can get answers right away with AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's Search Generative Experience. They don't always have to go to your website anymore.
The answer is simple. Your content may still show up in search results, but traffic drops, form fills slow down, and inbound alone stops sending you the leads you need.
What Demand Generation Really Is
Demand generation fills in the gaps that inbound leaves. Demand generation gets your message in front of people right away, instead of waiting for them to find you through search.
It's not about giving up on inbound, that should always be part of the mix. Demand Gen is about adding proactive campaigns that get targeted people interested. Think of inbound as fishing with a net and demand gen as spearfishing.
Demand Gen that comprises LinkedIn outreach and cold email are the best ways to reach people right now. They work together to get you in front of the right buyers at the right time.
The Demand Gen Playbook: LinkedIn Outreach and Cold Emailing
Make a list of your ideal customers and build target lists.
The first thing you need to do is figure out who you want to reach. Use HubSpot's data and tools for adding information to find the right companies and people to talk to. Create your Ideal Customer Profile by looking at their job, industry, and company size.
Safely Grow Your LinkedIn Outreach
With LinkedIn outreach software, you can target your ICP list and send out about 30 connection requests per profile every day. That means that every week, each rep added to the platform can add dozens of new contacts without risking getting of getting flagged. Once a prospect connects, the key is to send helpful information, not a sales message, such as a case study and thought leadership content. Only after that is the meeting request sent.
Send cold emails from different domains.
Cold email is a great tool, but don't use it from your main domain. To keep your emails from getting flagged, proper Demand Gen uses secondary domains and tools like Instantly or Apollo to run email sequences. Make sure your emails are short, personal, and only talk about one problem at a time. Cold emails can get you into places that inbound emails might never reach.
Sync leads that are engaged back into HubSpot
HubSpot comes into play when someone responds or sets up a meeting. These leads are synced back into HubSpot to track the campaign results. While the outbound tools do the hard work, HubSpot becomes your source of truth.
How to Make a Demand Gen Dashboard in HubSpot
Demand generation isn't guesswork. Once leads start coming back in, you can measure everything in HubSpot.
Keep an eye on things like:
- The number of LinkedIn connections sent and accepted
- The open and reply rates for cold emails
- New meetings set up through outreach
- Demand generation effect on pipeline and revenue.
You can see how your funnel is doing by combining both inbound and outbound data in a HubSpot dashboard.
When to Add Demand Generation to Your Plan
When should you add Demand Gen to your outreach campaigns? Pay attention to these signs:
- Your organic traffic is flat or going down
- Your visibility in AI-driven search results is going down
- Your inbound leads aren't reaching your pipeline
- Sales is complaining about the quality or quantity of leads
- You're too reliant on referrals and word-of-mouth
These are tell-tale signs its time to consider Demand Gen.
Balance Inbound with Demand Generation
Inbound is still important, but it can't do everything by itself anymore. People no longer have to wait for prospects to come to them; AI search has changed how people look for information.
You can create demand, start more conversations, and keep your pipeline growing by adding LinkedIn outreach and cold email on top of inbound. HubSpot brings everything together with workflows, reports, and dashboards that show you how well your inbound and outbound efforts are performing.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI Search, Inbound Marketing, and Demand Generation
How is AI search impacting inbound marketing and SEO?
AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), and Perplexity are changing how users interact with search. Instead of clicking through to blog posts or landing pages, users get instant answers directly in the search results. This means your content might still rank, but you'll see lower organic traffic, fewer form fills, and reduced lead conversion from traditional inbound marketing.
Is demand generation replacing inbound marketing?
Not exactly—demand generation and inbound marketing work best together. Inbound is passive and long-term: you attract leads with blogs, SEO, and downloadable content. Demand gen is proactive: cold email, LinkedIn outreach, and paid campaigns that create pipeline faster. Think of inbound as fishing with a net. Demand gen? That’s spearfishing.
Does cold email still work in 2025?
Yes—cold email is still effective when done right. It’s actually outperforming inbound in some B2B sectors. But to stay compliant and avoid spam filters:
- Use secondary domains (not your main one)
- Keep messaging personal and short
- Focus on one pain point per email
- Tools like Instantly, Apollo, and Smartlead help scale this safely
It’s not just about sending email—it’s about sending the right one, to the right person.
What’s the best way to run a LinkedIn outreach strategy for B2B?
Start with a clean, enriched target list using Heyreach, HubSpot, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or Apollo. Then:
- Use automation tools to send ~30 connection requests/day
- Post regularly with thought leadership and case studies
- Avoid pitching right away—nurture through content first
- Track connection and engagement rates
It’s a marathon, not a cold DM sprint.
Can I track demand generation performance in HubSpot?
Absolutely. HubSpot can:
- Track cold outreach replies and sync LinkedIn leads to HubSpot
- Build a demand generation dashboard for email and meeting conversion rates
- Set up custom MQL to SQL tracking workflows
- Visualize outbound impact alongside inbound sources in one dashboard
HubSpot is where your demand gen campaigns get quantified.
What KPIs should I track for outbound campaigns in HubSpot?
Here are key metrics to track:
- LinkedIn connection requests sent vs. accepted around 20%
- Cold email open and reply rates should be 5%
- Meetings booked from outreach
- MQL → SQL → Opportunity conversion rate
- Revenue influenced by demand gen (use custom campaign reporting)
These metrics help you understand what’s working—and double down.
Why aren’t my inbound leads converting into deals?
If your MQLs aren’t turning into SQLs, it could be due to:
- Poor lead qualification (fix with better lead status workflows)
- Slow follow-up from sales
- Over-reliance on gated content and old CTAs
- Misalignment between marketing and sales goals
Start by auditing lifecycle stages and lead scoring in HubSpot, then layer in demand gen to support pipeline acceleration.
How fast can I expect results from demand generation campaigns?
Unlike inbound, which can take 3–6 months, you’ll typically see results from cold email and LinkedIn outreach in 30–60 days. Most campaigns begin to produce meetings and responses within the first two weeks, assuming you’ve dialed in your targeting and messaging.
CTA:
Still Betting on Inbound Alone? Let’s Fix That.
CTA Copy:
AI search is shifting the buyer journey—and inbound can’t carry the load alone anymore.
Let’s walk through how LinkedIn outreach, cold email, and HubSpot automation can plug the gap fast.
🔍 Schedule a Demand Gen Strategy Session
Get clarity on what’s working, what’s not, and what to test next.
