Marketing Demand & Acquisition

Expert acquisition playbook for Series A+ startups scaling internationally (EU/US/Canada) with hybrid PLG/Sales-Led motion.

Tools

CAC Calculator

bash

python scripts/calculate_cac.py

Calculates customer acquisition cost across channels with blended metrics.

Core KPIs by Role

Role	Key Metrics
Demand Gen	MQL/SQL volume, cost per opportunity, marketing-sourced pipeline $, MQL→SQL conversion
Paid Media	CAC, ROAS, CPL, CPA, incrementality lift, channel efficiency ratio
SEO	Organic sessions, non-brand traffic %, keyword rankings, organic-assisted conversions
Partnerships	Partner-sourced pipeline $, partner CAC, net new logos via partners

Channel Strategy Matrix

Channel	Best For	CAC Benchmark	Series A Priority
LinkedIn Ads	B2B, Enterprise, ABM	$150-$400	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Google Search	High-intent, BOFU	$80-$250	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Google Display	Retargeting, awareness	$50-$150	⭐⭐⭐
Meta (FB/IG)	SMB, consumer-like products	$60-$200	⭐⭐⭐

Budget Allocation (Series A Recommended)

EU Markets: 40% LinkedIn, 25% Google, 20% SEO, 15% Partnerships US/Canada: 35% Google, 30% LinkedIn, 20% SEO, 15% Partnerships

Campaign Brief Template

code

Campaign Name: [Q2-2025-LinkedIn-ABM-Enterprise]
Objective: [Generate 50 SQLs from Enterprise accounts ($50k+ ACV)]
Budget: [$15k/month]
Duration: [90 days]
Channels: [LinkedIn Ads, Retargeting, Email]
Audience: [Director+ at SaaS companies, 500-5000 employees, EU/US]
Offer: [Gated Industry Benchmark Report]
Success Metrics:
  - Primary: 50 SQLs, <$300 CPO
  - Secondary: 500 MQLs, 10% MQL→SQL rate
HubSpot Setup:
  - Campaign ID: [create in HubSpot]
  - Lead scoring: +20 for download, +30 for demo request
  - Attribution: First-touch + Multi-touch
Handoff Protocol:
  - SQL criteria: Title + Company size + Budget confirmed
  - Routing: Enterprise SDR team via HubSpot workflow
  - SLA: 4-hour response time

UTM Parameter Structure

code

utm_source={channel}       // linkedin, google, facebook
utm_medium={type}          // cpc, display, email, organic
utm_campaign={campaign-id} // q2-2025-linkedin-abm-enterprise
utm_content={variant}      // ad-variant-a, email-1
utm_term={keyword}         // [for paid search only]

International Expansion

EU Market Entry:

•GDPR: Double opt-in, explicit consent tracking in HubSpot
•Localization: DE, FR, ES priority
•Display prices in EUR
•LinkedIn most effective for B2B EU

US/Canada:

•Messaging: Direct, ROI-focused
•Google Ads + LinkedIn equal priority
•Case studies with $ impact
•Faster sales cycles, immediate lead follow-up

LinkedIn Campaign Structure

code

Account
└─ Campaign Group: [Q2-2025-Enterprise-ABM]
   ├─ Campaign 1: [Awareness - Thought Leadership]
   ├─ Campaign 2: [Consideration - Product Education]
   └─ Campaign 3: [Conversion - Demo Requests]

Targeting: Company Size 50-5000, Director+, Software/SaaS industries Budget: Start $50/day per campaign, scale 20% weekly if CAC < target

Google Ads Campaign Types (Priority Order)

•Search - Brand (protect brand terms)
•Search - Competitor (steal market share)
•Search - Solution (problem-aware buyers)
•Display - Retargeting (re-engage warm traffic)

Scaling Rules

•CAC < target → Increase budget 20% weekly
•CAC > target → Pause, optimize, relaunch
•Conversion rate drops >20% → Check landing page, offer fatigue
•Scale winners, kill losers fast (2-week test minimum)

Partner Program Tiers

Tier	Requirements	Benefits
Referral	Register, pass quiz	10% commission, portal access
Silver	2 deals/quarter, certification	15% commission, co-marketing
Gold	5 deals/quarter, dedicated team	20% commission, MDF, joint planning
Platinum	$100k+ revenue/year	25% commission, executive sponsor, custom programs

Attribution Model (W-Shaped)

•First touch: 30% (awareness)
•Lead creation: 30% (conversion)
•Opportunity creation: 30% (sales-ready)
•Additional touches: 10% (distributed)