Why Siemens Healthineers Is Rethinking Demand Generation
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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Demand generation at Siemens Healthineers is changing.
And not because marketing teams suddenly need more leads.
Because the old model isn’t delivering what sales actually need.
In B2B, we’ve spent years optimising for volume.
More campaigns. More MQLs. More activity.
But ask most sales teams what they think of those leads, and you’ll hear the same thing:
They don’t trust them.
That’s exactly what stood out in my recent conversation with Rosanne Darrow, VP of Marketing and Communications at Siemens Healthineers. Instead of defending the model, she’s rethinking it — and rebuilding how demand generation works in practice.
The Problem with Traditional Demand Generation
The model most organisations follow is simple:
Marketing generates leads.
Sales follow up.
On paper, it works.
In reality, it creates friction.
At Siemens Healthineers, marketing was generating demand across multiple channels and passing everything through to sales. The intention was right.
The outcome wasn’t.
Too many leads lacked context.
Too many weren’t ready to buy.
Some weren’t even real opportunities.
As Rosanne put it, sales teams felt like their time was being wasted.
And when that happens, alignment breaks down quickly.
Why Buyer Behaviour Has Changed
At the same time, buyers have moved on.
Today’s B2B buyers are more informed, more independent, and more digital-first than ever before.
They don’t start by speaking to sales.
They start by researching.
In fact, 62% of MedTech buyers now prefer a rep-free experience at the early stages of their journey.
That doesn’t remove the need for sales.
But it does change when and how sales should engage.
If marketing is still passing early-stage interest straight to sales, it’s too soon.
Moving Beyond MQLs to Commercial Impact
This is where the MQL model starts to fall apart.
Because not all leads are equal.
And intent doesn’t mean readiness.
At Siemens Healthineers, that led to a shift in thinking:
From generating leads → to generating qualified demand
From measuring activity → to measuring commercial impact
Or more simply:
Marketing exists to enable sales.
Not overwhelm them.
The Role of SDRs in Modern Demand Generation
The biggest change wasn’t more activity.
It was adding a missing layer.
Instead of pushing raw leads to sales, Siemens Healthineers introduced SDRs — a function focused on qualification and nurturing.
That meant:
- qualifying inbound interest before sales get involved
- nurturing longer buying journeys
- filtering out low-value or early-stage enquiries
Sales weren’t given more leads.
They were given better conversations.
And that changes everything.
Proving the Model Without Disrupting Sales
One of the smartest parts of this approach was how it was introduced.
Not as a full transformation.
But as a controlled pilot.
By focusing on “white space” — accounts not heavily covered by existing sales teams — Siemens Healthineers could test the model without creating friction internally.
No overlap. No resistance.
Just a clear test of whether it worked.
And once it did, scaling became much easier.
What Good Demand Generation Looks Like Now
There’s no single fix here.
What’s changed is the system.
Modern B2B demand generation looks more like this:
- marketing and sales working as one system, not separate teams
- SDRs bridging the gap between interest and opportunity
- content and channels aligned to the buyer journey
- a focus on quality, not volume
And most importantly:
A shift from “how many leads did we generate?”
To “did we create real commercial impact?”
Final Thought
Demand generation isn’t failing because teams aren’t doing enough.
It’s failing because the model hasn’t kept up with how buyers actually buy.
The organisations that recognise that — and adapt — will build stronger pipelines, better alignment, and more predictable growth.
The rest will keep generating leads that go nowhere.
FAQs
What is demand generation in B2B?
Demand generation in B2B is the process of creating awareness, interest, and engagement with potential buyers throughout the entire buying journey. It goes beyond lead generation by focusing on building demand over time, not just capturing it at a single point.
Why is traditional demand generation no longer effective?
Traditional demand generation often focuses on volume — generating as many leads (MQLs) as possible.
The problem is that many of these leads aren’t ready to buy, which creates friction with sales teams. As buying behaviour becomes more digital-first, this approach leads to wasted time, poor conversion rates, and misalignment between marketing and sales.
What does “moving beyond MQLs” mean?
Moving beyond MQLs means shifting the focus from lead quantity to lead quality.
Instead of passing every enquiry to sales, modern demand generation prioritises qualification, nurturing, and timing — ensuring sales teams engage only when there is real intent and opportunity.
How are Siemens Healthineers approaching demand generation differently?
Siemens Healthineers have restructured their demand generation model to focus on commercial impact rather than lead volume.
This includes introducing SDRs to qualify and nurture leads, aligning marketing more closely with sales, and focusing on delivering meaningful opportunities instead of raw enquiries.
What role do SDRs play in demand generation?
SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) act as a bridge between marketing and sales.
They qualify inbound leads, nurture prospects over time, and ensure that only high-quality, sales-ready opportunities are passed to the sales team. This improves conversion rates and increases sales efficiency.
Listen to the Full Episode
If you’re rethinking your demand generation strategy — or trying to close the gap between marketing and sales — this episode is worth your time.
