Want faster UK traction? Then you need to get the order right

Key takeaways.

  • Starting with demand gen is a common mistake — it amplifies a story the market isn’t ready to hear yet.
  • PR should come first because it builds visibility in channels UK buyers trust.
  • Thought leadership builds credibility and a point of view.
  • Demand gen is most effective once buyers already recognise and trust your brand.
  • Getting the sequence right leads to lower costs, higher conversion, and faster revenue momentum.

Read the full article below.

Getting the order right in your go-to-market plan isn’t academic. It’s commercial. It determines whether your UK launch feels like a sprint or a stumble.

Too often companies rush to demand generation because it feels measurable. It offers clear KPIs, dashboards, and funnel stages.

But there’s a problem with this:

If you start with demand, you’re asking buyers to engage before they have reason to trust you. You end up paying more for clicks, seeing low conversion, and wondering why “there are leads but no pipeline.” It’s not because demand gen doesn’t work; it’s because it’s working in the wrong sequence.

Ask yourself:
Would you ask someone to buy from you if they hadn’t heard of you, understood your perspective, or seen independent validation of your expertise? Probably not. Buyers think the same way.

Here’s the sequence that aligns with how UK buyers actually buy:

  1. PR for visibility — When your brand shows up in trusted places – press, analyst notes, media commentary – buyers start associating you with relevance. Visibility is the first step because it makes you discoverable.
  2. Thought leadership for authority — Once buyers see your name, they need to believe you understand their world and their problem as deeply as they do. This is where insight, point of view, and independent commentary matter. Research shows that B2B buyers consistently rate thought leadership as a more credible measure of capability than other marketing materials.
  3. Demand gen for amplification — When awareness and authority exist, demand gen doesn’t need to force engagement. It channels interest into measurable actions, turning recognition into pipeline.

This isn’t just theory. It maps directly to buyer behaviour. UK buying cycles are longer; often stretching close to a year, and involve multiple stakeholders evaluating independently. Without visibility and trust first, demand gen becomes a cost centre, not a revenue generator.

Getting sequencing right turns your marketing engine into a predictable revenue driver, not a collection of tactics.

So, before you spend another penny on demand gen, we recommend clarifying where your story needs to be heard first. That’s your strategic advantage in the UK; and it’s exactly what we help our clients build.