The Demand Architecture Glossary
The Complete Vocabulary of Profitable Customer Acquisition. Every framework, methodology, and metric from Architecting Demand compiled as a reference.
A
Agency Incentive Gap: The divergence between what benefits the agency (revenue, hours, scope) and what benefits the client (pipeline, CAC reduction, DER improvement). Created by fee structures tied to spend rather than results. (Chapter 3)
Algorithm Capture Cycle: The pattern where machine learning algorithms find efficiency, that efficiency attracts competition, and efficiency disappears while the algorithm remains locked in. (Chapter 2)
Attribution Decay: The declining accuracy of attribution models due to privacy changes, cookie deprecation, and dark funnel expansion. (Chapter 15)
Audience Stacking: Combining audience types (lookalike + interest + behavior) on Meta to improve B2B precision on a platform without professional targeting. (Chapter 11)
B
Blended CAC: Total spend divided by total customers. Masks marginal CAC and can hide scaling problems. (Chapter 16)
C
Campaign Launch Process: The five-stage workflow for launching demand campaigns: Brief, Development, Review, Launch, Optimization. (Chapter 17)
Channel Economics: The financial profile of each channel including minimum viable spend, typical CPL, expected conversion rates, and implied CAC. (Chapter 8)
Channel-Stage Fit Matrix: The mapping of channels to company stages (Pre-PMF, Early Scale, Growth, Scale) with Optimal, Viable, Limit, and Avoid recommendations. (Chapter 8)
Channel Selection Protocol: The five-step methodology for selecting channels: Calculate CAC Ceiling, Assess Stage Fit, Verify ICP Presence, Confirm Minimum Spend, Establish Evaluation Criteria. (Chapter 8)
Content-Pipeline Mapping: The framework connecting content types to funnel stages (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU) with specific pipeline outcomes. (Chapter 13)
CPL Inversion: The phenomenon where campaigns with higher CPL produce lower cost per customer due to superior lead quality. (Chapter 1)
Creative Decay: The degradation of creative performance over time due to frequency fatigue, algorithm penalty, and market saturation. (Chapters 9, 10, 11)
D
The Dark Funnel: All buyer influence that happens outside trackable touchpoints: podcasts, word of mouth, social browsing, community discussions. Estimated at 40-60% of B2B influence. (Chapter 15)
Demand Architecture: The complete system for profitable customer acquisition consisting of the 4 Lens Framework and operational infrastructure. (All chapters)
Demand Efficiency Ratio (DER): Revenue generated from demand activities divided by total demand spend. The north star metric for demand generation. Target: 3x or higher. (Introduction, Chapter 17)
Demand Efficiency Scorecard: The 125-point audit tool evaluating ICP Architecture (25), Message Engineering (25), Channel Selection (25), Execution Discipline (25), and Infrastructure & Operations (25). (Chapter 14)
Demand Operating System: The complete operational infrastructure consisting of Metrics & Measurement, Operational Cadence, Team & Roles, Process & Workflow, and Technology Stack. (Chapter 17)
Disqualification Criteria: Observable signals that indicate someone is NOT ICP, regardless of initial appearance. Essential for filtering noise from targeting. (Chapter 6)
Diversification Imperative: The requirement to distribute spend across channels to avoid single-platform risk. No channel should exceed 60% at scale. (Chapter 16)
E
The Efficiency Ceiling: The spend level above which channel efficiency materially degrades due to audience saturation, competition, frequency fatigue, or algorithm expansion. (Chapter 16)
Execution Multiplier: The 3-5x performance gap between poor and excellent execution given identical strategy. (Chapter 9)
Execution Scorecard: The 100-point assessment of execution discipline across Creative Excellence (35), Operational Process (35), and Iteration Velocity (30). (Chapter 9)
Expansion Strategies: The five approaches to scaling beyond ceiling: Vertical (new segments), Horizontal (new channels), Creative (new messages/formats), Funnel (expand demand), Efficiency (optimize current). (Chapter 16)
Extraction Defense Checklist: The five extraction points on LinkedIn (Audience Expansion, Audience Network, Automated Bidding, Lookalike Quality, Broad Targeting) and specific defenses for each. (Chapter 10)
F
The 4 Lens Framework: The architecture for profitable demand generation requiring four simultaneous conditions: ICP Architecture, Message Engineering, Channel Selection, and Execution Discipline. (Chapter 5)
Full-Funnel Math: The calculation methodology that reveals where value is created and destroyed. Shows that conversion improvements often outperform volume increases. (Chapter 1)
G
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): The practice of creating content optimized for citation by AI systems through named frameworks, clear structure, and authority signals. (Chapter 13)
H
Hook-First Structure: Video creative structure for Meta: 3-second hook, pain expansion, solution framing, direct CTA. Optimized for sound-off, mobile-first consumption. (Chapter 11)
I
ICP Architecture: The methodology of building targeting precision across five dimensions: Firmographic, Demographic, Psychographic, Behavioral, and Temporal. (Chapter 6)
ICP Precision Score: A 0-100 scoring system measuring targeting precision across all five dimensions. Scores above 70 indicate actionable architecture. (Chapter 6)
Incrementality Testing: Holdout experiments that test whether a channel causes conversions by comparing test and control groups. (Chapter 15)
Intent Hierarchy: Classification of search queries by proximity to purchase: Transactional (highest), Commercial Investigation, Informational, Navigational (lowest). (Chapter 12)
The Iteration Protocol: Systematic testing methodology with prioritized testing hierarchy, minimum sample sizes, and documented learnings. (Chapter 9)
K
Keyword Economics: The viability calculation for keywords: CPC, CTR, landing page conversion, and lead-to-customer rate combined to calculate implied CAC. (Chapter 12)
Kill Criteria: Pre-defined thresholds for channel termination based on CPL, conversion rate, and CAC performance against benchmarks. (Chapter 8)
L
Landing Page Alignment: The principle that landing pages must continue the promise of the ad with message match, intent alignment, and conversion architecture. (Chapter 12)
The Leads Fallacy: The false belief that more leads automatically produce more revenue. Fails because quality degrades with volume, processing has constraints, and funnel math is unforgiving. (Chapter 1)
LinkedIn Economics: The cost structure of LinkedIn advertising (CPM, CPC, CPL) and the viability calculation based on ACV and conversion rates. (Chapter 10)
LinkedIn Retargeting Architecture: Funnel-based retargeting strategy using website visitors, engagers, and list-based audiences with stage-appropriate creative and offers. (Chapter 10)
The List Test: The validation test for ICP specificity: can a researcher build a list of 100 targets using only the ICP documentation without asking clarifying questions? (Chapter 6)
M
Marginal CAC: The cost of acquiring each additional customer, as opposed to blended CAC. Scaling decisions should be based on marginal, not blended. (Chapter 16)
Match Type Strategy: The discipline of using Exact and Phrase Match over Broad Match in Google Ads to maintain control and reduce irrelevant spend. (Chapter 12)
Message Architecture: The four-level structure for messaging: Core Narrative, Segment Variants, Channel Adaptations, and Creative Variants. (Chapter 7)
Message Decay: The degradation of message effectiveness over time due to audience saturation, market adaptation, and context shift. (Chapter 7)
Message-Market Fit: The alignment between your message and the specific pain of your specific ICP segment. (Chapter 7)
The Meta Paradox: A consumer platform that can drive B2B results when architecture accounts for the context gap between consumer mindset and business purchasing. (Chapter 11)
Meta Audience Architecture: The four audience types for B2B on Meta: Website Custom Audiences, Customer List Custom Audiences, Lookalike Audiences, and Interest/Behavior Targeting. (Chapter 11)
The Metrics Hierarchy: Four-tier structure: North Star (DER), Pipeline Metrics, Acquisition Metrics, Channel Metrics with appropriate review cadences. (Chapter 17)
Multi-Layer Measurement: The framework combining platform reporting, CRM attribution, self-reported attribution, incrementality testing, and aggregate analysis. (Chapter 15)
P
The Painkiller Framework: The four-element structure for buyer-centric messaging: Pain Articulation, Cost of Inaction, Solution Framing, and Proof. (Chapter 7)
The Painkiller Test: A 0-4 scoring methodology to evaluate whether messaging follows the Painkiller Framework. (Chapter 7)
The Percentage Problem: The misalignment created when agency fees are tied to media spend, incentivizing spend increases over efficiency improvements. (Chapter 3)
Pillar-Cluster Architecture: Content structure with comprehensive pillar pages targeting head terms and cluster content targeting long-tail keywords. (Chapter 13)
Pipeline Math Discipline: The practice of calculating backward from customer targets to determine funnel requirements, then optimizing for quality at each stage. (Chapter 1)
Platform Defense Playbook: The five defenses against platform extraction: Default Distrust, Manual Control, Independent Measurement, Creative Velocity, and Portfolio Diversification. (Chapter 2)
Platform Economics: The structural dynamics where advertising platform incentives oppose advertiser efficiency. (Chapter 2)
The Psychology Gap: The five patterns that salespeople understand intuitively that marketers often miss. (Chapter 4)
R
The Relevance Score Hack: Tactics to improve LinkedIn's Relevance Score through tighter targeting, better creative, and regular refresh. (Chapter 10)
The Retainer Problem: The misalignment created when agency fees are fixed monthly amounts, incentivizing continuation over outcomes. (Chapter 3)
Role Accountability: The principle that every metric should have one owner; shared ownership produces no ownership. (Chapter 17)
S
Sales-Informed Demand: The principle that demand generation must be built by people who understand sales psychology. (Chapter 4)
Scaling Decision Framework: The five-question framework: Marginal CAC, Ceiling status, Expansion strategy, Risk assessment, Test definition. (Chapter 16)
Self-Reported Attribution: Asking buyers "How did you hear about us?" to capture dark funnel influence. (Chapter 15)
The SEO Patience Threshold: The 12-18 month period before content investment produces visible pipeline returns. (Chapter 13)
Simultaneity Requirement: The principle that all four lenses must be in focus simultaneously. (Chapter 5)
T
The Targeting Tax: The cost premium paid when targeting is imprecise. (Chapter 6)
The Auction Tax: The premium paid when demand fundamentals are weak. Manifests as 40-70% higher costs. (Chapter 2)
The Content Moat: The competitive advantage created by accumulated content, search rankings, authority, and audience. (Chapter 13)
The Demand Generation Paradox: The observation that demand generation is often better executed by people who understand sales. (Chapter 4)
The Three Pillars: Creative Excellence, Operational Process, and Iteration Velocity as the components of Execution Discipline. (Chapter 9)
V
The Variant Pipeline: The creative development funnel ensuring continuous supply of test variants: In-market, Ready, In Development, Concept. (Chapter 9)
The Vocabulary Gap: The different vocabularies sales and marketing use that reflect fundamentally different worldviews. (Chapter 4)
W
The Weekly Rhythm: The Monday performance review, Tuesday-Thursday execution, Friday planning structure. (Chapter 17)
System Summary
Demand Architecture is the complete system for turning marketing spend into revenue.
Part 1 identifies the structural problems: the Leads Delusion, Platform Problem, Agency Problem, and Sales-Marketing Divide.
Part 2 provides the 4 Lens Framework: ICP Architecture, Message Engineering, Channel Selection, and Execution Discipline.
Part 3 delivers channel-specific playbooks: LinkedIn, Meta, Google, and Content.
Part 4 establishes operational infrastructure: Demand Audit, Attribution Reality, Scaling Profitably, and the Demand Operating System.
The north star is the Demand Efficiency Ratio (DER). Revenue from demand divided by demand spend. Target: 3x or higher.