Account-based marketing (ABM) is a strategic approach to B2B marketing that involves targeting high-value accounts, or specific individual companies or organizations, rather than casting a wide net to a broad audience. In ABM, marketing and sales teams work together to create personalized, targeted campaigns that focus on the specific needs and pain points of each targeted account. ABM can involve a variety of tactics, including targeted advertising, content marketing, social media marketing, and events, all designed to build relationships and ultimately drive revenue growth with the targeted accounts. ABM is particularly effective in complex B2B sales environments where high-value accounts may have long sales cycles and involve multiple decision-makers.
The benefits of account-based marketing:
Account-based marketing (ABM) offers several benefits, including:
- Increased conversion rates: By targeting high-value accounts, ABM can increase conversion rates because
- Improved customer experience: ABM campaigns are highly personalized, which can lead to a better customer experience. By tailoring messaging and offers to the needs of the account, customers are more likely to engage and feel valued.
- Better alignment between sales and marketing: ABM requires close collaboration between marketing and sales teams, which can improve communication and alignment. By working together, these teams can develop more effective strategies for engaging with high-value accounts.
- Increased ROI: Because ABM is targeted and personalized, it can lead to higher ROI. By focusing on high-value accounts, ABM can result in more revenue generated per account.
- Enhanced brand reputation: ABM campaigns often involve building relationships with key decision-makers in target accounts, which can improve a company’s brand reputation and position it as a trusted partner.
Overall, ABM can be a highly effective strategy for B2B companies looking to generate revenue growth and build long-term relationships with high-value accounts.
Account-based marketing examples:
Here are a few examples of account-based marketing (ABM) in action:
- LinkedIn – LinkedIn used an ABM approach to target specific companies and decision-makers with personalized messaging and content. For example, LinkedIn created a personalized video campaign for Hewlett Packard Enterprise that highlighted the company’s unique challenges and needs.
- Terminus – Terminus is a B2B marketing platform that specializes in ABM. The company uses its own platform to target high-value accounts with personalized messaging, ads, and content. For example, Terminus created a personalized video campaign for a healthcare company that resulted in a 73% increase in engagement.
- Uberflip – Uberflip is a content marketing platform that uses ABM to target specific accounts with personalized content experiences. For example, the company created a personalized content experience for a technology company that resulted in a 20% increase in pipeline revenue.
- Engagio – Engagio is another ABM-focused platform that helps companies target and engage with high-value accounts. Engagio’s own ABM campaign resulted in a 1,000% increase in engagement with its target accounts.
These are just a few examples of how companies are using ABM to target high-value accounts with personalized messaging, content, and experiences. The key is to focus on the specific needs and pain points of each account, and to create campaigns that build relationships and trust over time.
How to implement account-based marketing:
Implementing account-based marketing (ABM) involves several key steps:
- Identify high-value accounts: The first step is to identify the accounts that are the best fit for your company. This may involve analyzing your current customer base, conducting market research, and working with your sales team to identify potential targets.
- Align sales and marketing: ABM requires close collaboration between sales and marketing teams. The two teams should work together to identify the key decision-makers within each targeted account and to develop personalized messaging and content for each account.
- Develop personalized campaigns: Once you have identified your target accounts, you can begin developing personalized campaigns that are tailored to the needs and pain points of each account. This may involve creating targeted ads, developing custom content, and hosting events or webinars for each account.
- Measure and improve: Like any marketing strategy, ABM requires continuous measurement and improvement. You should track the success of your campaigns and adjust your approach as needed to optimize your results.
- Use technology to scale: ABM can be a time-intensive process, especially if you are targeting a large number of accounts. To scale your efforts, consider using ABM-focused technology platforms that can automate and streamline the process.
By following these steps, you can implement a successful ABM strategy that targets high-value accounts, improves customer experience, and drives revenue growth for your company.
Account-based marketing and personalization:
Account-based marketing (ABM) and personalization are closely related concepts, as ABM involves creating highly personalized campaigns for specific accounts.
Personalization involves tailoring messaging and content to the individual needs and preferences of each customer. In ABM, personalization is taken a step further, with messaging and content tailored to the specific needs and pain points of each targeted account.
ABM allows for deeper personalization because it involves a smaller pool of target accounts, which allows for more in-depth research and understanding of each account’s specific challenges and goals. This enables marketing and sales teams to create more targeted and effective campaigns that are more likely to resonate with the target account.
Personalization can take many forms in ABM, such as personalized landing pages, targeted content, and customized ads. By using personalization in ABM, companies can create a better customer experience, build stronger relationships with high-value accounts, and ultimately drive revenue growth.
Overall, personalization is a key component of successful ABM strategies, as it allows companies to tailor their messaging and content to the specific needs and pain points of each targeted account, resulting in more effective campaigns and stronger customer relationships.
Account-Based Marketing Framework:
Here is a framework for implementing account-based marketing (ABM):
- Identify high-value accounts: The first step is to identify the accounts that are the best fit for your company. This may involve analyzing your current customer base, conducting market research, and working with your sales team to identify potential targets.
- Develop account insights: Once you have identified your target accounts, you need to develop a deep understanding of each account’s challenges, goals, and pain points. This may involve conducting research, analyzing social media activity, and conducting interviews with key decision-makers.
- Create personalized messaging and content: Based on your account insights, you can develop personalized messaging and content that speaks to the specific needs and pain points of each account. This may involve creating targeted ads, developing custom content, and hosting events or webinars for each account.
- Engage decision-makers: The next step is to engage decision-makers within each target account. This may involve using a variety of channels, such as email, social media, and targeted ads, to reach decision-makers and build relationships over time.
- Measure and refine: Like any marketing strategy, ABM requires ongoing measurement and refinement. You should track the success of your campaigns and adjust your approach as needed to optimize results.
- Align sales and marketing: ABM requires close collaboration between sales and marketing teams. The two teams should work together to identify the key decision-makers within each targeted account and to develop personalized messaging and content for each account.
- Use technology to scale: ABM can be a time-intensive process, especially if you are targeting a large number of accounts. To scale your efforts, consider using ABM-focused technology platforms that can automate and streamline the process.
By following this framework, you can implement a successful ABM strategy that targets high-value accounts, improves customer experience, and drives revenue growth for your company.
Account-Based Marketing Strategy:
An effective account-based marketing (ABM) strategy can be developed by following these steps:
- Define your ideal customer profile: Begin by defining your ideal customer profile (ICP) and identifying the characteristics of the accounts that are the best fit for your company. This may involve analyzing your current customer base, conducting market research, and working with your sales team to identify potential targets.
- Select target accounts: Once you have defined your ICP, select a list of high-potential target accounts that meet your criteria. This list should be based on factors such as size, industry, revenue, and growth potential.
- Research your target accounts: Conduct in-depth research on each target account to develop a deep understanding of their needs, challenges, and goals. This may involve analyzing their website, social media activity, and industry news, as well as conducting interviews with key decision-makers.
- Develop personalized messaging and content: Based on your account insights, create personalized messaging and content that speaks to the specific needs and pain points of each target account. This may involve developing customized landing pages, creating targeted ads, and developing custom content.
- Engage decision-makers: Use a variety of channels, such as email, social media, and targeted ads, to engage decision-makers within each target account and build relationships over time.
- Measure and refine: Track the success of your campaigns and adjust your approach as needed to optimize results. Use metrics such as engagement, conversions, and revenue to measure the success of your ABM efforts.
- Collaborate with sales: Work closely with your sales team to ensure that your ABM efforts are aligned with their sales goals and strategies. This may involve developing joint account plans and coordinating outreach efforts.
By following these steps, you can develop an effective ABM strategy that targets high-value accounts, improves customer experience, and drives revenue growth for your company.
Account-Based Marketing Tools
There are several tools available to help with account-based marketing (ABM), including:
- ABM Platforms: There are several ABM-focused platforms available that can help with identifying target accounts, creating personalized content, and tracking engagement metrics. Examples include Terminus, Demandbase, and 6sense.
- CRM Software: Customer relationship management (CRM) software can be used to track interactions with target accounts, manage sales pipelines, and create personalized content. Examples include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM.
- Marketing Automation: Marketing automation tools can help with lead nurturing, lead scoring, and email marketing. Examples include Marketo, Eloqua, and Pardot.
- Social Media Management: Social media management tools can be used to monitor social media activity, engage with prospects, and track engagement metrics. Examples include Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social.
- Web Analytics: Web analytics tools can be used to track website activity, analyze visitor behavior, and optimize content. Examples include Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, and Webtrends.
- Personalization Tools: Personalization tools can help to create customized content for individual accounts, based on their specific needs and interests. Examples include Evergage, Dynamic Yield, and RichRelevance.
By leveraging these tools, companies can streamline their ABM efforts, improve engagement rates, and achieve better results from their marketing campaigns.
