What is account-based marketing (ABM)?
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a focused business strategy that allocates resources to target specific accounts within a market. It tailors personalized campaigns to engage each account, aligning marketing messages with their unique attributes and requirements.
Moreover, ABM strategies adopt a comprehensive marketing approach that extends beyond lead generation. By marketing to existing customer accounts, they aim to stimulate upselling and cross-selling opportunities, maximizing the value derived from major accounts. This is reflected in the fact that 92% of companies with mature ABM programs report it delivers higher ROI than any other marketing tactic.
Personalized marketing approach
ABM strategies can enhance customer experiences, spanning from initial engagement to long-term retention, resulting in overall improved satisfaction.
Shorter sales cycles
the sales cycle is expedited by simultaneously nurturing all prospects, streamlining major purchase decisions involving multiple stakeholders.
Sales & marketing alignment
Working together reigns in resources and reduces friction, making it easier to tie marketing’s impact directly to winning high-value accounts.
Clearer ROI
Account-based marketing, being highly targeted, ensures precision and measurability, delivering the highest ROI among B2B marketing tactics.
Account-based marketing tactics for B2B marketing:
Account-based marketing starts by constructing an ideal customer profile and forming relevant segments to tailor marketing programs. These personalized programs are then deployed across impactful channels such as events, websites, and email, with each company adopting a unique mix of tactics based on industry, vertical, and product category.
Let's dive into how some of these tactics are used on the ground:
Email Campaigns:
Despite the enduring value of direct mail, email remains a crucial marketing channel in ABM. While volume-based approaches might rely on templates and automation, account-based marketing emphasizes crafting personalized email messages for each company and individual recipient.
Paid Advertising:
PPC and paid social media ads are effective means of engaging target accounts online. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook enable precise targeting of specific companies and personas, while technologies such as IP targeting and retargeting allow for tailored display campaigns focused on select target accounts rather than broad outreach.
In ABM, PPC initiatives often revolve around event or webinar advertising and may serve as a halo campaign following RFP submission.
Web Personalization:
ABM web campaigns extend beyond driving traffic through personalized SEM and inbound marketing efforts. Upon reaching the website, web personalization technology tailors the experience to match the needs and preferences of target prospects, providing an account-specific experience rather than a generic one.
Frequently Asked Question
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a strategic approach that focuses on targeting specific high-value accounts with personalized marketing efforts, rather than casting a wide net to attract a broad audience.
Success metrics for ABM campaigns may include account engagement, lead quality, pipeline growth, and revenue generated from target accounts. Tracking these metrics allows marketers to assess the effectiveness of their ABM efforts.