Account-based marketing is turning the marketing funnel on its head and changing the way businesses engage high-value accounts. “Rather than fishing with a big net, ABM is all about spearfishing to catch your ideal accounts and fish in the same pond as happy clients.” For companies, in particular in B2B, this approach is essential.
If you’ve been struggling with how to get up and running with ABM or how to refine your existing ABM strategy, this guide breaks down the eight actionable steps you need to take to create a high-performing ABM strategy. Here is a process to help you get there so you can do immaculate marketing, get better ROI, and make all your allied teams work together better.
Why Should Your Business Use An ABM Strategy?
Traditional marketing typically spreads resources thin by targeting a broad audience, many of whom may not be a good fit for your offering. ABM changes the game by concentrating efforts on accounts most likely to convert and deliver long-term value.
Benefits of ABM:
- Higher ROI: ABM enables your team to focus on high-value opportunities, resulting in better conversions and higher returns.
- Deep Personalization: Tailored messages leave a greater impression on decision-makers, driving engagement and trust.
- Unified Teams: ABM fosters collaboration between sales and marketing, ensuring everyone aligns on goals and strategy.
This laser-focused approach makes ABM crucial for companies striving to build meaningful relationships while maximizing resources.
8 Steps to Build Your ABM Strategy
1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
The foundation of a successful ABM strategy starts with defining your Ideal Customer Profile. This ensures you’re targeting accounts that align with your business goals.
When creating an ICP, consider these factors:
- Industry: What sectors do your best customers come from?
- Company size: Small, mid-market, or enterprise accounts?
- Challenges: What problems are they trying to solve?
- Location: Are you targeting specific regions?
Pro Tip
Use tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, LinkedIn Insights, or intent-data platforms like Bombora to identify accounts actively researching solutions like yours.
2. Align Sales and Marketing Teams
ABM requires a unified approach between sales and marketing for maximum efficiency. Misalignment can lead to wasted efforts and mixed messaging.
Key Steps:
- Set shared goals, such as account-specific revenue targets or engagement levels.
- Identify key decision-makers at each target account.
- Host regular sales-marketing sync meetings to ensure progress tracking and collaboration.
The Result
A seamless handoff of leads, consistent messaging, and stronger account relationships.
3. Segment and Prioritize Target Accounts
Not all prospects are equal, so segment your target accounts into tiers. This helps you allocate your resources effectively.
Tiering Example:
- Tier 1 (High-Value Accounts): Full personalization with individual campaigns.
- Tier 2 (Mid-Value): Campaigns grouped by industry or persona clusters.
- Tier 3 (Lower-Value): Scaled outreach via automated marketing.
By focusing on high-value accounts while maintaining scalability, you can maximize ROI without stretching your resources.
4. Create Personalized Campaigns
Personalization is at the heart of ABM. Tailored campaigns resonate with decision-makers because they speak directly to their unique challenges and goals.
Personalized Campaign Elements:
- Tailored Emails addressing specific pain points.
- Custom Landing Pages designed for unique accounts.
- Dynamic Ad Creatives featuring industry-specific language or even company names.
Example
If your target is a healthcare company seeking operational modernization, provide case studies from similar clients and industry-specific testimonials.
5. Utilize Programmatic Advertising
Programmatic advertising is a game-changer for scaling ABM without sacrificing precision. Using tools like Demandbase or RollWorks, you can deliver targeted ads to decision-makers at select high-value accounts.
Tactics to Consider:
- Retarget visitors to your account-specific landing pages.
- Invest in LinkedIn ads targeting roles like CFOs or Marketing Directors.
- Engage executives with contextually relevant video ads.
Programmatic simplifies reaching the right people in the right places.
6. Use Multi-Channel Engagement
One channel alone isn’t enough for ABM. To achieve meaningful interactions with your target accounts, you need to adopt a multi-channel approach.
Channels to Leverage:
- Social Media (e.g., LinkedIn for executive campaigns)
- Email (direct outreach with custom messaging)
- Webinars (tailored for account-specific pain points)
- Direct Mail (send personalized offers or samples)
Being present across a variety of touchpoints increases your chances of connecting with decision-makers.
7. Measure and Optimize Performance
To refine your ABM strategy over time, use real-time analytics and measure what’s working across campaigns.
Key Metrics to Monitor:
- Account Engagement (ad clicks, email open rates, webinar registrations).
- Pipeline Velocity (time taken to close leads from targeted accounts).
- Account Penetration (how many team members within an account are interacting with your content).
Pro Tip
Leverage multi-touch attribution models to understand the entire buyer’s journey instead of crediting only one interaction.
8. Scale What Works
Once you identify high-performing campaigns, scale them to target more accounts. Adapt successful messaging to new industries or personas, and continue honing your strategy using feedback from sales and insights from analytics.
With every iteration, your ABM strategy will become sharper and more impactful.
Real-World Success Using ABM
Case Study Example
A SaaS company aimed to break into enterprise markets. Using ABM, the team identified 20 Tier 1 accounts, paired LinkedIn ads with personalized outreach, and nurtured pipeline opportunities via exclusive webinars.
Results:
- 35% higher engagement rates within key accounts.
- $1.5M in new client revenue over eight months.
Challenges in ABM & How to Solve Them
- Challenge: Limited Resources
Solution: Prioritize high-value Tier 1 accounts using personalized outreach, while automating Tier 3 engagements.
- Challenge: Difficulty Measuring ROI
Solution: Use robust marketing attribution tools like Marketo or HubSpot to track multi-channel touchpoints.
Unlock Success with ABM
Account-based marketing” isn’t just another marketing buzzword. It’s a targeted, efficient method of increasing ROI while better connecting the sales and marketing teams. By applying these eight steps, you can build an ABM approach that not only involves high-value accounts but also fuels long-term growth.
Get going with ABM now. Choose tools like Demandbase, RollWorks, and LinkedIn Ads that you trust. Big success is just a strategy away for you.
