What Does it Take to Be an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Rockstar?

The rate of adoption of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has been steadily mounting, largely because it is a highly effective approach that aligns sales and marketing teams in landing high-value, profitable target accounts.

ABM requires marketers to narrow down their marketing efforts to specific, targeted accounts that are specifically identified, in order to yield greater revenues and to align those revenues with business goals. This marketing strategy has also helped marketers to create marketing-sourced deals that are the keys to scale the growth and ROI of the organization.

If you want to launch an ABM effort for your organization, then we have good news for you. While there are no magic formulas, you can begin the path to becoming an account-based marketing rockstar (or ABM champ) for your organization taking in one of several specialized learning programs, such as one by SiriusDecisions that we’ve adapted slightly here.

This ABM learning program is focused to equip learners in developing skills in –

• Collecting and distinguishing key data on targeted accounts and key decision makers of those accounts to strategize and execute ABM better

• Distinguishing customers from accounts in order to adopt differentiated and optimized treatments

• Developing an ABM-focused content strategy to enhance results from marketing and sales efforts

• Developing a more aligned cross-functional, collaborative teamwork environment between marketing and sales teams

• How to take differentiated measurements of ABM efforts by taking inta account several different metric classes, including major indicators as well as leads

There are several major priorities this account-based marketing course of SiriusDecisions is divided into. These include:

Strategy and Development

With its Strategy and Development segment, SiriusDecisions gives marketers lessons in how to improve and comprehend the communications and collaboration between the sales and marketing dynamic. This module of the ABM guide will help marketers develop confidence and credibility among the target accounts in their brands. Additionally, it also shows how to enhance the sales pipeline by generating better qualified accounts and lead opportunities. That’s why SiriusDecisions guides learners to address major issues of espousing the right strategy and developments.

Major issues marketers face in this stage of ABM include –

• To make sure they are have a clear understanding of how to align and collaborate marketing and sales based on mutual trust

• How do ABM strategies into the process of demand creation?

• How to measure ABM efforts to ensure they are aligned with specific business goals

• How to take the right strategies and optimize activities to rectify previous failures and mistakes

Here is how SiriusDecisions can help in addressing these issues:

• Helps in connecting, building mutual trust in and collaborating marketing and sales teams and strategies

• Helps organizations in communicating specific business objectives and meet those goals

• Guides in how to take optimized and personalized ABM approaches based on insights collected target accounts

• Guides in becoming trustworthy teams for targeted accounts

• Helps in building credibility for adopting or resurrecting ABM strategies after initial failures

Topics covered in Strategy & Development include –

• Different models of ABM

• Latest account-based marketing trends

• Best practices with real-life examples from customers

• How to make a budget and seek investment for ABM

• Understanding roles and responsibilities involved in ABM

• Strategic communication and collaboration between sales and marketing

• Charter development for account-based marketing approaches

• Evaluation of ABM metrics and campaign success

• The sell-in requirements of account-based marketing

• Program commitment in ABM

What results can you expect?

• Better strategic ways and efficiencies to boost revenues

• You will achieve a never-before close-knit alignment between marketing and sales reps

• Improved proficiency in marketing learnt from industry leaders

Large ABM Planning and Execution

SiriusDecisions guides marketers and organizations to make the most their years of best practices, expertise, and portfolio in creating the best framework of large ABM models. It helps in adopting the best structure, strategies, and for carrying out activities as planned and for measuring the effectiveness of large ABM programs.

With their guidance, marketers can create an effective ABM plan and identify scopes to improve previous flaws and failures to execute robust campaigns with long lasting revenues from those accounts.

Major issues marketers face in this stage of ABM include –

• Lack of clarity in understanding and coordinating with sales leaders and earn trust to form opportunities for the partnership

• The heavy burden of handling larger accounts and demonstrating progress

• How to allocate time and resources needed to work with key stakeholders of targeted large accounts

• The challenge of connecting and engaging with agencies

• How to evaluate and demonstrate progress with insights, understanding expectations and cater to increasing or changing demands

Here is how SiriusDecisions aids in addressing these issues:

• To build a structured ABM model for larger accounts

• Guiding marketers with instances on how ABM best practices work in attaining success

• Help creating roadmap for a more strategic ABM plan

• Identify how to improve marketing performances with ABM

• Pin down the right metrics to measure results and progress

• Address marketers’ challenges faced in attaining business goals and discover opportunities for improvements through ABM

Topics covered in a Large ABM Planning and Execution include:

• Adopting data-backed strategies for a large ABM effort

• Guidance on account profiling for a large ABM effort

• Collecting contact insights for a large ABM effort

• How to start prioritization for large ABM accounts

• Tools to use for prioritizing on large ABM accounts

• Take up the best plan and templates for a large ABM effort

• Setting practical goals

• Crafting the most effective messages for large accounts

• Creating content plan and flow for large ABM accounts

• Monitoring and evaluating accounts for foolproof selection of large accounts

• Executive engagement

• Understanding the account-to-organization ratio

• Choosing the best technology and services to improve selection process

• Collaboration with the sales team for account selection

• Gauging the potential expansion of large accounts

• How to select the best channels for cross-channel large ABM campaigns

• Implement customer advocacy for demand generation

What results can you expect?

• Companies can witness improved rate and accelerated growth

• Better retention rates for large accounts

• Improved cross-functional alignment

• Improved customer experience

• Improved collaboration and communication between marketing, sales and customer organizations

• Filling the sales pipeline with better qualified and more profitable large accounts

Named ABM Planning and Execution

With their Named ABM Planning and Execution model, SiriusDecisions guides marketers and learners to understand the intricacies of named ABM approaches. This way, organizations get acquainted with better understanding on how ABM will fit in the specific business goals and how to scale named ABM approaches. It also imparts marketers on how to make better selections of technologies, tools and insights to put into use, right from the beginning, account selection process, execution and measurement of progress.

Major issues marketers face in this stage of ABM include –

• How marketers can create a scaleable ABM program

• How to differentiate ABM from other demand creation processes

• How marketers can connect and collaborate marketing with sales development reps and other functional teams for named ABM

• How to narrow down upon the most suited technology and tools that will beef up the efficiencies

• How marketers can segment between several types of accounts and maximize existing content for the ABM campaign

Here is how SiriusDecisions aids in addressing these issues:

• SiriusDecisions helps marketers understand, distinguish and identify various types of ABM for segmentation and prioritization

• To help cut the clutter and set ABM process in motion with best practices and expertise

Topics covered in Large ABM Planning and Execution include:  

• Planning strategies for Named ABM

• Performing account profiling for Named ABM campaigns

• Collection of right account and contact insights for Named ABM

• Methods of prioritizing accounts for Named ABM

• Selection of the most effective templates that are aligned with the goals of Named ABM plans and accounts

• Setting the right marketing goals for Named ABM

• How to create personalized messages and content for Named ABM

• Guidance on monitoring, evaluating and making data-backed selection of Named ABM accounts

• How to calculate account-to-marketer ratio for Named ABM

• Selection of the best tech and tool for account selection, accelerating sales pipeline with better qualified accounts

• Collaboration and alignment between marketing and sales

• Choosing the best channels to engage with Named ABM accounts

• Make the most of brand advocacy for demand creation in Named ABM approaches

What results can you expect?

• Witness better strategic and streamlined Named ABM approaches

• Better efficiency in evaluating, identifying and selecting accounts

• Improved performance from more profitable accounts

• Efficiency and self-reliance in choosing and using technology and vendors

• Improved customer experience delivered

Industry ABM Planning and Execution

In this Industry ABM Planning and Execution module, SiriusDecisions focuses on improving proficiency of design implementation. You will also learn how to perform and deliver better ABM campaigns, dodge potential ABM mistakes and attain recognition across the targeted accounts and industry.

Major issues marketers face in this stage of ABM include –

• What it takes to create scaleable Industry ABM

• Distinguish other forms of demand creation from Industry ABM

• Challenges in selection of right Industry ABM ABM accounts

• Lack of clarity in selecting the appropriate technology for operating Industry ABM

• Challenges faced in collaborating sales and marketing

• Lesser efficiency in segmentation of accounts

• No solid content repurposing plans in place to make the most of existing content

Here is how SiriusDecisions aids in addressing these issues:

• SiriusDecisions offers resources, expertise and best practices to assist in designing and performing Industry ABM programs

• Aid various types of organizations with winning ABM Industry strategies

Topics covered in Industry ABM Planning and Execution include

• Planning strategies for Industry ABM

• Help with account profiling

• Collection of account and contact data

• Prioritization of high-value Industry ABM accounts

• Selection of appropriate technology and tools

• Thorough guide in template selection

• Setting the right Industry ABM goal

• Creating personalized messaging and content to drive engagement

• Account evaluation and selection

• Account-to-marketer ratio

• Accelerating of sale pipeline for Industry ABM

• Sales and marketing alignment

• Measurement and expansion for Industry ABM

• Selecting best channels for cross-channel campaigns

• Make the most of brand advocacy

What results can you expect?

• Achieve efficient execution with minimum errors

• Improved proficiency in account selection

• More effective evaluation of technology, accounts, services and channels

• Improved campaign progress and engagement with target accounts

In addition to all these guides and training modules, SiriusDecisions also guides marketers with ‘ABM Functional Design and Development’ which is focused in honing marketers’ skills in designing and executing result-driven ABM programs.

They diligently work with marketers to assist them in creating winning ABM and nurturing programs. SiriusDecisions guides learners in understanding and identifying unique insights, best tools required for functional maturity, improving and building competency levels for ies necessary for ABM success.

Using ABM effectively, marketers can gain an edge over competition, garner industry accolades and acknowledgment and create better portfolio for ABM campaigns. Click here to learn more more about the ABM tips and guidelines of SiriusDecisions to bring out the best of your in-house ABM team. In addition, you can simply call us with questions about your ABM doubts and challenges.

Alternatively, you can also check out the latest ABM updates and trends on our social channels – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. So, why wait? Fire away with your ABM queries now.