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In 2024, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) remains a crucial strategy for B2B companies looking to engage with high-value clients. By leveraging detailed psychographic data, ABM enables marketers to deliver highly personalized experiences that cut through the noise of the nearly 10,000 ad messages we see every day. However, most marketing teams are lean, and so are their budgets. Implementing ABM isn’t simple, but it’s doable with a lean team and lean budget, especially by adding in a dose of AI. Here are some practical strategies and insights you can swipe to execute effective ABM without a large team or substantial martech budget.

[The author has no connection to any of the platforms or companies mentioned and is not incentivized in any way to refer to them. This article is based on her own experience and research. Yes, AI helped write this and found great resources, and then Grammarly made sure my Mom wasn’t appalled by any grammatical errors.]

Understanding ABM

ABM identifies and targets key accounts with personalized marketing strategies. Simple. You’re creating more relevance versus relying on one way to sell to many different people. Said another way, your target/s should feel “seen” versus “targeted.”

Core principles include narrowing your focus to high-value accounts, customized messaging, and (crucially) sales and marketing alignment.

Benefits of ABM:

• Higher ROI compared to traditional marketing
• Better alignment between sales and marketing teams
• Enhanced customer experience and brand perception through personalization

Common Misconceptions:

• ABM is only for large companies
• Requires extensive martech infrastructure
• It's too resource-intensive for small teams

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Essential Elements of a Successful ABM Strategy

Identifying High-Value Target Accounts

‍Focus on quality over quantity. Select accounts that align with your business objectives and show high revenue potential. Go back through your history of deals, looking at total revenue over a specific period. In a growth-stage company, this often means sitting down with the CEO and the original head of sales and extracting deal-flow information. Who are your best accounts, and why? How and when did they buy? Catalog the information. This gives you clues to find look-alikes. Determine the 5-7 things that made your best customers pop to the top. Timing/Seasonality? Public or Private? Size of Company? Type of Investors and/or Board pressure? Market Dynamics? AI can help you find the patterns, but you need to build out the base of knowledge – for yourself and the company – before you plumb for insights. If you just brought on Hubspot or similar, get the data logged.

Developing Personalized Plans including Content and Messaging

‍Now, thinking about the high-value accounts and the types of people/roles you’re targeting at those accounts – how can you reach them in multiple ways that feel sticky and actionable? Don’t immediately just run targeted ads and email campaigns. I have tapped into billboards, old school direct mail, event intercepts, Board of Directors “top to top” outreach via CxOs, LinkedIn content plus email and targeted ads. Be interesting and be seen. That’s the real nature of ABM.

Now, create content that speaks directly to your target accounts' needs and pain points that align with your brand’s personality. Here’s an example: when building the Project Canary brand and continuous emissions monitoring market, we ran billboards near key locations that said, “Give Emissions the Bird.” – edgy, memorable, nailed the sentiment. The entire campaign zigged while the rest of the market was still zagging. Your target needs to see actionable, concise, and memorable messaging many, many times before they will engage.

Leverage AI-driven content platforms like Phrasee or Persado to create personalized messages that resonate with your target accounts. These tools analyze language patterns and customer behavior to generate content that speaks directly to your prospect's pain points and needs.

This simple form of personalization applied to 1:1 and 1:many emails results in a double-digit increase in open rates and click-throughs.  

Aligning Sales and Marketing Teams

‍It’s essential to gain the trust of your sales leaders, working alongside them to show them how to use the tools and demonstrate that you’re a commercially oriented marketer. Regular communication and joint planning are crucial to success.

Measuring Success and Iterating Strategies

‍Track key performance metrics and be ready to adjust strategies based on data insights and market changes. Continuous improvement is crucial. ABM is not “set it and forget it.” It's a high-touch strategy.  

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Implementing ABM with Limited Resources

Prioritizing Target Accounts

‍Use existing data to prioritize high-value accounts. Tools like CRM systems can help manage and analyze customer information efficiently. Even if your CRM is a spreadsheet, get data into a usable format that you and your sales team can reference. I often refer to the ABM accounts as the TAP – Targeted Account Protocol. The TAP gets its own Slack channel, sales meetings, budget, events, etc. High-touch strategies need high-impact collaboration for success.

Example: A fintech startup used Google Sheets to manage its TAP and saw a 20% increase in sales velocity simply by organizing and coordinating efforts better.

Leveraging Existing Tools and Platforms

‍Utilize free or low-cost tools for ABM activities. Email marketing platforms and CRM systems should be easy to use. Tap into AI tools like Clari and Chorus, which can provide insights into account engagement and sales pipeline activities.

Regular data-driven meetings and joint planning sessions ensure both teams work towards shared goals. I’ve been involved in three startup-to-scale-ups that selected Salesforce. In my experience, this is too much software and too expensive for nimble teams, and integration is a beast. Go with what your sales and marketing teams already know how to use, which is cost-effective and has marketing components baked in. I prefer HubSpot for these reasons.

Example: A SaaS company used HubSpot’s CRM and email marketing tools to supplement their direct marketing and event intercepts so they could streamline their ABM campaigns, resulting in a 30% increase in lead conversion rates.

Role of AI in ABM:

‍AI can revolutionize ABM by providing deeper data insights and automating tasks. Key technologies include data analytics, predictive analytics, and content personalization tools. I regularly use Chat GPT (paid), but if I’m curious or want more specific help, I’ll check this directory: https://tooldirectory.ai/

A win using AI is to feed in call recordings to use as your action-step notes for your CRM and Sales alignment. Here’s an easy one using Gong AI or feeding transcripts into Chat GPT. Prompt: Search the [ date ] call to identify key highlights from the call and key actions to take next in moving the deal forward. List only 3 bullet points for both highlights and actions to take. Think step by step.

No matter which tools you rely on, I have learned one key thing about making AI work hard for you: the prompt matters. Bad prompts get you bad results. It’s not the AI; it’s you.

Here’s a “bad” prompt for help determining personas for your ABM campaign:

Bad Prompt: Find out what [job title] people care about the most so I can write them a good sales email.

Great Prompt: You specialize in assisting the [insert your company name] sales team to prepare for calls with clients or prospects by providing persona-based research on [job title]. When I provide the job title and industry, you will conduct online research to compile persona-based information. This includes information such as job responsibilities, core metrics their role is measured by, pain points, motivations, priorities, and challenges.

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Rule #1: ALWAYS provide your answer in this format:

"Overview

Job Title:

Industry:

Job Responsibilities:

Key partners in their business:

Core metrics:

Pain Points:

Motivations:

Priorities:

Challenges:”

Rule #2: ALWAYS ask the user for the job title and industry before conducting your research.

Rule #3: Think step by step.

Other good AI assistants:

AI for Data Analysis and Insights.

AI can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, helping to refine target account lists and engagement strategies.

Microsoft Power BI

‍Known for its affordability and integration with other Microsoft products, Power BI is a popular choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive analytics tool. It offers a user-friendly interface and powerful data visualization features.

Google Data Studio

A free tool from Google, Data Studio provides strong integration with other Google services and offers a range of visualization options. It is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for cost-effective solutions.

Metabase

‍An open-source analytics tool, Metabase is free to use and easy to set up. It allows users to create dashboards and visualizations without needing extensive technical expertise.

Looker

Although it can be pricier than other alternatives, Looker provides excellent data exploration and business intelligence capabilities, making it a strong contender for businesses looking for a powerful Tableau alternative.

Qlik Sense

Offers advanced analytics and interactive visualizations at a lower cost than Tableau. Qlik Sense is suitable for organizations that need sophisticated data analysis and visualization tools.

Predictive Analytics for Targeted Account Selection.

Use predictive analytics to forecast which accounts will most likely convert, allowing for more strategic resource allocation.

Zoho CRM

‍‍Zoho CRM provides a comprehensive suite of tools for sales automation, marketing automation, and analytics. It includes AI-driven features such as lead scoring, predictive sales analytics, and customer segmentation at a much lower cost compared to Salesforce Einstein.

HubSpot

‍HubSpot CRM offers robust inbound marketing tools and a free CRM platform. It includes features like lead scoring, email tracking, and marketing automation. The free version is suitable for small businesses, and paid plans offer more advanced AI capabilities. HubSpot's AI capabilities can manage campaigns in real-time, making adjustments based on performance data. This optimizes results by ensuring that campaigns remain effective and responsive to changing market conditions.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is an affordable CRM option that includes sales automation and pipeline management features. It offers tools for lead and deal tracking, email integration, and sales reporting, making it a good alternative for small to medium-sized businesses.

Toplyne

Toplyne is a predictive AI tool that can help sales and marketing teams predict business outcomes, such as new customer acquisition and expansion sales. It provides capabilities similar to Salesforce Einstein's predictive analytics at a lower cost.

SugarCRM

‍SugarCRM offers a range of features for sales automation, marketing campaigns, and customer support. It includes AI-driven insights and predictive analytics to help businesses effectively manage customer relationships.

AI for Personalized Content Creation.

‍AI-powered tools can generate personalized content at scale, ensuring each target account receives relevant and engaging material.

• Persado leverages AI to generate personalized content at scale. By analyzing language patterns and customer behavior, Persado ensures each target account receives relevant and engaging material, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
• Copy.ai: offers an AI-powered writing assistant that helps create marketing copy, blog content, and social media posts. It provides a free plan with basic features, making it accessible for small businesses and individual marketers.
• Writesonic uses AI to generate high-quality content for ads, blog posts, and emails. It offers a free tier with limited usage, suitable for those needing a cost-effective content generation solution.
• ChatGPT by OpenAI: can be used to generate personalized content by analyzing input prompts. While the API has usage fees, free access options are available for generating text content, making it a versatile tool for marketers on a budget.
• INK Editor: provides AI-powered writing and content optimization tools. It offers a free plan with basic content creation and SEO optimization features, suitable for small teams and individuals.
• Snazzy AI (by Unbounce): helps marketers create personalized marketing copy, including ad copy, landing pages, and emails. It offers a free plan with limited features, making it a budget-friendly option for startups and small businesses.

Practical Tips and Actionable Steps

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Identify and prioritize high-value target accounts.
2. Develop personalized content that is memorable and actionable
3. Align sales and marketing efforts.
4. Leverage existing tools and integrate AI for data analysis and content creation.
5. Continuously measure performance and iterate strategies.

Recommendations for Integrating AI Tools: Start small with AI tools that offer trial versions or low-cost options. Gradually integrate more advanced tools as you scale your ABM efforts. Become a prompt engineer. Seriously.

Continuous Improvement: Regularly review your ABM strategy and adjust based on performance data and market changes.

ABM is a powerful strategy for B2B marketing, even for small teams with limited budgets. Businesses can implement effective ABM campaigns by leveraging AI and focusing on strategic planning. Start small, iterate, and scale as you gain insights and resources.

We’d love for you to share your experiences and questions with us. And for further support, you can engage with our team of experts to implement some of these strategies in your own company.

About the Author

Rachael Shayne is an Executive Marketing Leader with expertise in climate technology, sustainability, and consumer goods. She is known for driving revenue-focused marketing strategies and building brands for growth-stage companies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelsd

About RevelOne

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