We’ve already shared the benefits of ABM, real-world wins, and how to overcome seller reluctance. Now, we’re diving into the nuts and bolts of building a successful ABM strategy.
In this installment of our Level Up webinar series, Kyle Dugan, Director of Digital Marketing at 6sense, breaks down the formula that forms the backbone of an effective ABM initiative.
This formula isn’t just theory — it’s a practical guide that uses the power of AI and predictive analytics to execute your marketing efforts with confidence.
1. Select the Best Accounts
This first step of the formula is crucial. As Kyle explains, this step sets the stage for a focused and effective ABM strategy.
The cornerstone for this is developing a robust Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Kyle emphasizes the importance of using historical data to create this profile. Key components typically include:
- Industry
- Location
- Employee size
- Revenue size
AI and predictive analytics also play a pivotal role in account selection. These technologies help identify which accounts are closest to making a purchase. 6sense’s platform uses predictive AI to determine where accounts are in their buying journey, allowing for more targeted and timely marketing and conversations.
Kyle provides insight into how 6sense users can create audience segments based on multiple criteria such as company size, industry, and intent. But he also encourages users to feed in historical data so AI can surface additional targeting criteria for you to consider.
This approach ensures that your account selection is not just based on surface-level characteristics, but on data-driven insights that truly define a high-value customer for your business.
2. Know About Them
Step two focuses on using intent data insights to inform your marketing and sales strategies, so teams can “make sure we’re speaking to these accounts in a way that they want to be spoken to — and in a way that actually helps them on their buying journey,” Kyle says.
What should you know about these accounts?
- What they’re searching for
- What technology they currently use
- Who is on their buying committee
- How they’re progressing in their buying journey
“One of the things that we found in a recent report is that most accounts don’t reach out to sales until they’re ready to buy,” Kyle says. “That means by the time a lot of people are contacting them, they already know what they want.”
To win more deals, you need to engage with accounts early in their buying journey, using the information you’ve gathered to guide their decision-making and earn their consideration. If you’re not on the short list by the time they’re ready to talk, the game is already lost.
The 6sense platform provides various tools to help gather and analyze this data, allowing you to tailor your approach for each account.
For example, you can track top generic words and keyword groups associated with your target accounts, giving you insight into their interests and needs. You can also track website visitors and interactions with third-party sites like G2 and TrustRadius, providing a picture of how accounts are engaging with your brand.
3. Engage the Right Way
Here’s where the rubber meets the road by turning your account insights into personalized engagement.
To capture attention and start winning trust, sellers need to deliver a high value experience that’s tailored to what they know about specific accounts.
This level of personalization goes beyond mentioning a company’s name in an email. It’s about understanding where an account is in their buying journey and what specific challenges or interests they have, then crafting content and experiences that directly address those needs.
Kyle lays out three key elements to engage the right way:
- The Right Content: Create customized content based on what you know about the account’s interests and needs.
- The Right Channel: Deliver your content through the channels where your accounts are most likely to engage.
- The Right Time: Engage accounts at the moment when they’re most receptive to your message.
Personalization at scale can be challenging. This is where technology comes into play. You need:
- Predictive AI to understand where buyers are in their journey
- Dynamic segmentation to assign accounts to precise audience segments based on their latest behavior
- AI monitoring of intent signals to understand where your ads are most likely to be seen and engaged with, so you maintain high visibility
4. Collaborate with Sales
Kyle describes this step as “good old fashioned teamwork.” But it’s not so simple.
Marketing and sales alignment is often one of the most difficult objectives for companies to achieve. The reason? Many organizations struggle with siloed teams, where marketing and sales operate independently, using their own data and goals, sometimes even at cross-purposes.
Kyle recommends selecting a rep from each team and setting up weekly meetings for the two to share what they’re working on. This regular communication builds trust, aligns teams on which accounts to work (and how), and fosters a sense of shared responsibility for the success of ABM efforts.
Technology like 6sense plays a role in facilitating collaboration, serving as a single source of truth for both sales and marketing. A shared view of account data and activities keeps the entire revenue team on the same page and provides a cohesive experience for customers.
5. Track Real Stuff
A more sophisticated strategy requires more nuanced metrics. In this final step, Kyle encourages moving beyond traditional marketing KPIs, many of which are geared toward an MQL or lead-generation approach that focuses on individuals rather than the behavior of entire buying teams.
He says, “Not all data is equal, right?” It’s time to reevaluate what we consider “real stuff” when it comes to ABM metrics. Kyle suggests concentrating on account-level engagement and progression, like:
- Accounts engaged
- Accounts in-market
- Velocity through buying stages
- Pipeline created and influenced
Tracking these isn’t just about reporting — it’s about fostering alignment between marketing and sales. Focus on shared metrics that tie directly to business outcomes so that both teams can work together more effectively towards common goals. 6sense facilitates this alignment by providing a unified view of account data and activities, ensuring sales and marketing have access to the same, up-to-date information about target accounts.
Conclusion
This formula provides a practical framework for implementing and optimizing your ABM strategy, using the power of AI and predictive analytics to drive more targeted and effective marketing efforts. By following these five steps, you can create a more aligned and impactful approach.
Ultimately, this formula is about more than just tactics; it’s about transforming your entire approach to engaging and winning your most valuable accounts. Get more of Kyle’s expertise in the full webinar.
