- Account Engagement Score (AES): Measures how target accounts interact across touchpoints. Helps prioritise follow-ups based on engagement levels.
- Account Coverage Rate (ACR): Tracks how well you’re reaching decision-makers and influencers within target accounts.
- Sales Cycle Speed: Monitors how quickly accounts move through your pipeline, identifying bottlenecks.
- Account Conversion Rate (AccvR): Calculates the percentage of target accounts that turn into paying customers.
- Revenue Per Account (RPA): Reflects the average deal value per converted account.
- Long-term Account Value (LAV): Estimates the total revenue potential of an account over time.
- Campaign ROI: Compares revenue generated to your ABM investment, showing profitability.
These metrics align marketing and sales efforts, driving revenue growth and improving client relationships. Start tracking them now to refine your ABM strategy and achieve better results.
Account Based Marketing Metrics That Matter
1. Account Engagement Score
The Account Engagement Score (AES) measures how target accounts interact across various touchpoints. It serves as a foundation for creating a focused, data-driven ABM strategy.
To build an effective scoring system, assign weights to different engagement activities:
Engagement Type | Key Metrics | Typical Weight |
Content Engagement | Time spent on content, downloads, webinar attendance | 40% |
Email Interaction | Opens, click-throughs, responses | 35% |
Social Activity | Likes, shares, comments | 25% |
For example, downloading a whitepaper might score 10 points, while a quick blog visit might only score 2. This helps gauge the account's overall engagement. In the B2B SaaS space, engagement scores often range between 60 and 80.
Tips for Refining Your Scoring System
- Track interactions across the entire customer lifecycle, not just during lead qualification.
- Prioritise high-value actions, like visits to product pages, over lower-value ones like blog views.
- Give more weight to recent activities by using a rolling time window.
- Regularly adjust scoring models based on feedback from your sales team.
Integrate data from your CRM, marketing automation tools, and analytics platforms to get a complete picture. Use this information to segment accounts by their engagement levels and tailor your follow-ups accordingly:
Engagement Tier | Score Range | Recommended Action |
High | 75–100 | Immediate sales outreach |
Medium | 50–74 | Nurture with personalised content |
Low | 0–49 | Build awareness with targeted campaigns |
A well-structured AES helps guide every ABM decision, ensuring your campaigns stay focused and effective.
2. Account Coverage Rate
Account Coverage Rate (ACR) measures how well your ABM campaigns connect with key decision-makers and influencers. It looks at both the number of contacts you've reached and the level of influence they hold, helping to identify where your account engagement might be falling short.
According to a survey by ITSMA, 87% of marketers believe ABM outperforms other strategies. This makes it essential to regularly review your ACR, adjusting your approach to focus on both the quantity and quality of contacts. Understanding your account reach is a critical step before evaluating how quickly deals are moving through the pipeline.
3. Sales Cycle Speed
Sales cycle speed tracks how quickly accounts progress through your pipeline. In 2023, nearly 50% of businesses reported longer sales cycles, with 52% seeing an increase of at least 10%. Like other ABM metrics, improving sales cycle speed plays a key role in achieving measurable success.
A faster sales cycle means generating revenue sooner and improving the overall value of customer relationships. As the Adobe Experience Cloud Team explains, "Sales velocity is a measurement of how fast you're making money".
Factors Influencing Sales Cycle Speed
Several elements can slow down your sales cycle. Identifying these issues helps pinpoint bottlenecks and focus on the right solutions:
Factor | Impact | Solution |
Complex Buying Processes | 77% of B2B buyers found their last purchase process very complex or difficult | Provide easy access to information across all channels |
Buyer Consensus | 95% of buying groups revisit decisions at least once | Proactively engage all key stakeholders |
Budget Constraints | 89% of B2B buyers faced stalled purchases due to budget issues | Address financial concerns early in the process |
Proactive Strategies for Improvement
To tackle these challenges, a structured and collaborative approach is critical. Laura Palmer, Chief Revenue Officer at People.ai, advises:
"At the very beginning of every single opportunity, you should have a conversation with your customer and your internal stakeholders to understand what the customer is trying to achieve. Then, create a mutual-action plan with a deal close date that outlines all the steps both parties are going to take to help your customer achieve those goals."
- Laura Palmer, Chief Revenue Officer, People.ai
Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions will happen through digital channels. This shift highlights the importance of tools like marketing automation and CRM systems to align sales and marketing efforts. Companies that integrate their commercial strategies can achieve revenue growth up to 50% higher than competitors.
Tips for Optimising Sales Cycle Speed
- Develop mutual-action plans with clear timelines and responsibilities.
- Leverage automation tools to simplify workflows and reduce manual tasks.
- Address financial concerns early to avoid delays.
- Stay engaged with all decision-makers to maintain momentum.
- Monitor for bottlenecks and adjust processes as needed.
4. Account Conversion Rate
Account Conversion Rate (AccvR) tracks the percentage of target accounts that become paying customers. It's a direct way to measure how effective your campaigns are.
To calculate AccvR, divide the number of converted accounts by the total number of target accounts.
Here are some ways to boost your AccvR:
- Focus on high-potential accounts using data-driven insights.
- Use personalised messaging across multiple channels to engage effectively.
- Identify key decision-makers and address their specific needs.
Regularly monitoring AccvR helps you fine-tune your strategies and improve campaign outcomes. Up next, we'll look at the revenue impact per account to assess campaign success even further.
5. Revenue Per Account
Revenue Per Account (RPA) reflects the average value of deals closed per converted account. To calculate it, simply divide the total deal value by the number of accounts won. For instance, if 10 accounts collectively generate £500,000, your RPA would be £50,000.
Research highlights the effectiveness of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategies:
Impact Area | Performance Boost |
Win Rates | 60% higher with ABM |
Pipeline Velocity | 234% faster progression |
Deal Sizes | 58% of B2B marketers report larger deals |
To improve your RPA:
- Focus on fewer accounts with stronger potential.
- Leverage real-time insights to create tailored sales content for key decision-makers.
- Monitor RPA monthly or quarterly to adjust pricing and refine your offerings.
- Align sales, marketing, and finance teams with shared ABM metrics.
"ABM is about the overlap, not the handoff. Think about it this way: A successful ABM approach enables your marketing team to provide air cover and targeted programs as you, the sales team, are going outbound to target accounts." - Danilo Nikolich, Sr. Director of SDRs at RollWorks
These methods have driven faster deal cycles and larger deal sizes. Companies combining Account-Based Advertising with ABM strategies have seen a 234% increase in pipeline progression.
This metric plays a key role in shaping the long-term value of accounts, which we'll cover in the next section.
6. Long-term Account Value
Long-term Account Value (LAV) represents the total revenue you can expect from an account over the course of your business relationship. It helps you prioritise accounts and allocate resources wisely. This metric goes beyond immediate conversions, showcasing the lasting impact of personalised ABM strategies.
How to Calculate LAV
The calculation method depends on the size of the account:
Account Type | Calculation Method | Key Factors to Consider |
Smaller Accounts | Formalised Formula | Relationship duration, yearly orders, order size |
Larger Accounts | Participatory Review | Insights from senior decision-makers |
Strategies to Improve LAV
1. Set Tiered Value TargetsAdjust sales quotas to align with both current and potential value. For example, aim for 80% of actual LAV and 60% of potential LAV to balance immediate and future performance.
2. Prioritise Customer RetentionLauren O'Brien, chief revenue officer at Cloudastructure, highlights the importance of understanding retention metrics:
"You would be surprised how you can improve your pricing and sales strategy and accelerate sales by understanding these metrics."
3. Document Value DriversRecord the factors influencing LAV, such as expected projects, resource allocation, and market growth opportunities.
Stephan Liozu, chief value officer at Zilliant, explains the unique challenges of LAV in B2B settings:
"In B2B, lifetime value takes on a unique dimension, as procurement teams are generally structured to focus on short-term savings rather than long-term value."
Why LAV Matters
Research shows that 93% of organisations view ABM as "very" or "extremely" important to their success. Craig Rosenberg from TOPO adds:
"Strategically, ABM is about lifetime value. Tactically, customer expansion campaigns are often the most successful."
Tools and Tactics for Measuring LAV
- CRM Software: Track account interactions and revenue trends.
- Customer Loyalty Programmes: Strengthen retention by rewarding ongoing engagement.
- Targeted Retargeting Campaigns: Tailor campaigns based on specific account behaviours.
LAV is a cornerstone of campaign performance, setting the stage for the next key metric: Campaign ROI.
7. Campaign ROI
Campaign ROI evaluates the revenue generated compared to your ABM investment, offering a clear picture of your campaign's profitability.
Calculating ABM Campaign ROI
This process involves three key steps:
Step | Action | Components |
1. Total Costs | Add up all ABM-related expenses | Marketing campaigns, sales efforts, account engagement |
2. Revenue Assessment | Measure the revenue generated | Direct sales, upsells, renewals |
3. ROI Calculation | Divide revenue by total spend | Determine the ROI ratio |
Improving Performance
For instance, a B2B technology company increased its ROI by 45% by using advanced analytics to refine account targeting.
Multi-Channel Measurement
Understanding engagement across multiple channels provides a full view of revenue impact. Key metrics include:
Metric Type | What to Measure |
Direct Impact | Pipeline contribution, deal velocity |
Account Health | Engagement rates, account penetration |
Long-term Value | Customer lifetime value, retention rates |
These insights are essential for addressing common ROI measurement issues.
Common ROI Challenges
Around 60% of experienced ABM practitioners find it difficult to measure results effectively. To address this, consider the following:
- Align Sales and Marketing: Ensure both teams use consistent metrics to track and report data accurately.
- Use Real-Time Tracking: Advanced analytics can help monitor performance and adjust strategies quickly. One organisation reduced list-building time by 90% using this approach.
- Prioritise Quality Metrics: Focus on value-driven indicators rather than sheer volume. Notably, 52% of ABM leaders plan to invest in tools to improve attribution and reporting.
Leveraging Technology
To tackle these challenges, adopt tools that simplify ROI tracking. Look for platforms offering:
- Real-time data analytics
- Account-specific engagement tracking
- Revenue attribution features
- Customisable reporting dashboards
Conclusion
Measuring ABM success requires a comprehensive approach that combines seven core metrics to provide actionable insights. Together, these metrics help assess account relationships, engagement levels, and revenue outcomes.
A Unified Measurement Framework
These metrics form a cohesive system for evaluating campaign performance:
Metric Category | Key Insights | Business Impact |
Engagement Metrics | Account engagement score, coverage rate | Gauges relationship depth and reach |
Performance Metrics | Sales cycle speed, conversion rate | Improves pipeline efficiency |
Financial Metrics | Revenue per account, long-term value | Tracks growth and profitability |
Overall Success | Campaign ROI | Measures programme success |
This structured framework offers clarity for implementing strategic campaigns.
Strategic Execution
"According to Dean McGuinness, Account-Based Marketing Strategist at xGrowth, ABM metrics align marketing with sales to drive revenue, build relationships, and enhance reputation within target accounts."
Continuous Improvement Process
To fully leverage these metrics, focus on three key areas:
- Data Integration: Set up tracking systems that link marketing automation, CRM, and ABM platforms. This ensures consistent measurement across all touchpoints and provides a complete view of account progress.
- Collaboration Across Teams: Regularly bring marketing and sales teams together to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities. These discussions lead to better strategies and more effective campaigns.
- Performance Refinement: Use insights from metrics to adjust targeting, personalise content, and allocate resources wisely. This approach improves outcomes while maintaining efficiency.
Staying Ahead with ABM Metrics
As the ABM landscape evolves, it’s important to:
- Benchmark performance against industry standards
- Adjust measurement frameworks to align with changing business goals
- Use tools that simplify data collection and analysis
- Prioritise quality over quantity when selecting metrics
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