Account-based marketing (ABM) has become one of the most powerful strategies in B2B marketing nowadays and will continue growing for many years to come.
But while its potential is immense, many marketers still grapple with understanding what ABM really is and how to effectively implement it in their marketing strategies.
In a recent interview for ABM Answered, Sam Hall had a meeting with Ross Howard, Director of Insights and Intelligence at Inbox Insight, to demystify ABM and share actionable insights for building a top-tier B2B content engine.
Here’s what we learned:
What Exactly Is Account-Based Marketing?
ABM can sound like a marketing buzzword, but as Ross succinctly puts it, ABM is "company-based marketing." This simple reframe helps stakeholders unfamiliar with ABM better understand its core concept. Ross explains:
"There are certain companies we wish we could engage with more. We already know who they are, so we create a discrete group of them and do different things to target those people. It’s really common sense."
ABM strategies generally fall into three tiers:
One-to-One: Tailored, hyper-personalized campaigns for individual accounts.
One-to-Few: Campaigns customized for clusters of accounts with shared characteristics.
One-to-Many: Scaled approaches for targeting a broader, but still specific, set of accounts.
Despite debates among ABM purists, Ross believes all three tiers are valid as long as you’re intentionally focusing on accounts you want to engage.
Starting Your ABM Journey
So, where do you begin? Ross’s advice is crystal clear: start with sales. Without sales buy-in, even the best-laid ABM plans will falter.
"The second sales feel like you’re not directly supporting their goals, you’re doomed," Ross warns. "Find champions within sales leadership and ensure alignment from day one."
He suggests piloting ABM initiatives to build momentum. A successful pilot might involve:
A dedicated BDR (business development representative).
A content marketer to create tailored assets.
A targeted ads budget.
By targeting a handful of high-priority accounts and delivering personalized content through social selling and remarketing, you can quickly demonstrate results.
According to Ross, you can see meaningful engagement within a single quarter.
The Intersection of Demand Gen and ABM
ABM and demand generation are often viewed as separate disciplines, but Ross argues they’re inherently connected.
"Demand generation is about market education," he explains. "If your target accounts don’t recognize their pain points or understand the solutions available, your ABM efforts won’t get far."
Ross breaks it down into three key stages:
Problem Awareness: Educate accounts about the challenges they’re facing.
Solution Awareness: Show them how they can address these challenges.
Brand Awareness: Ensure they associate your brand with the solution.
Combining ABM’s laser-focused targeting with demand gen’s broad educational tactics creates a winning formula. By generating engagement across an account’s buying group, marketers can deliver actionable leads to sales.
Creating Content That Resonates
Content is the beating heart of any ABM strategy. But how do you decide what content to create? Ross’s advice: start by understanding your target accounts’ pain points and interests.
Dive into intent data: Use tools like Bombora or analyze your own CRM data to uncover which topics are trending among your target accounts.
Leverage customer stories: Show how you’ve solved similar problems for other accounts.
Personalize deeply: Name-drop target companies, reference their competitors, or call out specific challenges they face.
Ross also emphasizes the importance of aligning your content with the customer journey:
"Think about your messaging as three layers: the pain (why), the solution (how), and the brand (who). Address these consistently to guide accounts toward conversion."
Timing Is Everything: When to Adopt ABM
When is the right time for an organization to embrace ABM? According to Ross, it’s critical to have a solid outreach process in place first.
"If you don’t have a good outreach function that’s already seeing results, even the best ABM strategy will struggle," he explains.
For organizations with large deal sizes, lengthy sales cycles, or extensive buying groups, ABM becomes an essential tool.
In these cases, adding elements like account-based events or high-touch customer engagement layers can drive significant results.
Tools, Tactics, and Lessons Learned
When it comes to leveraging tools like 6sense or Demandbase, Ross offers a pragmatic perspective. While these platforms can help prioritize accounts and buying stages, the real challenge lies in execution.
"You’re not generating value by knowing who to go after," he says. "You’re generating value by communicating effectively with those accounts."
Ross cautions against overcomplicating your tech stack early on, noting that simple tools like LinkedIn, a CRM, and some elbow grease can be enough to start proving ABM’s value.
He also reflects on lessons learned, including avoiding resource-heavy webinars for ABM. Instead, he recommends hosting intimate virtual roundtables tailored to target accounts.
"Be the Gatsby of ABM," Ross quips. "Create exclusive, valuable experiences where senior leaders can connect and share insights. You’ll build trust and gain unparalleled discovery opportunities."
Final Thoughts
Ross Howard’s insights underscore the importance of strategic alignment, intentional content creation, and adaptability in ABM.
Whether you’re just starting out or refining an existing program, these takeaways can help you build a world-class B2B content engine that drives real results.
As Ross puts it:
"ABM is about calling your shot. Know who you want to engage, deliver personalized value, and align with sales to make it happen."
Ready to level up your ABM game? Start small, stay focused, and always keep your target accounts at the center of your strategy.
Comentários