In the world of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), few are as seasoned as Amber Bogie. With nearly 15 years of experience in marketing and eight years focused on ABM, Amber has worked across various company sizes and industries, helping businesses scale their marketing efforts in ways that truly resonate with their target accounts.
As the Director of GoToMarket and Account-Based Innovation at GoTo, she has seen firsthand the evolution of ABM and has a wealth of insights to share.
We sat down with Amber during an interview with Sam Hall from ABM Answered to talk about some of the biggest challenges and innovative strategies in the ABM space.
From creating differentiated value propositions to leveraging AI, Amber shared her expertise on everything from personalization at scale to nurturing the middle of the funnel.
1. Crafting a Differentiated Value Proposition in a Saturated Market
One of the first challenges Amber addressed was how companies can stand out in a crowded market. With competition increasing, creating a value proposition that resonates is crucial.
Amber's advice is to closely align with product marketing and product teams to ensure that the messaging is rooted in a deep understanding of customer needs.
"For smaller organizations, you might be closer to the customer and can dig into feedback directly from them and your sales team. At larger companies, the process can be more structured, but the same principles apply: always be asking why a deal isn’t closing and adjust accordingly." she says.
Amber emphasizes the importance of constant iteration. The goal is to test, refine, and optimize, while understanding that frequent changes can disrupt campaigns before they've had a chance to gain traction.
2. Personalization at Scale: Finding the Right Balance
Personalization at scale is often cited as an oxymoron in ABM.
Amber tackled this challenge by distinguishing between truly personalized one-to-one campaigns and more automated, broad-reaching approaches.
While tools like email sequences or display ads can automate some elements of personalization, Amber stresses that real account-based methods go beyond mass outreach.
"Personalization doesn’t have to mean reaching out to just one person. It can mean targeting a group of people within an account based on shared pain points or goals." Amber explains.
She shared her approach of creating one-to-one campaign motions that combine broader messaging with personalized tactics such as bespoke email cadences or gifting plays.
By tailoring content to personas but using generalized messaging in delivery, marketers can scale personalization while maintaining the integrity of ABM strategies.
3. How Wide Should Your Email Campaign Reach Within an Account?
A question from the ABM community touched on how to effectively widen the scope of email outreach within an account, given that buying decisions often involve multiple stakeholders.
Amber advises a thoughtful approach rather than simply blasting out messages to a large group.
The key is to understand the size and structure of the buying group and tailor your outreach to the right people.
"If you’re targeting HR tech, for example, the decision-making team might consist of multiple departments beyond just HR, such as Learning and Development or IT. Understand who the key players are and adapt your outreach accordingly." she suggests.
Amber also advises sending nuanced messages to each stakeholder rather than repeating the same message to everyone in the account.
4. Nurturing Accounts in the Middle of the Funnel
Middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU) marketing is often one of the trickiest stages to manage.
Amber highlights the importance of content that aligns with the customer’s journey while keeping in mind that buying decisions are rarely linear.
Marketers need to stay flexible, evaluating their efforts and adjusting based on where accounts are in their decision-making process.
For Amber, the secret to effective nurturing lies in delivering value through relevant content that speaks to the customer’s pain points.
"I always prefer sending something educational, whether it’s a piece of content or a case study, something that speaks to the problems they’re solving" she says.
These thoughtful touchpoints help to keep the conversation going and maintain the relationship while the customer moves through their decision-making process.
5. Leveraging AI in ABM Workflows
Artificial Intelligence is becoming an integral part of ABM strategies, but how can marketers make sure they are using it effectively?
Amber's experience with AI tools is an interesting one, as she notes that while AI has been around for years, it’s only recently become a major buzzword in marketing.
Amber uses AI to optimize repetitive tasks like sequence creation and outbound prospecting.
"A tool like Reggie AI helps us create email sequences and even automate some of the outbound prospecting. But the key takeaway is that AI is not here to replace people; it’s here to make our jobs easier." she explains.
AI can help marketers move faster and streamline processes, but human touch and expertise are still crucial for success.
6. Upselling and Cross-Selling Through ABM
Upselling within existing accounts is another challenge where ABM can play a pivotal role.
According to Amber, a strong customer success (CSM) team is essential for this effort, and marketing plays a supporting role.
From email campaigns to gifting, marketing can help nurture relationships that open the door to additional opportunities within an account.
"Marketing can help by creating valuable content or experiences that show customers how they can maximize their investment. Gifting plays a part in this as well, but it’s really about making the customer feel valued and supported." Amber explains.
Her advice to marketers? Ensure your customers are getting exceptional service and attention; because no amount of marketing will save a relationship that isn’t being nurtured on the ground level.
7. If You Had Unlimited Budget to Close Your Top Accounts...
Finally, we had to ask: If Amber had an unlimited budget to close a top-tier account, what would she do? Her response? A personalized, high-touch experience.
"I’d create a customized, experiential learning event for the account. Imagine a few days of in-person meetings, with personalized learning sessions, gift experiences, and top-tier concierge service. The goal is to make them feel truly valued, showcasing that we’re invested in their success long-term." Amber says.
From Hermes scarves to personalized coffee stations, Amber imagines an immersive, high-end experience that would cement the relationship.
Wrapping Up
Amber's insights are a reminder that ABM is both an art and a science.
While technology plays an important role in enabling ABM strategies, it’s the human touch, the thoughtful nurturing, personalized outreach, and the genuine care for the customer that really makes ABM successful.
Whether you’re crafting a compelling value proposition or figuring out how to scale personalization, the key takeaway is to keep testing, refining, and adapting your strategies to build lasting relationships with your target accounts.
For ABM professionals, Amber’s advice offers a roadmap to not only optimize their marketing efforts but to build a more personalized, customer-first approach to account-based marketing that drives long-term success.
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