Running a Successful ABM Strategy Without buying expensive intent data tools in 2025
- hajar boulagjam
- Mar 20
- 9 min read
How Marketers Feel About Expensive ABM Tools in 2025
"Don't buy a big platform to try to do ABM. Really, ABM is a scrappy thing."
— Chris Rack, (CEO and Co-Founder of Mockingbyrd.ai)
This honest advice from Chris, one of our past ABM Answered guests, captures exactly how marketers are feeling today.
Right now, before starting with Account-Based Marketing (ABM), the very first thing marketers think about is their budget. Budgets are tighter than ever, leading both experienced marketers and newcomers to question the necessity of expensive ABM platforms:
"Do we really need costly ABM tools to achieve good results?"
Chris, reflecting on his extensive ABM journey, explains the issue clearly:
"The problem with ABM is that you do it, and it starts off scrappy, targeted, collaborative, creative, and it really works. Then the CRO, CMO, or CEO comes down and says, 'this is great, let's scale it.' But foundationally, ABM isn't scalable, unless you have this massive team."
This isn't a new concern. Drew Smith, CEO of Attributa, previously highlighted the same issue with an essential question:
"What is the best way to do ABM without buying expensive tools like 6Sense or DemandBase?"
Expensive intent-data platforms like 6Sense and DemandBase offer powerful insights, but they're not always necessary, practical, or affordable. Marketers today are feeling overwhelmed by these high-priced tools, often doubting whether the investments truly pay off.
Instead, ABMers today are looking for simpler, affordable methods to identify target accounts, personalize their outreach, and achieve great results without breaking the bank. Also, the end of third-party cookies has also pushed marketers to trust their own data, known as first-party data, more than ever before.
In this blog, we'll explore how successful marketers run effective ABM strategies without relying on costly tech solutions. We'll share real-world examples, practical insights, and advice from marketing experts to help you drive results with a realistic budget.
We'll also explore the future of intent data platforms with the demise of cookies and how this shift will shape marketing strategies in 2025 and beyond.
But is it possible to run effective account-based marketing (ABM) without expensive intent data tools?
The short answer: Absolutely. Let's explore how.
How to Identify Your Best-Fit Accounts Without Intent Data Platforms
Intent data platforms like 6Sense or Demandbase promise clear visibility into which accounts are actively researching or interested in your solution. But what if you don't have these tools?
Fortunately, there are several practical ways to find your best-fit accounts using resources you probably already have.
Understanding your best-fit accounts doesn’t require expensive tools if you have clarity on your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
Begin by deeply analyzing your existing customer base to identify shared characteristics. Tools such as your CRM, customer feedback, and historical sales data can reveal valuable insights.
Matt Conway, Head of ABM at TXOne Networks, emphasizes that true ABM success isn't driven solely by technology:
"You can have all the tech in the world, but if you don't have the fundamentals like aligning with sales and open communication, all the tech won't help."
This highlights the critical role alignment plays: strong communication between marketing and sales can often uncover deeper insights than technology alone.
By maintaining clear collaboration, businesses can effectively identify target accounts based on past successes and direct sales input.
Leverage Affordable Tools and Temporary Subscriptions
There are affordable alternatives that can help you get started quickly.
Steve Armenti, CEO & founder of twelfth, specializes in targeting founders and startups, suggests cost-effective solutions:
"Start with simple tools like Common Room, Clay, or Apollo. For deeper insights or lookalike audiences, temporary subscriptions to tools like Ocean.io or Panda Match can get you a great starting list for just a few hundred bucks."
Using affordable or temporary tools allows marketers to gather valuable insights without a significant investment, enabling you to efficiently identify and target best-fit accounts.
Practical Steps:
Collaborate closely with sales to gather qualitative insights.
Analyze your CRM data to find patterns indicating high-value accounts.
Regularly review and refine your ICP based on evolving market dynamics.
When Should You Invest in ABM Tools?
While many budget-friendly ABM strategies exist, some level of investment can improve efficiency over time. Consider investing when:
Your sales and marketing teams struggle to manually track and manage multiple accounts.
You have validated your ABM strategy and need automation to scale.
Your website is getting significant traffic, and you want deeper insights into visitors.
For early-stage efforts, leveraging free CRM insights, LinkedIn engagement, and low-cost data subscriptions can provide a strong starting point before making larger investments.
Simple Ways to Personalize ABM Outreach on a Limited Budget
Personalization is the heartbeat of successful ABM. But many marketers assume personalization requires expensive technology or significant resources.
Fortunately, effective personalization doesn't need to be costly. Here are practical, budget-friendly ways to personalize your ABM outreach:
Start with the Data You Already Have
Instead of relying on intent data tools, dig into your first-party data; your CRM, customer success interactions, and product usage analytics. Shalev Sabag, ABM Manager at Atera, emphasizes this approach:
"Do ABM for existing customers; understand their product use, customer success interactions, and email responses. The insights are already there."
By analyzing customer behavior, you can tailor outreach to their needs and focus on strengthening relationships with accounts already engaged with your brand.
Prioritize Website Visitor Identification
If there's one investment to consider, it’s a website visitor identification tool, which helps uncover which companies are already exploring your site. As Shalev Sabag points out:
"The amount of companies that visit your website and then return six months later to request a demo is insane. With minimal effort, you can uncover relevant data and engage sooner."
By identifying these visitors early, you can personalize outreach while interest is high, rather than waiting for them to reach out.
Test and Iterate Instead of Overinvesting in Tech
Rather than committing to costly platforms upfront, Steve Armenti advises startups to take a lean, experimental approach:
"Start with a small, well-defined segment, test different outreach methods; LinkedIn, outbound email, warm inbound nurture, adjust, and repeat. Don’t spend more than $5,000 on media until you know what works."
This mindset applies even beyond startups; ABM personalization works best when you test different angles, refine based on real responses, and gradually scale what works.
Align Sales and Marketing for Stronger Personalization
Personalization isn’t just about data; it’s about internal alignment. Matt Conway stresses that even the best tech won’t replace strong collaboration.
Sales teams have firsthand insights on account needs, making them invaluable for shaping personalized outreach strategies. Regular feedback loops ensure your ABM efforts stay relevant and effective.
The Bottom Line
Personalizing ABM outreach doesn’t require expensive intent data tools; just thoughtful use of first-party data, smart website tracking, an iterative approach, and strong collaboration with sales.
By prioritizing these strategies, marketers can deliver targeted, impactful ABM experiences on any budget.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Doing ABM Without Expensive Tools
ABM doesn’t require expensive tools to be successful, but it does require strategic execution and careful planning and success depends on avoiding these common mistakes:
1. Lack of Sales and Marketing Alignment
ABM fails when marketing and sales operate in silos. Without collaboration, accounts may be misaligned, and outreach efforts may not resonate.
How to fix it: Maintain regular check-ins, share insights, and align on target accounts within your CRM.
2. Targeting Too Many Accounts at Once
Without automation, trying to reach too many accounts can water down personalization and limit impact.
How to fix it: Focus on a small, high-value segment of 10-20 accounts before expanding.
3. Ignoring First-Party Data
Many marketers overlook the insights they already have from CRM data, customer interactions, and website visits.
How to fix it: Use existing customer data to refine targeting and personalize outreach.
"Your best ABM accounts might be your existing customers." — Shalev Sabag
4. Rushing to Scale Without a Solid Foundation
Scaling ABM too quickly without proper infrastructure weakens its effectiveness.
"ABM works best when it's targeted and collaborative. Attempting to scale prematurely can dilute its effectiveness." — Chris Rack
How to fix it: Validate strategies with smaller campaigns before expanding.
5. Underestimating the Role of Systems in Scaling ABM
Startups can manage ABM manually, but as programs grow, tools become necessary for managing complexity.
"Systems do matter. While small startups can manage without advanced platforms, larger enterprises need to recognize that, eventually, ABM tools become a necessity for scaling effectively." — Cassandra Gulia, ABM Marketing Leader (Entrust)
How to fix it: Recognize when manual processes are no longer efficient and invest in scalable solutions at the right time.
6. Neglecting Website Visitor Insights
Many potential buyers visit websites but never fill out a form, leaving valuable engagement untracked.
How to fix it: Use affordable website visitor identification tools to capture and act on these signals.
"If you can spare a few hundred bucks a month, invest first in website visits and anonymization. These visitors already know you; there's no better starting point." — Shalev Sabag
7. Failing to Test and Iterate
ABM is not a set-and-forget strategy. Without ongoing testing and adjustments, campaigns lose effectiveness.
How to fix it: Run small ABM sprints, track key metrics, and refine based on performance.
Key Takeaways
Avoid scaling too soon without the right foundation.
Ensure consistent collaboration between sales and marketing.
Leverage first-party data before investing in additional tools.
Recognize when tools are necessary for enterprise-level ABM.
Continuously test and refine campaigns based on data.
With the Demise of Cookies, What’s Next for Intent Data Platforms?
While marketers are already looking for ways to run ABM without costly tools, another shift is happening in the industry: the phasing out of third-party cookies.
Vas Kospanos, EMEA & APJ Regional Marketing Manager (Bugcrowd), raised an important question: ‘what happens to intent data platforms like 6Sense and Demandbase in this new environment?’
For years, third-party cookies have been a core part of how marketers track intent, understand buyer behavior, and target the right accounts. But with increasing privacy regulations and browsers phasing out cookies, the way intent data is gathered and used is rapidly evolving.
So, what does this mean for intent data platforms like 6Sense and Demandbase? And more importantly, what should marketers do next?
The Shift to First-Party and IP-Based Data
The reality is that intent data isn’t disappearing; it’s changing. Platforms that once relied on cookies are now shifting toward first-party data, IP-based tracking, and partnerships with walled gardens like LinkedIn and Facebook.
Katya Tarapovskaia, Head of Marketing Consulting, Co-Founder (YouStellar), highlights that 6Sense has already moved away from cookies, leveraging proprietary identifiers and IP tracking instead:
"6Sense already does not rely on cookies. They own technology and identifiers, use IP-based solutions, and partner with platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook for data enrichment."
This reflects a broader industry trend. Platforms are adapting, not shutting down.
Marketers who embrace first-party data collection, use privacy-compliant tracking methods, and integrate with ad platforms that own audience data will be ahead of the game.
Privacy Laws Are Reshaping How Marketers Collect Data
Marketers can no longer rely on the same easy access to behavioral data they once had. Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and CPRA mean companies need to be much more mindful about how they track and store user data.
Chris Spellman, Marketing Operations Consultant (Orchard Marketing), emphasizes the importance of using privacy-compliant tools and staying informed about evolving regulations:
"Using good tools helps you stay compliant. Also, being part of communities like the Demand Community from Metadata allows you to ask experts about new regulations."
This means marketing teams need to be proactive about compliance; investing in tools that automate privacy processes and joining industry conversations to stay ahead of new policies.
Intent Data Was Never a Magic Bullet
Beyond the technical shifts, the disappearance of cookies exposes a bigger issue: some marketers became too reliant on automation and forgot the fundamentals of ABM.
Erika Smith, Strategy and planning Director (Agent3), points out that intent-data tools are just that; tools. They were never meant to replace strategy, creativity, and human insight:
"When ABM tech first hit the scene, people thought they could just click a button, and ABM would happen. But tools alone don’t do the work; marketers need to know how to use them effectively."
This is an important wake-up call. Intent data is useful, but it should guide strategy, not define it. Marketers still need to create engaging content, build relationships, and work closely with sales teams to convert interest into real opportunities.
What’s Next for Marketers?
As cookies fade away, the next phase of intent data will be about rethinking how we identify and engage high-intent accounts. That means:
Investing in first-party data: building your own audience insights through CRM, website analytics, and customer engagement.
Using IP-based tracking: leveraging tools that identify company-level interest rather than individual cookies.
Partnering with ad platforms: working with LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook, which have their own vast datasets.
Focusing on engagement, not just signals: using content, conversations, and relationships to gauge real buying intent.
The cookieless future isn’t the end of intent data; it’s an opportunity to build smarter, more ethical, and more human-centric marketing strategies.
Conclusion: ABM Without Expensive Tools—What Really Matters
Running a successful ABM strategy without costly intent data platforms is not only possible; it’s often more effective. The key isn’t in the tools, but in how well you understand your ideal customers, align sales and marketing, and leverage the data you already have.
Instead of chasing expensive software, marketers who focus on first-party data, website visitor insights, personalized outreach, and iterative testing can drive real engagement without overspending. The shift away from third-party cookies is forcing a rethink in how intent data is collected and used, making first-party data more critical than ever.
Key Takeaways for Budget-Friendly ABM:
Start with first-party data: your CRM, website visitors, and customer interactions hold valuable insights.
Align with sales to ensure outreach is targeted and effective.
Use cost-effective tools like website visitor tracking and social engagement platforms.
Test, learn, and refine: ABM isn’t about scale; it’s about precision.
But this shift also raises a bigger question: With the demise of cookies, what role will first-party data play in shaping ABM strategies in 2025 and beyond?
We’ll explore this in our next discussion, diving deeper into how businesses can maximize their own data assets to create highly targeted, privacy-first ABM campaigns in a cookieless world.
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