A key litmus test for genuine ABM is moving beyond abstract personas to identifying and targeting specific, named individuals within an account. This focus on real people, not roles, is what drives deep personalization and relationship-building.
Instead of selling "one-to-one" or "one-to-few" ABM programs, focus on the client's specific business challenge. Frame the solution around solving that problem, which resonates with the C-suite who care about outcomes, not marketing jargon.
Using the example of Aviva targeting GSK, a highly focused ABM playbook can be used for brand transformation. The goal was to change GSK's perception of Aviva, leading to 45 new key relationships and a $9M pipeline within that single account.
C-suites and shareholders are increasingly focused on the long-term profitability of customer relationships. ABM programs should be measured by their ability to increase customer LTV, which reflects success in retention, cross-selling, and building "customers for life," not just closing the next deal.
Marketers often misinterpret engagement signals (like browsing a website) as purchase intent. A prospect can show high interest in a product for aspirational reasons without any real plan to buy. True ABM requires deeper qualification to separate the curious from the committed.
AI excels at tasks like account scoring and initial insight gathering, providing a massive head start. However, the final strategic layer—interpreting the data and crafting the value proposition—requires human expertise. This "human first, AI fast" approach maximizes efficiency without sacrificing quality.
In high-stakes ABM plays, a peer-to-peer model is highly effective. A message from your CTO to their CTO, or your CFO to theirs, carries more weight and builds trust more rapidly than a salesperson's outreach. This executive engagement should be a core part of the ABM strategy.
The current trend of treating "buying groups" as a new concept is misguided. Effective ABM has always required comprehensive stakeholder mapping from the very beginning. If you haven't been engaging the entire buying group, you haven't been doing ABM correctly.