We get it. Account based marketing (ABM) on paper sounds like a great idea. All you have to do is create a campaign that targets a specific account or set of accounts, track the results and adjust your strategy as needed.
But where do you start? What ABM tactics should you use? And how do you use them in a way that stands out from all of your competitors using the same tactics?
Good questions—especially since research from MarketingProfs shows that organizations that have sales and marketing teams aligned on an account-based marketing strategy have seen up to a 208% increase in marketing revenue!
In this blog post, we’ve put together a list of 9 ABM tactics that you can use to maximize the ROI of your account based marketing efforts. These tactics will go from foundational strategies like creating account-specific content to more innovative tactics like leveraging social media channels like LinkedIn and Twitter.
But before we dive into each of those tactics, let’s start with a few of the basics of account based marketing to ensure we’re all on the same page.
What is account based marketing?
Account based marketing (aka ABM) is a B2B-focused marketing strategy that puts customer relationships at the center of its efforts. It’s a way for you to build more profitable customer relationships and increase your sales pipeline with high-fit target accounts.
Unlike traditional B2B marketing, which focuses on mass outreach to as many people as possible, ABM is a targeted approach that enables businesses to build personal relationships with their ideal customers.
How to identify which accounts to target with account based marketing tactics
Want to save yourself some time? Consider using advanced marketing technology to quickly identify which accounts fit your company best. Typically, this type of technology employs predictive analytics, AI and machine learning to narrow down your ideal target market.
For example, Rev’s Sales Development Platform that uses AI to identify the most likely to convert accounts. Our platform identifies these accounts by comparing them to your current list of best customers using exegraphic data.
What’s that? Exegraphic data is any type of data point that gives you information on how a company operates and executes its mission. For example, exegraphics can give you insight into a company’s current hiring trends, how likely the CEO is to adopt new technologies and how the organization communicates its brand value to the public.
You can use this type of information to identify accounts similar to those already converted, increasing the likelihood of success for your account-based marketing tactics.
Once you’ve identified accounts that fit your criteria, it’s time to start engaging with them by crafting tailored ABM campaigns using sales and marketing tactics like the ones discussed below.
9 ABM tactics to maximize ROI
Do your marketing and sales teams already have a decent target account list? Great! Here are 9 account based marketing tactics to help you maximize ROI and get the most out of your efforts.
#1 Use exegraphic data to refine your ICP
Your ideal customer profile (ICP) is the foundation of any successful ABM strategy. By leveraging the exegraphic data you found while building your target account list, you can also develop a more detailed picture of your ICP. Doing so will help ensure you create campaigns that resonate with your target audience.
For example, you can use exegraphics to identify the pain points and motivators most influential to key decision makers when they consider purchasing a new product or service. With this information, you can avoid ineffective marketing efforts and wasting time and resources on accounts that are not a good fit.
#2 Develop personalized content for each account
Has a friend ever sent you a personalized invitation to a party or event? If so, chances are that extra effort made you feel special and appreciated—and made it more likely you’d show up! The same concept applies to account based marketing.
Showing a target account that you’ve taken the time to craft personalized content for them can help build their trust and loyalty to your brand. How do you do this? Personalized content can come in many forms: custom videos, emails, social media posts and more.
Just make sure it’s tailored to a target account’s specific business goals and needs, which you can find by looking at their exegraphics.
#3 Create account-specific offers or exclusive events
Imagine your favorite store has a sale. Would you rather get a generic coupon or one tailored to your specific interests, giving you a personalized customer experience? We know that we’d prefer the latter! The same logic applies to B2B account based marketing.
By creating account-specific offers or exclusive events showing your target accounts that you treat them differently, you can demonstrate your commitment to meeting their needs. This could be anything from an exclusive discount, a free trial period, or a free webinar or seminar to discuss ways your solution can help solve the account’s unique problems.
#4 Create account-level customer portals
Want to make a target account really feel special? Create a dedicated portal or app that gives them access to exclusive resources tailored to their unique needs. This portal can provide them with product updates, usage metrics and customer service resources.
Sure, this tactic requires some upfront work, but the rewards are worth it. Account-level customer portals can help you increase engagement and loyalty with target accounts by providing a one-stop shop for all their needs.
#5 Engage with the social media profiles of key accounts
Want your target accounts to know who you are before you reach out? How about wanting them to remember the value of your offer without needing to endlessly follow up? Well, have members of your sales and marketing teams engage with their social media profiles!
How? It’s easy! Go to a social media platform like LinkedIn or Twitter to follow their accounts, comment on their posts and share their content to make your company visible.
Why does this work? Because it shows that you’re paying attention to their business and care about what they have to say. You may even find yourself connecting with potential decision makers or influencers in the process.
#6 Perform website personalization for prospects and customers
One way to make your target accounts feel special is by personalizing their experience when they visit your website. This could include highlighting case studies relevant to their line of work, recommending products or services tailored to their specific needs or even providing a personalized landing page for each account.
For example, a personalized landing page might include the company logo, visuals that are relevant to their industry and communication tailored to their specific account. This way, you can show them that you understand their needs, have solutions ready for them and make them feel like they’re being treated as an important part of your business.
#7 Develop influencer outreach programs
Influencers can play an essential role in an account based marketing strategy by helping to drive awareness of your brand and generate interest in your products or services. To succeed with this strategy, start by identifying relevant influencers to each of your target accounts.
Then, you’ll develop outreach programs tailored to the needs of each influencer, including information on how they can help your brand stand out and the benefits of working with you.
For example, you could offer special discounts, early access to new products, or even exclusive sneak previews of upcoming features. By getting to know your target influencers and what they’re interested in, you can create more meaningful relationships that will benefit your company, the influencer and your target accounts.
#8 Use direct mail to reach out to decision makers
Direct mail is dead, right? Wrong! Despite its old-school reputation, direct mail is still an effective way to reach decision makers within your target accounts. You can use direct mailers to communicate your USP, deliver information about a new product or service and even provide exclusive deals.
For example, let’s imagine you work for a software company that offers a specialized customer relationship management (CRM) platform for enterprise technology companies. You can use exegraphic data to determine what qualities they look for when hiring the sales reps that will use their current CRM to manage customer relationships.
Once you have that information, you can craft a direct mail that offers a free trial of your platform for these companies, highlighting information that speaks to their specific needs regarding sales reps.
#9 Use retargeting ads to put your message in front of decision makers
Retargeting is another excellent ABM tactic that allows you to place ads directly in front of your target audience, no matter where they are online. These digital ads can also serve as a reminder that your product can provide the solutions they need.
As an example, let’s say one of your target accounts has recently visited a page about one of your products. You can then serve them with an ad that promotes the benefits of that product and how it can help them solve their unique problem.
Remember to personalize these ads with insights from exegraphic data to make them even more effective. For instance, your ad could speak directly about the account’s current pain points or how your product can help them meet their current objectives.
Final thoughts
Account based marketing is an effective way to get more out of customer relationships and increase customer loyalty. With the right ABM tactics, you can develop strategies tailored to specific accounts, track customer interactions, and create personalized marketing campaigns to help reach your company’s sales and revenue goals.
But to give your account based marketing strategy the best chance of succeeding, start by ensuring you’re targeting the high value accounts most likely to convert. How do you do that? We’ll show you!
Contact us, and we’ll show the exegraphics behind your best customers and provide you with a list of businesses that operate and behave just like them!