Due to today’s economic climate, Marketers are having to adjust their lead generation efforts to convert more sales. To increase conversion rates and boost revenues, a growing number of marketers are including account-based marketing (ABM) strategies to adapt their lead-generation practices.
According to Dun & Bradstreet’s 9th Annual B2B Sales and Marketing Data Report, 64% of marketing personnel now utilise account-based marketing strategies.
As founder of AmbitionABM and with 25+ years of lead generation marketing experience working client-side in the technology industry, I understand the benefit of using ABM initiatives. From my experience, here are some ways marketing and sales can collaborate to generate more conversions using the ABM methodology.
Aligning marketing efforts with sales goals
Using an ABM strategy to target and convert high-value clients requires a cross-functional team approach across marketing and sales teams. Aligning marketing efforts with sales goals is essential to ensure that ABM initiatives are successful. You can accomplish this by encouraging collaboration to establish a shared understanding of the customer journey.
Once both teams define the customer journey, they can pinpoint critical touchpoints where marketing can support sales. From there, both teams can align on messaging that’s highly relevant and resonates with target accounts. Doing so will ensure that messaging is consistent across all marketing channels, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and increasing the probability of engagement and conversion.
Reaching more target accounts by adjusting your marketing approach
Pivoting to ABM requires more than just tailoring your messaging and content to address the specific needs and challenges of your target audience. It also requires adjusting your marketing approach to reach target accounts more effectively.
You can achieve this by implementing a multichannel approach to your ABM strategy. A multichannel approach allows marketers to reach target audiences through multiple touchpoints by utilising different marketing tactics. Such tactics can include account-based content marketing, targeted advertising, social luminary, customised landing pages and personalised email campaigns.
Marketers can also employ a personalised approach to great effect by providing an experience that is unique to each targeted account. A personalised approach encourages a higher level of engagement and trust, which, in turn, helps marketers establish and nurture strong relationships with key decision-makers.
Adjusting a marketing approach ultimately allows you to efficiently reach target accounts through multiple channels, deliver a customised experience and align better with sales goals moving forward.
Streamline the sales funnel by leveraging sales enablement tools
In order to achieve a high level of personalisation and customization at scale can be a challenge, however it can be accomplished through the use of sales enablement tools such as predictive analytics software, a lead management system or an account engagement platform such as 6Sense.
Predictive analytics software analyses data and identifies patterns that help sales teams pinpoint accounts that have the potential to drive revenue. This enables both sales and marketing teams to avoid wasting time on low-intent leads that are unlikely to convert, saving valuable time in the process.
Sales and marketing teams can also streamline the sales process by integrating a lead management system with their current sales enablement tools, equipping them with a comprehensive solution to efficiently manage target accounts.
A lead management system can significantly reduce the time required for sales teams to manually manage leads by tracking and analysing engagement. This valuable insight allows marketers to optimize future campaigns while also enabling sales teams to prioritise outreach for high-value accounts.
An account engagement platform helps achieve predictable revenue growth by putting the power of AI, big data, and machine learning behind every member of the revenue team. It uncovers anonymous buying behaviour, pinpoints the accounts that matter the most and directs marketing and sales to engage with the client’s most likely to buy.
Creating stronger relationships, a better reputation, and growing opportunities and revenues
Marketing and sales teams must work together and establish a shared understanding of the opportunities and challenges of their targeted clients in order for ABM efforts to be successful.
By developing a cohesive strategy to nurture target accounts, both teams can guide target accounts through the sales funnel and drive more sales.
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