What is Account-Based Marketing?

Account-based marketing (ABM) is a lead generation strategy that focuses on identifying ideal customer profiles (ICPs), also called accounts, and targeting them. These "accounts" are simply companies and their key decision-makers. Such marketing strategy enables targeting accounts based on various attributes, such as company size, industry, revenue, location, size, corporate linkage, and much more. 

ABM utilizes personalized campaigns aimed at engaging each targeted account, tailoring the marketing message to the specific attributes and business needs of those accounts.

Account-based marketing is rapidly becoming the leading strategy for companies aiming to broaden their reach, both globally and locally, establish new collaborations, and attract new customers. By concentrating on specific high-value accounts, businesses can customize their marketing efforts to address the unique needs of each target, resulting in improved outcomes and stronger relationships.

ABM strategies also take a more holistic view of marketing beyond just lead generation. Marketing to existing customer accounts to encourage upselling and cross-selling is one of the keys to getting the most value from your largest accounts. That's why 90 to even 99% of companies that have implemented ABM programs report that it drives more ROI than any other marketing tactic.

ABM Marketing - for who?

ABM is a versatile marketing approach suitable for all companies, regardless of their size or industry. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, ABM can help you target the right accounts that matter most to your business. Industries ranging from technology and healthcare to finance and retail can benefit from this personalized strategy.

• Note that each company has a different ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), and accounts considered 'high-value' for one business may not be relevant to another.

By focusing on high-value accounts, businesses can allocate their resources more effectively, ensuring that every marketing effort counts. Additionally, ABM fosters better alignment between sales and marketing teams, making collaborative efforts more successful. Ultimately, ABM is designed to help any company achieve its growth objectives by targeting the most promising accounts.

How does account-based marketing work? ABM step-by-step 

ABM marketing operates through a series of strategic steps that companies have to go through to fully benefit from ABM marketing. The primary goal is to target and engage high-value accounts. Here's a simplified breakdown:

1. Identify Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs):

   Start by defining who your perfect customers are. This can be based on your existing clients who bring the most value or through research on your competitors to find gaps in the market. Go through a list of your existing clients and partners and—based on their activities—try to create a profile with their common elements. If you don't have that possibility, then do some research on your competitors: start by reviewing their use cases and the companies they work with, and try to create an ICP profile in the same way. Focus on gathering information such as industry, company size, revenue, location, and any other factors you believe are relevant.

2. Create a List of Target Accounts:

   Once you've built profiles of your ICPs, the next step is to organize them into groups. Create targeted lists of specific ICPs—also referred to as accounts—as these are the companies on which you'll focus your marketing efforts.

3. Gather Relevant Data:

   Collect detailed information about each target account from a B2B data provider. This includes firmographics (like company size and industry), technographics (technologies they use), intent data (signals that show they are interested in buying), and more.

   Here at InfobelPRO, we can give you a free estimation of how many companies in our database match your ICP profiles and criteria. We’ll help you segment and create account groups based on your ICPs, including all the details you need—using up to 460 data attributes we provide for each company. Click here to learn more. 

4. Develop Personalized Campaigns:
   Create tailored marketing campaigns that address the unique needs and pain points of each target account. This approach ensures that your message resonates with the specific audience.
5. Engage and Nurture Relationships:
   Utilize various channels, such as email, phone, social media, and events, to engage with key decision-makers within the target accounts. Building strong relationships is crucial for successful conversions.
6. Measure and Optimize:
   Continuously track the performance of your Account-Based Marketing (ABM) campaigns. Use metrics such as ROI, engagement rates, and deal size to refine your strategies for improved results.

How and where to start with Account-Based Marketing?

1. Develop Your ICPs (Ideal Customer Profile) List
   Creating a list of Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) is the foundation of ABM marketing. Your ICPs should represent the types of companies that would benefit most from your products or services and offer the highest potential for revenue. As we mentioned above, to build your ICPs you should:

1. 2. Gather Data from a Reliable ABM Provider
   Once you’ve defined your ICPs, the next step is to gather comprehensive data about these target accounts. Partnering with a reliable data provider can streamline this process. The data you should focus on includes:

Types of (data) ABM Marketing

Types of ABM Marketing can be categorized based on the types of data companies utilize to more effectively target their ideal customer profile (ICP) accounts. Here are seven key data types used in ABM marketing:

1. Firmographic Data
   Firmographic data includes details like company size, industry, location, and revenue. For example, targeting companies with over 500 employees in the tech industry located in North America with revenue not below 200 million euros per year.
   It’s one of the easiest ways to start, especially when your team already knows what kind of companies you want to work with.
2. Technographic Data
   Technographic data focuses on the technologies and software a company uses. For instance, targeting businesses that use Salesforce as their CRM platform or have E-commerce built on WordPress or Prestashop. 
   This helps you target companies already using tools that fit or complement your product.
3. Intent Data
   Intent data identifies signals that indicate a company’s interest in purchasing a product or service. For example, targeting companies recently searching for “best CRM solutions.”
   This type of data is powerful because you target companies when they are actively looking for something you offer.
4. Account Engagement Data
   Account engagement data tracks how companies interact with your marketing content. For example, focusing on accounts that have downloaded whitepapers or attended webinars.
   It’s useful for identifying warm leads who already showed some interest in your brand or topics.
5. Behavioral Data
   Behavioral data examines the actions taken by individuals within target accounts, such as website visits, email opens, and content downloads.
   This data helps you better understand what specific content or pages people engage with the most.
6. Demographic Data
   Demographic data includes information about the individuals within target accounts, such as job title, department, and role in the purchasing process.
   It lets you direct your message to the right people, like decision-makers or influencers in the company.
7. Competitive Data
   Competitive data gathers information about a company’s competitors, allowing you to tailor your messaging to highlight your unique advantages over rivals.
   This can be very strategic if you know which companies your prospects are already working with.
   
   Each type of data helps you create more personalized and effective ABM campaigns, ensuring that your marketing efforts are aligned with the specific needs and behaviors of your target accounts.

What results can account-based marketing bring?

Implementing account-based marketing (ABM) can bring many valuable improvements to your business and marketing efforts. One of the most important benefits is a higher return on investment (ROI), which directly impacts company income. Below is a list of the key benefits:

• Increased ROI
  ABM is known for giving better Return on Investment (ROI) compared to more traditional marketing methods. Since you focus your resources only on high-value accounts, your efforts are more targeted and less wasted.
• Enhanced Customer Relationships
  ABM helps to build stronger and more personal relationships with the right companies. When you speak directly to their needs, they feel understood—and this builds trust and long-term partnerships.
• Shorter Sales Cycles
  With ABM, you speak directly to decision-makers and address their real problems, which often makes the sales process much faster. You don’t waste time on cold leads or the wrong audience.
• Better Resource Allocation
  Your teams don’t need to chase every possible lead. ABM allows you to focus your energy only on those accounts that really matter, which means time and resources are used smarter.
• Improved Sales & Marketing Alignment
  ABM naturally brings sales and marketing teams closer together. Since both focus on the same accounts and same goals, they create strategies together and communicate more clearly.
• Higher Conversion Rates
  When your message is tailored to a specific company and its challenges, the results are usually better. Personalized content often means more replies, more meetings, and more deals closed.
  
  Overall, ABM marketing offers a smarter, more focused strategy that not only improves your ROI but also brings your sales and marketing efforts to a new level.

Frequently asked questions

What is account-based marketing?

Account-based marketing (ABM) is a focused lead generation strategy where businesses identify their ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and concentrate marketing efforts on those specific companies. These ICPs are usually businesses and the key people who make buying decisions. ABM allows you to target accounts using different characteristics—like industry type, number of employees, revenue, geographic location, company structure, and other useful data points.

Is ABM an inbound or outbound strategy?

ABM can incorporate both inbound and outbound strategies. While it primarily focuses on outbound efforts by targeting specific accounts, it also leverages inbound tactics like personalized content and SEO to attract and engage those accounts.

Is ABM a part of lead generation?

Yes, ABM is a sophisticated form of lead generation. Instead of casting a wide net to gather leads, ABM targets specific high-value accounts and nurtures leads within those accounts to drive conversions.

How does ABM improve sales and marketing alignment?

ABM fosters collaboration between sales and marketing teams by aligning their goals and strategies. Both teams work together to identify target accounts, create personalized campaigns, and share data, ensuring a unified approach to engaging and converting high-value accounts.

What industries benefit most from ABM?

While ABM is versatile and can be applied across various industries, it is particularly beneficial for B2B companies, especially those in technology, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors where long sales cycles and high-value deals are common.

How to measure the success of an ABM campaign?

The success of an ABM campaign can be measured using several key metrics:

• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Engagement Rates with targeted accounts
• Conversion Rates of leads within target accounts
• Shortened Sales Cycles
• Revenue Growth from high-value accounts
• Customer Retention and Expansion within target accounts
  
  

By tracking these metrics, businesses can evaluate the effectiveness of their ABM strategies and make informed adjustments as needed.

Conclusions

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a powerful strategy that enables businesses to concentrate their marketing and sales efforts on high-value accounts, ensuring personalized and effective engagement. ABM helps companies identify organizations that match their Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) that they might not discover through conventional research methods. This strategy is suitable for businesses of all sizes and across various industries.

ABM strengthens customer relationships, increases return on investment (ROI), and streamlines the sales process. By identifying ideal customer profiles, gathering relevant data, and implementing targeted campaigns, businesses can enhance their marketing effectiveness and achieve sustainable growth.

Whether you are just beginning with ABM or looking to refine your existing approach, the keys to success are personalization, alignment between sales and marketing, and continuous measurement and optimization. Embrace ABM in 2025 to stay ahead of the competition and meet your business goals efficiently.