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Struggling with ABM? 7 practical ways to create value now

When I look at a lot of the material that’s available on Account-Based Marketing (ABM), one of the things that strike me is how complicated it can seem, how hard to get started. And much of the research out there confirms that a significant percentage of companies say they are either unfamiliar with the key concepts or that they’re progressing slower than they’d hoped. Having spent much of my career working in very large companies with a lot of organizational distance between marketers and sellers, I have a lot of empathy for those who might simply want to ignore ABM altogether. But now, both being in a smaller company and working with clients of all sizes, I’m confident in saying that that’s the wrong approach. There are simply too many benefits to an account-based focus to ignore. Fortunately, getting started can be a lot easier than imagined. Most ABM starts with simply choosing a list of accounts to focus on.  I can’t see any major reason to overly complicate that process.

Spotlight

James Good

B2B Brand & Marketing Consultancy James Good is a talented team of branding & marketing specialists, copywriters, designers, developers & photographers providing effective corporate branding & integrated brand communications. Understand internal culture and what’s meaningfully important to key audiences. Define positioning and articulate brand characteristics with renewed focus.Plan communications and develop an actionable strategy.

OTHER ARTICLES
Programmatic ABM

Why Should Tech and Demand Gen Only Support ABM, Not Drive It?

Article | June 9, 2022

Targeted advertising has become the norm on popular ABM platforms. As a result, many marketers have forgotten ABM's principles. Leadership, marketing, revenue, sales enablement, customer success, and product teams should work together to hit ABM numbers instead of completely relying on platforms and demand generation strategies. Here are three reasons why ABM platforms and demand generation campaigns shouldn’t drive your ABM strategy: GTM Teams Cannot Advance Companies focusing on targeted demand gen through technology make their ABM strategy campaign-based instead of focusing on the interactions the sales and marketing teams need to have with target accounts to deliver revenue growth. They struggle with winning multi-year contracts. Ideally, the teams should focus on filling the gaps left by competitors with different content and messaging in order to turn accounts into sales. Buying Journey Support is Limited ABM is about getting key accounts to generate revenue. When teams rely on technology to put out content and messaging for target accounts but don’t change their sales motions, processes, and conversations, their win rates drop. They should change their prospects’ experiences at every stage of the buying journey to deliver an optimal customer experience. Sales Cycles Continue to be Lengthy An ABM strategy should be used to influence both selling conversations and internal conversations that the sales teams are not privy to. Creating demand and building a pipeline through ABM platforms won’t bring revenue growth if there is no follow-through to convert accounts. Teams should engage in account-based enablement and come up with a plan to engage accounts that go dark or get stuck in the buyer journey. Use Technology and Demand Generation in Moderation Remember that ABM platforms and demand gen strategies can enhance your ABM efforts, but they shouldn’t be the driving force behind your ABM strategy. Marketers need to start using ABM to fix the revenue issues in their organizations instead of treating it like a targeted demand-generation function.

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Account Based Data

The ABM to ABX Transformation Drives Account Engagement

Article | August 19, 2022

Account-based marketing brings in a higher ROI compared to other marketing activities. It targets key accounts, but not always at the right time. The buyer experience gets compromised if the strategy does not align with the account’s buyer journey. Demandbase CMO John Miller paints an interesting picture of what ABM is. “The analogy that I've always used to describe ABM was fishing with spears, which was an effective analogy. But at the same time, it doesn't feel very good to get poked by a spear.” -Demandbase CMO John Miller If ABM pokes accounts without respecting them or creating an emotional connection with them, customer success cannot be guaranteed. This is where ABX comes in. It’s a GTM strategy that puts the value of customer experience above the value of key accounts. ABM ››› ABX: Why Are B2B Marketers Adopting ABX? B2B marketers clearly understand how effective the ABX strategy is compared to good old ABM. Here are the reasons why: Buyer groups are the stars of the show. AI insights provide accurate information on which accounts exhibit buyer intent and what they are looking for. These accounts are engaged through hyper-personalized campaigns only when they are in the buying phase. Marketing, sales, and customer success teams ensure every touchpoint consistently delivers value to the customer. ABX execution involves being agile enough to adapt to the ever-changing behavior and needs of the customer. Every customer is nurtured to deepen loyalty for a long-term business relationship. Why Does ABX Matter? Upgrading your plain old ABM strategy to an ABX strategy simply means applying customer experience best practices to your marketing processes. Consequently, your campaigns are trustworthy, impactful, empathetic, and relevant to every stage of your customer’s journey. Targeted messaging that appeals to every member of the customer’s buying team influences the buying decision of the account. The strategy brings sales, marketing, SDR, and customer-facing teams together so they work towards creating a wholesome customer experience consistently across all the touchpoints. Conclusion In a world where there is a continuous influx of information and a scarcity of attention, any kind of interruptive marketing may be ineffective and off-putting. Companies should focus on ABX to build trust with key accounts and create engagement that isn’t forced through perfectly orchestrated interactions across a project or management lifecycle.

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Buyer Intent Data

The Strategy of Direct Mail in ABM

Article | October 7, 2022

When a package arrives at your doorstep, you get excited as a child, no matter what age you are! Some people express their excitement, while some are really good at hiding it. But inquisitiveness and curiosity are natural feelings. Imagine building up these feelings in the mind of the decision-makers of businesses that you are targeting. So, yes, you will stand out in the crowd and, they will notice the gesture, no matter how small or big it is! Coming back to the point, we are talking about the strategy of direct mails in account-based marketing. This strategy has proved to be a success for many organizations practicing ABM. So what exactly is direct mail in ABM and, are there any successful ways or ideal examples to follow? Let us see in detail. What Is Direct Mail in ABM? We are aware that account-based marketing is a strategy that involves targeting, personalization and conversions. But what happens when we make tangibility a part of the above process? Well, the results are impressive. An Infotrends report stated that the e-mail response rate increased from 7.5% to 9.5% with a multi-channel ABM strategy. But, the biggest challenges of ABM are delivering a personalized customer experience, choosing the target accounts, and deciding on the correct content. Thus, direct mail can help you deal with the challenge of delivering a personalized customer experience. A direct mail strategy delivers personalized objects, messages, and more to the targeted organization’s decision-makers. The best part about direct mail is that you can get as creative as you want. Plus, it ensures that the top team notices your efforts. “Direct mail is the new black in B2B. There is nothing more personalized than a handwritten note with a personalized direct mail that is fully customized for your prospect or customer.” - Sangram Vajre, CMO of Terminus. Let us have a look at the best ways to incorporate direct mail in your ABM strategy. Ideas to Implement Direct Mail in ABM Remember, no matter what personalized goodies you plan to send to the concerned people, ensure that: You have a bold, clear, and obvious call to action. Your message is short, simple, and direct. Your strategy should be less is more. You have added the extra personal touch in your mail. Once you have devised the direct mail strategy, here are some things that you need to keep in mind before implementation. Determine the Stage in the Buyer’s Journey Before sending direct mail to your target account, know where they stand in their buyer’s journey. Let us consider these three stages. Awareness Stage If your buyer is in the awareness stage, you need to target all the organization’s decision-makers. Sending them goodies that get them together might be a good idea. For example: Send a box with a personalized message about your company to one and send the key to another. Or you could gift puzzles pieces to each one that needs them to come together to decode the message. Demo Stage Congrats! If you reached the demo stage with the target account. Now, if you’re finding it difficult to set an appointment with them, use direct mail to get their attention. For example: Send them a box with a clock ticking and a surprise to be opened at some given time. As if a demo can be scheduled at that time and claim the gift! 2.1.3 Final Stage You have closed the deal and are all ready to start the dealings. But some small things seemed to be stuck from the buyer’s end. This is where your research will prove handy. You need the search for a particular likeness about the decision-maker and lure them. It will help you get their attention and close all the pending work. For example: Send them a password-protected gadget and, they can access that only after the deal is complete. 2.2 Know the Decision-makers It is an essential aspect in determining the direct mail that you need to send. You should be well aware of the receiver's likes, dislikes, hobbies, and personal traits. Thus, use social media and everything possible from the sales team to create the best effect. Determine the Factors for Conversion Lastly, when the package opens, it should immediately connect to the individual. Thus, when you design or assemble the package, ensure that it connects immediately. Moreover, it should address the pain points and challenges and align with the company’s goals. Thus, determine the factors that directly affect them and, you will provide the best solutions. For example: If you are a hiring agency, give them a complete puzzle with just one piece missing. And a couple of options for the missing piece. Once they fit the right piece in, your puzzle says, “Having trouble finding the right person, we will help your hire!” And ensure that you send a personalized note to every individual along with the common goal of the message. Benefits of B2B Direct Mail Marketing No doubt, personalization will elevate your direct mail strategy, thus promising enhanced customer involvement. But there are other prominent benefits of B2B direct mail marketing. Lets us have a glance at them. Higher account engagement Less wastage of resources Higher win rate Shorter sales cycles Create strong connections The improved success rate of ABM strategy Ideal Examples of Direct Mail in ABM Some organizations have nailed it correctly when it comes to direct mail marketing. Here are a few examples. The Perry Process (Image Courtesy: Pinterest) The Perry Process is a renowned company that deals with used machinery and equipment for 80 years and continues to do. Thus, it wanted manufacturing companies to sell their unwanted and excess equipment in return for cash. So keeping this message in mind, they included fake money inserts with a flyer that said, ‘Don’t throw away your money.’ Hence, it succeeded in sending across its message most realistically! Schott Solar Schott Solar is a company that produces solar panels. Their solar panels came with a 20-year warranty. (Image Courtesy: D&AD) To amplify the selling, they included a 20-year warranty calendar along with the solar panel. The calendar stuck out 60 centimeters from the wall, thus delivering the desired message! Wrapping It Up So no matter what business you deal with, innovation and creativity are the way to easy conversions! Thus understand your customers and give them what they want in a quirky style. Frequently Asked Questions What is direct mail in account-based marketing? Direct mail is a tangible ABM strategy wherein products are mailed directly to customers. These products are personalized and have a direct marketing message. Examples of such products are postcards, catalogs, personal goods, coupons, samples, and more. What impact does direct mail create on the receiver? A study by scientists reveals that if a person receives a physical product, it leaves a deeper footprint on the brain. Thus, a direct mail strategy is sure to get you noticed by your customer. And the best part is that the more creative and personalized you get, the better impact it creates! Can a simple postcard count as a direct mail strategy? Of course, it can. If it sends a clear message of your marketing campaign, is personalized, and instigates the customer to take action, it is a successful direct mail strategy. Always remember, the size or price of the direct mail does not matter, but the impact it creates does! { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is direct mail in account-based marketing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Direct mail is a tangible ABM strategy wherein products are mailed directly to customers. These products are personalized and have a direct marketing message. Examples of such products are postcards, catalogs, personal goods, coupons, samples, and more." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What impact does direct mail create on the receiver?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A study by scientists reveals that if a person receives a physical product, it leaves a deeper footprint on the brain. Thus, a direct mail strategy is sure to get you noticed by your customer. And the best part is that the more creative and personalized you get, the better impact it creates!" } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Can a simple postcard count as a direct mail strategy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Of course, it can. If it sends a clear message of your marketing campaign, is personalized, and instigates the customer to take action, it is a successful direct mail strategy. Always remember, the size or price of the direct mail does not matter, but the impact it creates does!" } }] }

Read More
ABM Accounts

How to Improve ABM Programs with Interactive Content

Article | May 14, 2021

Account-based marketing, also known as ABM, is an effective yet efficient way to seek out high-value leads and close sales. A B2B marketer can align his sales and marketing strategies to break into the industry. However, there’s one thing that needs all the attention from the marketing team- the content. The B2B marketers from around the world are shuffling their budgets to focus more on account-based marketing. As of now, 28% of the budgets were allocated to support account-based marketing. When considering ABM, marketers often jump to the execution part instead of planning, identifying, and targeting the target accounts. Therefore, they fail to understand the critical needs of the clientele. The whole process of connecting with the customers with their accounts goes into vain.

Read More
Programmatic ABM

A short history of Pride Month

Article | June 9, 2022

Targeted advertising has become the norm on popular ABM platforms. As a result, many marketers have forgotten ABM's principles. Leadership, marketing, revenue, sales enablement, customer success, and product teams should work together to hit ABM numbers instead of completely relying on platforms and demand generation strategies. Here are three reasons why ABM platforms and demand generation campaigns shouldn’t drive your ABM strategy: GTM Teams Cannot Advance Companies focusing on targeted demand gen through technology make their ABM strategy campaign-based instead of focusing on the interactions the sales and marketing teams need to have with target accounts to deliver revenue growth. They struggle with winning multi-year contracts. Ideally, the teams should focus on filling the gaps left by competitors with different content and messaging in order to turn accounts into sales. Buying Journey Support is Limited ABM is about getting key accounts to generate revenue. When teams rely on technology to put out content and messaging for target accounts but don’t change their sales motions, processes, and conversations, their win rates drop. They should change their prospects’ experiences at every stage of the buying journey to deliver an optimal customer experience. Sales Cycles Continue to be Lengthy An ABM strategy should be used to influence both selling conversations and internal conversations that the sales teams are not privy to. Creating demand and building a pipeline through ABM platforms won’t bring revenue growth if there is no follow-through to convert accounts. Teams should engage in account-based enablement and come up with a plan to engage accounts that go dark or get stuck in the buyer journey. Use Technology and Demand Generation in Moderation Remember that ABM platforms and demand gen strategies can enhance your ABM efforts, but they shouldn’t be the driving force behind your ABM strategy. Marketers need to start using ABM to fix the revenue issues in their organizations instead of treating it like a targeted demand-generation function.

Read More
Account Based Data

How Buyer Intent Data Gets You More Customers

Article | August 19, 2022

Account-based marketing brings in a higher ROI compared to other marketing activities. It targets key accounts, but not always at the right time. The buyer experience gets compromised if the strategy does not align with the account’s buyer journey. Demandbase CMO John Miller paints an interesting picture of what ABM is. “The analogy that I've always used to describe ABM was fishing with spears, which was an effective analogy. But at the same time, it doesn't feel very good to get poked by a spear.” -Demandbase CMO John Miller If ABM pokes accounts without respecting them or creating an emotional connection with them, customer success cannot be guaranteed. This is where ABX comes in. It’s a GTM strategy that puts the value of customer experience above the value of key accounts. ABM ››› ABX: Why Are B2B Marketers Adopting ABX? B2B marketers clearly understand how effective the ABX strategy is compared to good old ABM. Here are the reasons why: Buyer groups are the stars of the show. AI insights provide accurate information on which accounts exhibit buyer intent and what they are looking for. These accounts are engaged through hyper-personalized campaigns only when they are in the buying phase. Marketing, sales, and customer success teams ensure every touchpoint consistently delivers value to the customer. ABX execution involves being agile enough to adapt to the ever-changing behavior and needs of the customer. Every customer is nurtured to deepen loyalty for a long-term business relationship. Why Does ABX Matter? Upgrading your plain old ABM strategy to an ABX strategy simply means applying customer experience best practices to your marketing processes. Consequently, your campaigns are trustworthy, impactful, empathetic, and relevant to every stage of your customer’s journey. Targeted messaging that appeals to every member of the customer’s buying team influences the buying decision of the account. The strategy brings sales, marketing, SDR, and customer-facing teams together so they work towards creating a wholesome customer experience consistently across all the touchpoints. Conclusion In a world where there is a continuous influx of information and a scarcity of attention, any kind of interruptive marketing may be ineffective and off-putting. Companies should focus on ABX to build trust with key accounts and create engagement that isn’t forced through perfectly orchestrated interactions across a project or management lifecycle.

Read More
Buyer Intent Data

Intent Marketing: Removing Guesswork Out of Marketing

Article | October 7, 2022

When a package arrives at your doorstep, you get excited as a child, no matter what age you are! Some people express their excitement, while some are really good at hiding it. But inquisitiveness and curiosity are natural feelings. Imagine building up these feelings in the mind of the decision-makers of businesses that you are targeting. So, yes, you will stand out in the crowd and, they will notice the gesture, no matter how small or big it is! Coming back to the point, we are talking about the strategy of direct mails in account-based marketing. This strategy has proved to be a success for many organizations practicing ABM. So what exactly is direct mail in ABM and, are there any successful ways or ideal examples to follow? Let us see in detail. What Is Direct Mail in ABM? We are aware that account-based marketing is a strategy that involves targeting, personalization and conversions. But what happens when we make tangibility a part of the above process? Well, the results are impressive. An Infotrends report stated that the e-mail response rate increased from 7.5% to 9.5% with a multi-channel ABM strategy. But, the biggest challenges of ABM are delivering a personalized customer experience, choosing the target accounts, and deciding on the correct content. Thus, direct mail can help you deal with the challenge of delivering a personalized customer experience. A direct mail strategy delivers personalized objects, messages, and more to the targeted organization’s decision-makers. The best part about direct mail is that you can get as creative as you want. Plus, it ensures that the top team notices your efforts. “Direct mail is the new black in B2B. There is nothing more personalized than a handwritten note with a personalized direct mail that is fully customized for your prospect or customer.” - Sangram Vajre, CMO of Terminus. Let us have a look at the best ways to incorporate direct mail in your ABM strategy. Ideas to Implement Direct Mail in ABM Remember, no matter what personalized goodies you plan to send to the concerned people, ensure that: You have a bold, clear, and obvious call to action. Your message is short, simple, and direct. Your strategy should be less is more. You have added the extra personal touch in your mail. Once you have devised the direct mail strategy, here are some things that you need to keep in mind before implementation. Determine the Stage in the Buyer’s Journey Before sending direct mail to your target account, know where they stand in their buyer’s journey. Let us consider these three stages. Awareness Stage If your buyer is in the awareness stage, you need to target all the organization’s decision-makers. Sending them goodies that get them together might be a good idea. For example: Send a box with a personalized message about your company to one and send the key to another. Or you could gift puzzles pieces to each one that needs them to come together to decode the message. Demo Stage Congrats! If you reached the demo stage with the target account. Now, if you’re finding it difficult to set an appointment with them, use direct mail to get their attention. For example: Send them a box with a clock ticking and a surprise to be opened at some given time. As if a demo can be scheduled at that time and claim the gift! 2.1.3 Final Stage You have closed the deal and are all ready to start the dealings. But some small things seemed to be stuck from the buyer’s end. This is where your research will prove handy. You need the search for a particular likeness about the decision-maker and lure them. It will help you get their attention and close all the pending work. For example: Send them a password-protected gadget and, they can access that only after the deal is complete. 2.2 Know the Decision-makers It is an essential aspect in determining the direct mail that you need to send. You should be well aware of the receiver's likes, dislikes, hobbies, and personal traits. Thus, use social media and everything possible from the sales team to create the best effect. Determine the Factors for Conversion Lastly, when the package opens, it should immediately connect to the individual. Thus, when you design or assemble the package, ensure that it connects immediately. Moreover, it should address the pain points and challenges and align with the company’s goals. Thus, determine the factors that directly affect them and, you will provide the best solutions. For example: If you are a hiring agency, give them a complete puzzle with just one piece missing. And a couple of options for the missing piece. Once they fit the right piece in, your puzzle says, “Having trouble finding the right person, we will help your hire!” And ensure that you send a personalized note to every individual along with the common goal of the message. Benefits of B2B Direct Mail Marketing No doubt, personalization will elevate your direct mail strategy, thus promising enhanced customer involvement. But there are other prominent benefits of B2B direct mail marketing. Lets us have a glance at them. Higher account engagement Less wastage of resources Higher win rate Shorter sales cycles Create strong connections The improved success rate of ABM strategy Ideal Examples of Direct Mail in ABM Some organizations have nailed it correctly when it comes to direct mail marketing. Here are a few examples. The Perry Process (Image Courtesy: Pinterest) The Perry Process is a renowned company that deals with used machinery and equipment for 80 years and continues to do. Thus, it wanted manufacturing companies to sell their unwanted and excess equipment in return for cash. So keeping this message in mind, they included fake money inserts with a flyer that said, ‘Don’t throw away your money.’ Hence, it succeeded in sending across its message most realistically! Schott Solar Schott Solar is a company that produces solar panels. Their solar panels came with a 20-year warranty. (Image Courtesy: D&AD) To amplify the selling, they included a 20-year warranty calendar along with the solar panel. The calendar stuck out 60 centimeters from the wall, thus delivering the desired message! Wrapping It Up So no matter what business you deal with, innovation and creativity are the way to easy conversions! Thus understand your customers and give them what they want in a quirky style. Frequently Asked Questions What is direct mail in account-based marketing? Direct mail is a tangible ABM strategy wherein products are mailed directly to customers. These products are personalized and have a direct marketing message. Examples of such products are postcards, catalogs, personal goods, coupons, samples, and more. What impact does direct mail create on the receiver? A study by scientists reveals that if a person receives a physical product, it leaves a deeper footprint on the brain. Thus, a direct mail strategy is sure to get you noticed by your customer. And the best part is that the more creative and personalized you get, the better impact it creates! Can a simple postcard count as a direct mail strategy? Of course, it can. If it sends a clear message of your marketing campaign, is personalized, and instigates the customer to take action, it is a successful direct mail strategy. Always remember, the size or price of the direct mail does not matter, but the impact it creates does! { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is direct mail in account-based marketing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Direct mail is a tangible ABM strategy wherein products are mailed directly to customers. These products are personalized and have a direct marketing message. Examples of such products are postcards, catalogs, personal goods, coupons, samples, and more." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What impact does direct mail create on the receiver?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A study by scientists reveals that if a person receives a physical product, it leaves a deeper footprint on the brain. Thus, a direct mail strategy is sure to get you noticed by your customer. And the best part is that the more creative and personalized you get, the better impact it creates!" } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Can a simple postcard count as a direct mail strategy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Of course, it can. If it sends a clear message of your marketing campaign, is personalized, and instigates the customer to take action, it is a successful direct mail strategy. Always remember, the size or price of the direct mail does not matter, but the impact it creates does!" } }] }

Read More
ABM Accounts

How to Improve ABM Programs with Interactive Content

Article | May 14, 2021

Account-based marketing, also known as ABM, is an effective yet efficient way to seek out high-value leads and close sales. A B2B marketer can align his sales and marketing strategies to break into the industry. However, there’s one thing that needs all the attention from the marketing team- the content. The B2B marketers from around the world are shuffling their budgets to focus more on account-based marketing. As of now, 28% of the budgets were allocated to support account-based marketing. When considering ABM, marketers often jump to the execution part instead of planning, identifying, and targeting the target accounts. Therefore, they fail to understand the critical needs of the clientele. The whole process of connecting with the customers with their accounts goes into vain.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

James Good

B2B Brand & Marketing Consultancy James Good is a talented team of branding & marketing specialists, copywriters, designers, developers & photographers providing effective corporate branding & integrated brand communications. Understand internal culture and what’s meaningfully important to key audiences. Define positioning and articulate brand characteristics with renewed focus.Plan communications and develop an actionable strategy.

Related News

Core ABM

Marketers Given Marginal Grades for ABM-Driven Revenue Growth

GlobeNewswire | January 25, 2024

Seeding and harvesting the sales pipeline — the process of acquiring, capturing, qualifying and converting business opportunities — are essential to the growth and profitability of B2B marketers across every industry and geographic sector. Marketing is largely responsible for driving this business process, yet nearly two-thirds of lead gen and engagement strategies are underperforming. A new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council report, produced in collaboration with WM America, entitled “Fire Up Your Revenue Generation Engine,” covers critical aspects of lead generation and engagement. This includes models and metrics for tracking and measuring performance, best practice demand-gen execution, ways to score effectiveness, and more. The latest CMO Council research finds scores of marketers falling behind in lead scoring, account-based marketing, accelerated pipeline, and intention-based marketing. Key findings from a Q4 survey of over 170 B2B marketing, sales, revenue, growth, demand gen and campaign execution leaders include: 63% say marketing must own and optimize a company’s revenue-generation engine 64% say their lead gen and engagement strategy underperforms 78% of highly evolved marketers are satisfied with their accelerated pipeline, compared to only 15% of lesser evolved marketers “In today’s competitive data-driven environment, marketers should no longer be satisfied with paltry returns on their sizable lead-gen and ABM investments,” the report notes. “It’s time to turn the tables on inefficient, ineffective, and outdated practices for anticipating, adapting, and responding to customer needs and opportunities.” “Marketers must climb the evolutionary ladder and leave behind outmoded and dated practices,” notes CMO Council executive director, Donovan Neale-May. “Using AI-derived, intention-based buyer data and advanced sales intelligence are among the ways growth marketers bring more precision, predictability, and performance to B2B account marketing investments.” The CMO Council’s research revealed the top five skill sets contributing to improved ABM-driven business outcomes: Better segmentation and precision targeting of buyers and influencers On-demand customer business intelligence and personal buyer insights Tighter integration of demand gen, channel, direct sales, and support teams Greater utilization of tools and data sources for richer prospect profiling Proactive and timely pre-sales follow up and cultivation strategies The CMO Council has uncovered widening gaps in performance between highly evolved marketers and lesser evolved marketers. Gaps are occurring in four core capabilities: lead scoring, account-based marketing, accelerated pipeline, and intention-based marketing. This report tiers factors that make up a model for better identification, engagement and conversion. The model coincides with the CMO Council and WM America’s thought leadership initiative to advance lead revenue science practices through a certified Lead Evaluation and Assurance Process, or LEAP model. “Marketers will need to take a few LEAPs of faith in the coming months, because sticking to the status quo is just not practical or possible anymore. As data becomes more critical than ever before, CMOs need to extend their visions for innovation and forward-thinking strategies,” according to Lee Salem, WM America’s Vice President of Sales. Methodology The report is based on a survey of over 170 heads of B2B marketing, sales, revenue, growth, demand gen and campaign execution in Q4 2023. It also included content from in-depth interviews with executives from Netline, Autodesk, T-Mobile, NTT, ABM Consortium, TechTarget, IBM, B2B Marketing, Reachdesk, Momentum ITSMA, and Xometry. About the CMO Council The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level knowledge exchange, thought leadership and personal relationship building among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council’s 16,000+ members control more than $1 trillion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total, the CMO Council and its strategic interest communities include over 65,000 global marketing and sales executives in over 110 countries covering multiple industries, segments and markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Council’s strategic interest groups include the Customer Experience Board, Digital Marketing Performance Center, Brand Inspiration Center, Marketing Supply Chain Institute, GeoBranding Center, and the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE). To learn more, visit https://www.cmocouncil.org. About WM America WM America is a leading B2B marketing company specializing in targeted in-market demand generation. The intent database at WMA tracks the intent behavior of over 75 million business professionals globally, 24X7. The database is segmented into 3,300 categories. WMA keeps around-the-clock track of buying signals from each category in this database. Based on this extremely strong foundation of data points, the company delivers precisely targeted prospects for focused marketing. Accurate keyword search enables deriving of active content consumption and opt-in content downloads. WMA's deep search ensures accurate and targeted information delivery that helps craft successful, cutting-edge marketing strategies. For more information, visit www.wmamerica.com

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Core ABM

Demandbase Gets Named 2023 ABM Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant

Demandbase | November 06, 2023

Demandbase, an AI-driven account-based go-to-market (GTM) leader, has been named a leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms. The recognition is based on Demandbase's completeness of vision and ability to execute and follows being named a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice for ABM earlier this year. Demandbase's CEO, Gabe Rogol, attributes the recognition to product innovations and positive customer reviews. Demandbase, a pioneer in AI-driven account-based go-to-market (GTM), announces its recognition as a leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms. This honor, which follows a comprehensive evaluation of nine vendors, is a testament to Demandbase’s comprehensive vision and its ability to execute effectively. Earlier this year, the company also received the Gartner Peer Insight Customers’ Choice for ABM. Gartner defines ABM platforms as software that empowers B2B marketing and sales teams to implement ABM programs at scale, including account selection, planning, engagement, and reporting. These platforms facilitate the creation of target account lists by integrating first- and third-party data. Additionally, they may engage audiences by activating channels such as display advertising, social advertising, email, and sales engagement, using a combination of native capabilities and integrations. Gabe Rogol, CEO of Demandbase, expressed his praise for the innovations the team had worked on by exclaiming, We are honored to be recognized as a leader in the Gartner ABM Magic Quadrant once again this year. We believe this recognition is a reflection of the dedication and effort we’ve invested in our product over the past year, including innovations in connected TV advertising, non-English intent, new integrations, continuous improvement of our account intelligence, the release of workspaces for enterprises, simplified dashboards, UI improvements, and more. We also believe this recognition mirrors the consistently positive reviews we receive from customers through Gartner Peer Insights and on G2. We extend our gratitude to Gartner, our customers, and our entire team. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] According to the Magic Quadrant report, the essential capabilities of ABM platforms include: Account-level intent data (proprietary and/or licensed) to understand customer behavior and buyer interest. Multi-channel campaign orchestration and activation drive engagement and progression in the buyer’s journey. Monitoring accounts and measuring analytics to quantify progress and performance across channels, campaigns, and programs On the downside, Demandbase may face stiff competition from other vendors in the ABM market, such as 6sense, Terminus, and Roll Works. It may need to invest more in product development, marketing, and customer support to maintain its leadership position and customer satisfaction. Additionally, it may encounter challenges in integrating its platform with other systems and data sources, such as CRM, marketing automation, and analytics tools. On the upside, Demandbase can leverage its recognition as a leader and a customer’s choice to attract new customers and retain existing ones. It can also showcase its product innovations and customer reviews as proof of its value proposition and differentiation in the market.

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ABM Accounts

6sense Recognized as a Leader in 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing Platforms for the Third Consecutive Year

Business Wire | November 03, 2023

6sense, the leading platform for B2B organizations generating predictable revenue, announced today that it has been named a Leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for ABM Platforms report for the third consecutive time. 6sense is positioned highest for Ability to Execute and highest score for Completeness of Vision in the Leaders’ Quadrant. For the Account-Based Marketing Platforms report, 6sense received the highest score for all three Use Cases evaluated by Gartner, including New Account Acquisition, Account Retention, and Account Expansion. This recognition, we feel, validates what we hear from our customers every day: 6sense is integral to executing ABM in an ever-evolving B2B buying environment, said Latane Conant, CRO of 6sense. For more than a decade, we’ve obsessed over perfecting a revenue platform that delivers the highest-quality data and AI to sellers and marketers so they can confidently build pipeline and revenue. Being named a Leader for the third year in a row fuels our drive to keep raising the bar. 6sense leaders believe notable product launches this year contributed to the company’s ability to remain a Leader and strengthen its ability to deliver significant value for both marketing and sales teams, including 6sense Revenue AI for Sales and Conversational Email's AI Writer. The company's dedication to product innovation and customer-driven roadmaps solidifies its standing as the premier Revenue AI platform for go-to-market teams. “Over the past decade, 6sense has been at the forefront of the data and AI revolution, and we're proud to have played a pivotal role in helping our customers drive revenue growth with efficiency,” said Viral Bajaria, CTO and co-founder of 6sense. “Our unwavering commitment to uniting data and AI has empowered businesses to make smarter, data-driven decisions and achieve remarkable results. We look forward to continuing to lead the way in this space, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to stay ahead of the curve and maximize their success.” “6sense has more than a decade of experience offering AI-backed solutions, including generative AI, to support our customer’s go-to-market success. Our AI solutions not only provide a multitude of possibilities for revenue strategy but also enhance long-term success for our customers,” stated Viral Bajaria, CTO and co-founder of 6sense. “We are committed to a clear and inspiring vision, focusing on driving efficient revenue growth that is customer-driven and achieved through our utilization of superior data and proven AI innovation.” Customer Satisfaction in the Market In addition to being named a Leader in this Magic Quadrant, 6sense also holds the highest overall rating (4.6 out of 5) based on 53 reviews as of April 30, 2023 and the most 5-star reviews –on Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Account-Based Marketing Platforms. Highlights from customers who shared their experience of using the 6sense platform in the past year include: “Best martech AI tool to empower sales and marketing team for informed decision making.” – Sales and Business Development Strategy Manager in the healthcare and biotech industry “The alignment of marketing and sales priorities, processes, and accounts provides clarity into our total revenue funnel. We've identified new opportunities, accelerated existing opportunities, and learned more about the interests of existing relationships because of 6sense.” – CMO in the IT services industry “Choose 6sense and get ready for one of the best SaaS experiences you will ever have.” – VP of Global GTM Operations in the software industry. Gartner states in the report that “Leaders demonstrate broad support for all ABM critical capabilities and consistently meet customer needs across the three core ABM use cases (acquisition, renewal, and expansion). They have high market visibility, high market penetration, strong market momentum, and a clear, long-term strategic vision and roadmap for growing their ABM platform business. Their customers report high levels of satisfaction and success with their implementations. Leaders also have initiated plans for geographic and industry expansion.” In September 2023, 6sense was honored as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice in the Voice of the Customer for Account-Based Marketing Platforms. The recognized vendors meet or exceed both the market average Overall Experience and the market average User Interest and Adoption. Additionally, 6sense was named a leader in the Cloud Ratings Category Report for ABM Software Platforms based on over 4,000 customer ratings. These accolades highlight the exceptional value and satisfaction that B2B sales and marketing professionals find in the 6sense Revenue AI platform. About 6sense 6sense is on a mission to revolutionize the way B2B organizations create revenue by predicting customers most likely to buy and recommending the best course of action to engage anonymous buying teams. 6sense Revenue AI is the only sales and marketing platform to unlock the ability to create, manage and convert high-quality pipeline to revenue. Customers report 2X increases in average contract value, 4X increases in win rate and a 20-40% reduction in time to close deals. Know everything. Do anything, with 6sense.

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Core ABM

Marketers Given Marginal Grades for ABM-Driven Revenue Growth

GlobeNewswire | January 25, 2024

Seeding and harvesting the sales pipeline — the process of acquiring, capturing, qualifying and converting business opportunities — are essential to the growth and profitability of B2B marketers across every industry and geographic sector. Marketing is largely responsible for driving this business process, yet nearly two-thirds of lead gen and engagement strategies are underperforming. A new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council report, produced in collaboration with WM America, entitled “Fire Up Your Revenue Generation Engine,” covers critical aspects of lead generation and engagement. This includes models and metrics for tracking and measuring performance, best practice demand-gen execution, ways to score effectiveness, and more. The latest CMO Council research finds scores of marketers falling behind in lead scoring, account-based marketing, accelerated pipeline, and intention-based marketing. Key findings from a Q4 survey of over 170 B2B marketing, sales, revenue, growth, demand gen and campaign execution leaders include: 63% say marketing must own and optimize a company’s revenue-generation engine 64% say their lead gen and engagement strategy underperforms 78% of highly evolved marketers are satisfied with their accelerated pipeline, compared to only 15% of lesser evolved marketers “In today’s competitive data-driven environment, marketers should no longer be satisfied with paltry returns on their sizable lead-gen and ABM investments,” the report notes. “It’s time to turn the tables on inefficient, ineffective, and outdated practices for anticipating, adapting, and responding to customer needs and opportunities.” “Marketers must climb the evolutionary ladder and leave behind outmoded and dated practices,” notes CMO Council executive director, Donovan Neale-May. “Using AI-derived, intention-based buyer data and advanced sales intelligence are among the ways growth marketers bring more precision, predictability, and performance to B2B account marketing investments.” The CMO Council’s research revealed the top five skill sets contributing to improved ABM-driven business outcomes: Better segmentation and precision targeting of buyers and influencers On-demand customer business intelligence and personal buyer insights Tighter integration of demand gen, channel, direct sales, and support teams Greater utilization of tools and data sources for richer prospect profiling Proactive and timely pre-sales follow up and cultivation strategies The CMO Council has uncovered widening gaps in performance between highly evolved marketers and lesser evolved marketers. Gaps are occurring in four core capabilities: lead scoring, account-based marketing, accelerated pipeline, and intention-based marketing. This report tiers factors that make up a model for better identification, engagement and conversion. The model coincides with the CMO Council and WM America’s thought leadership initiative to advance lead revenue science practices through a certified Lead Evaluation and Assurance Process, or LEAP model. “Marketers will need to take a few LEAPs of faith in the coming months, because sticking to the status quo is just not practical or possible anymore. As data becomes more critical than ever before, CMOs need to extend their visions for innovation and forward-thinking strategies,” according to Lee Salem, WM America’s Vice President of Sales. Methodology The report is based on a survey of over 170 heads of B2B marketing, sales, revenue, growth, demand gen and campaign execution in Q4 2023. It also included content from in-depth interviews with executives from Netline, Autodesk, T-Mobile, NTT, ABM Consortium, TechTarget, IBM, B2B Marketing, Reachdesk, Momentum ITSMA, and Xometry. About the CMO Council The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level knowledge exchange, thought leadership and personal relationship building among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council’s 16,000+ members control more than $1 trillion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total, the CMO Council and its strategic interest communities include over 65,000 global marketing and sales executives in over 110 countries covering multiple industries, segments and markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Council’s strategic interest groups include the Customer Experience Board, Digital Marketing Performance Center, Brand Inspiration Center, Marketing Supply Chain Institute, GeoBranding Center, and the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE). To learn more, visit https://www.cmocouncil.org. About WM America WM America is a leading B2B marketing company specializing in targeted in-market demand generation. The intent database at WMA tracks the intent behavior of over 75 million business professionals globally, 24X7. The database is segmented into 3,300 categories. WMA keeps around-the-clock track of buying signals from each category in this database. Based on this extremely strong foundation of data points, the company delivers precisely targeted prospects for focused marketing. Accurate keyword search enables deriving of active content consumption and opt-in content downloads. WMA's deep search ensures accurate and targeted information delivery that helps craft successful, cutting-edge marketing strategies. For more information, visit www.wmamerica.com

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Core ABM

Demandbase Gets Named 2023 ABM Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant

Demandbase | November 06, 2023

Demandbase, an AI-driven account-based go-to-market (GTM) leader, has been named a leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms. The recognition is based on Demandbase's completeness of vision and ability to execute and follows being named a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice for ABM earlier this year. Demandbase's CEO, Gabe Rogol, attributes the recognition to product innovations and positive customer reviews. Demandbase, a pioneer in AI-driven account-based go-to-market (GTM), announces its recognition as a leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms. This honor, which follows a comprehensive evaluation of nine vendors, is a testament to Demandbase’s comprehensive vision and its ability to execute effectively. Earlier this year, the company also received the Gartner Peer Insight Customers’ Choice for ABM. Gartner defines ABM platforms as software that empowers B2B marketing and sales teams to implement ABM programs at scale, including account selection, planning, engagement, and reporting. These platforms facilitate the creation of target account lists by integrating first- and third-party data. Additionally, they may engage audiences by activating channels such as display advertising, social advertising, email, and sales engagement, using a combination of native capabilities and integrations. Gabe Rogol, CEO of Demandbase, expressed his praise for the innovations the team had worked on by exclaiming, We are honored to be recognized as a leader in the Gartner ABM Magic Quadrant once again this year. We believe this recognition is a reflection of the dedication and effort we’ve invested in our product over the past year, including innovations in connected TV advertising, non-English intent, new integrations, continuous improvement of our account intelligence, the release of workspaces for enterprises, simplified dashboards, UI improvements, and more. We also believe this recognition mirrors the consistently positive reviews we receive from customers through Gartner Peer Insights and on G2. We extend our gratitude to Gartner, our customers, and our entire team. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] According to the Magic Quadrant report, the essential capabilities of ABM platforms include: Account-level intent data (proprietary and/or licensed) to understand customer behavior and buyer interest. Multi-channel campaign orchestration and activation drive engagement and progression in the buyer’s journey. Monitoring accounts and measuring analytics to quantify progress and performance across channels, campaigns, and programs On the downside, Demandbase may face stiff competition from other vendors in the ABM market, such as 6sense, Terminus, and Roll Works. It may need to invest more in product development, marketing, and customer support to maintain its leadership position and customer satisfaction. Additionally, it may encounter challenges in integrating its platform with other systems and data sources, such as CRM, marketing automation, and analytics tools. On the upside, Demandbase can leverage its recognition as a leader and a customer’s choice to attract new customers and retain existing ones. It can also showcase its product innovations and customer reviews as proof of its value proposition and differentiation in the market.

Read More

ABM Accounts

6sense Recognized as a Leader in 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Account-Based Marketing Platforms for the Third Consecutive Year

Business Wire | November 03, 2023

6sense, the leading platform for B2B organizations generating predictable revenue, announced today that it has been named a Leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for ABM Platforms report for the third consecutive time. 6sense is positioned highest for Ability to Execute and highest score for Completeness of Vision in the Leaders’ Quadrant. For the Account-Based Marketing Platforms report, 6sense received the highest score for all three Use Cases evaluated by Gartner, including New Account Acquisition, Account Retention, and Account Expansion. This recognition, we feel, validates what we hear from our customers every day: 6sense is integral to executing ABM in an ever-evolving B2B buying environment, said Latane Conant, CRO of 6sense. For more than a decade, we’ve obsessed over perfecting a revenue platform that delivers the highest-quality data and AI to sellers and marketers so they can confidently build pipeline and revenue. Being named a Leader for the third year in a row fuels our drive to keep raising the bar. 6sense leaders believe notable product launches this year contributed to the company’s ability to remain a Leader and strengthen its ability to deliver significant value for both marketing and sales teams, including 6sense Revenue AI for Sales and Conversational Email's AI Writer. The company's dedication to product innovation and customer-driven roadmaps solidifies its standing as the premier Revenue AI platform for go-to-market teams. “Over the past decade, 6sense has been at the forefront of the data and AI revolution, and we're proud to have played a pivotal role in helping our customers drive revenue growth with efficiency,” said Viral Bajaria, CTO and co-founder of 6sense. “Our unwavering commitment to uniting data and AI has empowered businesses to make smarter, data-driven decisions and achieve remarkable results. We look forward to continuing to lead the way in this space, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to stay ahead of the curve and maximize their success.” “6sense has more than a decade of experience offering AI-backed solutions, including generative AI, to support our customer’s go-to-market success. Our AI solutions not only provide a multitude of possibilities for revenue strategy but also enhance long-term success for our customers,” stated Viral Bajaria, CTO and co-founder of 6sense. “We are committed to a clear and inspiring vision, focusing on driving efficient revenue growth that is customer-driven and achieved through our utilization of superior data and proven AI innovation.” Customer Satisfaction in the Market In addition to being named a Leader in this Magic Quadrant, 6sense also holds the highest overall rating (4.6 out of 5) based on 53 reviews as of April 30, 2023 and the most 5-star reviews –on Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Account-Based Marketing Platforms. Highlights from customers who shared their experience of using the 6sense platform in the past year include: “Best martech AI tool to empower sales and marketing team for informed decision making.” – Sales and Business Development Strategy Manager in the healthcare and biotech industry “The alignment of marketing and sales priorities, processes, and accounts provides clarity into our total revenue funnel. We've identified new opportunities, accelerated existing opportunities, and learned more about the interests of existing relationships because of 6sense.” – CMO in the IT services industry “Choose 6sense and get ready for one of the best SaaS experiences you will ever have.” – VP of Global GTM Operations in the software industry. Gartner states in the report that “Leaders demonstrate broad support for all ABM critical capabilities and consistently meet customer needs across the three core ABM use cases (acquisition, renewal, and expansion). They have high market visibility, high market penetration, strong market momentum, and a clear, long-term strategic vision and roadmap for growing their ABM platform business. Their customers report high levels of satisfaction and success with their implementations. Leaders also have initiated plans for geographic and industry expansion.” In September 2023, 6sense was honored as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice in the Voice of the Customer for Account-Based Marketing Platforms. The recognized vendors meet or exceed both the market average Overall Experience and the market average User Interest and Adoption. Additionally, 6sense was named a leader in the Cloud Ratings Category Report for ABM Software Platforms based on over 4,000 customer ratings. These accolades highlight the exceptional value and satisfaction that B2B sales and marketing professionals find in the 6sense Revenue AI platform. About 6sense 6sense is on a mission to revolutionize the way B2B organizations create revenue by predicting customers most likely to buy and recommending the best course of action to engage anonymous buying teams. 6sense Revenue AI is the only sales and marketing platform to unlock the ability to create, manage and convert high-quality pipeline to revenue. Customers report 2X increases in average contract value, 4X increases in win rate and a 20-40% reduction in time to close deals. Know everything. Do anything, with 6sense.

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