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Advanced Concepts

Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

A B2B strategy focusing marketing efforts on specific high-value target accounts rather than broad audiences.

Definition

Account-Based Marketing is a B2B strategy that treats individual companies as markets of one. Instead of casting a wide net, ABM focuses resources on specific target accounts with personalized campaigns. For email, this means crafting messages tailored to each account's industry, challenges, and stakeholders rather than sending generic content.

Why It Matters

In B2B SaaS, a few enterprise deals can represent significant revenue. Generic email campaigns that work for SMB audiences often fail with enterprise buyers who expect personalized attention. ABM aligns email with the reality of complex B2B sales where multiple stakeholders at a single account need coordinated, relevant messaging.

How It Works

Identify target accounts based on fit and opportunity. Research each account's business, challenges, and stakeholders. Create tailored content and email sequences for each account or account tier. Coordinate email with sales outreach. Track engagement and pipeline at the account level, not just the individual level.

Best Practices

  • 1Select target accounts based on data, not wishful thinking
  • 2Research each account before creating personalized content
  • 3Coordinate email with sales to avoid conflicting messages
  • 4Address multiple stakeholders at each account
  • 5Create account-specific landing pages and resources
  • 6Measure success at the account level, not just opens and clicks
  • 7Start with a small number of accounts to develop your playbook

Company-Level Targeting

Segment and personalize emails based on company attributes. Build account-specific campaigns for your ABM strategy.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

ABM makes sense for high-value B2B deals where the investment in personalization pays off. If your average contract is $50K+, ABM is worth considering. For SMB or high-volume sales, traditional scaled email marketing is more efficient.

Reference the specific company's industry, challenges, or news. Mention mutual connections or relevant case studies. Tailor the value proposition to their situation. The more it feels like it was written for them, the better it performs.

Both. Use automation for tiered ABM targeting many accounts with moderate personalization. Use manual, individually crafted emails for top-tier accounts where stakes justify the effort. Many companies do 1:1 for tier 1, 1:few for tier 2, and 1:many for tier 3.