Building Your Tech Stack for ABM: A Stage-by-Stage Guide

ABM has become a pivotal strategy in B2B marketing and it requires a tailored tech stack at each stage of implementation to effectively identify, engage, and convert key accounts. Below, I will outline the critical stages of ABM implementation and the essential technologies needed at each phase to construct a robust ABM tech stack.

1. Not ABM-Ready But want to Test some Concepts

Stage Overview

You are exploring ABM's potential without a commitment. The focus is on laying a solid foundation which is not dependent on tools. You need to make sure you have the right ICP chosen, that you play well with sales and that you can create the needed content and test effectiveness of basic ABM tactics. The tools you need will be your general marketing stack, as long as it can actually show activities based on the account level.

Tech Stack Must-Haves

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Vital for managing customer information and interactions. It serves as the backbone for any ABM strategy, ensuring all customer data is centralized and accessible.
• Marketing Automation: Automates repetitive tasks such as email marketing, social media posting, and ad campaigns, allowing for more personalized engagement with accounts.
• Basic Account-Based Attribution: Tracks marketing efforts to revenue, helping understand which strategies are most effective at targeting key accounts.
• Tag Management: Simplifies the management of tracking codes and collects data for understanding account behaviors

Best Overall Product

• HubSpot : An all-in-one platform that covers all these must-haves, making it an ideal starting point for businesses exploring ABM.

2. Pilot

Stage Overview

A small-scale kick-off, experimenting with ABM strategies to gauge effectiveness and refine tactics. This is NOT the time to buy expensive tech. Rather, it's where you need to dive deeper into the more specialized ABM tactics like intent and personalization.

Tech Stack Additions

• 1st Party Intent Data (Website De-anonymization): Tools to identify anonymous website visitors, transforming them into known prospects for targeted engagement. Those tools usually start at $100 a month and require no commitment, which allows you all the flexibility you need.
• Personalization Tools: Enhance customer experiences by tailoring content and messaging to specific accounts.
• Business Intelligence tool: Nothing fancy but you do need firmography, basic technography and people's titles and emails.
• Dedicated ABM advertising tool: Try to ask for a pilot before committing for a whole year. The idea is to stop relying solely on LinkedIn and start dedicated ABM ad tools.

Best Products

• Snitcher , Leadfeeder , Linkedin Sales Navigator Premium , Apollo.io , BrandGen.io :These products excel in unveiling prospect identity and personalizing the engagement, as well as running dedicated ABM ads, essential for a successful pilot ABM campaign.

3. Fully Launched

Stage Overview

ABM strategies are fully implemented, focusing on optimizing and expanding targeted account engagement through personalized, multi-channel campaigns. Since you'll be working with numerous sales people and data sourced, it might be time to start thinking about orchestration - a tool that will provide overview and manage activities across all your teams and channel. These tools tend to be pricy but it's not really possible to scale up ABM without it.

Tech Stack Additions

• Multi-Channel and Cross-Functional Campaign Orchestration: Ensures seamless coordination across various channels and teams.
• New Content Personalization: Offers advanced personalization capabilities for engaging key accounts with relevant, dynamic content.

Best Products

• RollWorks, a division of NextRoll , OTG , Optimizely Norge : These platforms offer sophisticated solutions for campaign orchestration and content optimization, critical for a fully-fledged ABM strategy.

4. Scale

Stage Overview

The expansion of ABM practices across the organization, leveraging advanced ABM platforms to manage and grow key account engagement at scale.

Tech Stack Additions

• ABM Platform: Integrates with existing tools to provide a comprehensive suite of ABM capabilities, enabling scalable, efficient account targeting and engagement.

Best Products

• 6sense , Demandbase , Terminus : These platforms are leaders in the ABM space, offering advanced features for account identification, engagement, and analytics, crucial for scaling ABM efforts effectively.

Additional stage-agnostic tools

Research - G2 , Capterra

Content development & creation - ChatGPT, Mangools, Figma,

Campaigns & measurement - LinkedIn Ads, ZoomInfo can push audiences to LI and FB so it's worth trying.

Conclusion

Building a tech stack for ABM is a phased journey, beginning with foundational marketing tools and evolving to include advanced ABM platforms. Each stage of ABM implementation demands specific technologies to effectively identify, engage, and convert high-value accounts. By strategically assembling your ABM tech stack, you can ensure that your organization is equipped to harness the full potential of Account-Based Marketing, driving significant growth and ROI.