Overcoming the Challenges of Getting Teams to Commit to Real Account-Based Marketing

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with ABM in the comments below. How have you managed to align your sales and marketing teams for success? How have SDRs and ERMs contributed to your ABM efforts? Let’s discuss!

Account-Based Marketing (ABM), when done correctly with full buy in, has emerged as a game-changer for B2B marketers. But it's annoying to read all the promises of personalized interactions, higher engagement rates, and superior ROI and then not be able to realize them in your own organization. Many organizations face significant hurdles in getting cross functional teams to fully commit to ABM. I don't delineate between sales and marketing in ABM - rather, I think in terms of the "Revenue Team".

• What's the reasons behind this resistance?
• What are the indispensable roles required for success (Sales Development Representatives, Enterprise Relationship Managers, Demand Generation team) in a successful ABM strategy?

THE RESISTANCE

1. Misalignment of Goals and Metrics

Marketing and sales often operate with different goals and success metrics. Marketing focuses on lead generation, brand awareness, and nurturing prospects, while sales are concentrated on closing deals and hitting revenue targets. This disparity can lead to a lack of shared understanding and appreciation for the ABM approach, which requires both teams to align their efforts towards common objectives.

Solution: Establish unified Account rather than Lead KPIs that reflect the shared goals of both marketing and sales. Regularly communicate these metrics and celebrate joint successes to reinforce the collaborative effort.

2. Cultural Differences and Mindset Shifts

Traditional sales teams are accustomed to broad-based outreach and high-volume prospecting. Many rely on significant Inbound rather than Outbound activity. Outbound can take longer to become Opportunities. ABM, with its targeted approach, requires a significant shift in mindset. It involves investing more time in fewer, high-value accounts, which can be a tough sell to teams used to playing the numbers game.

Solution: Provide workshops to help sales teams understand the value of ABM. Together, map a targeted approach that will lead to better outcomes.

3. Resource Allocation and Prioritization

ABM demands a higher level of personalization and deeper engagement with each target account. This often means dedicating more resources—time, budget, and people power—to fewer accounts. The organization may resist this shift, especially if they are not convinced of the long-term benefits.

Solution: Start with a pilot program to demonstrate the effectiveness of ABM on a small scale. Use the results to build a compelling case for broader implementation. Ensure that both marketing and sales have the necessary resources to execute ABM effectively.

4. Lack of Integration and Collaboration Tools

Successful ABM requires seamless integration between marketing and sales tools, and perhaps even Finance. Disjointed systems and processes can hinder the flow of information and collaboration, making it difficult to implement a cohesive ABM strategy.

Solution: Invest in integrated ABM platforms that facilitate collaboration between marketing and sales. Ensure that both teams have access to the same data and insights, enabling a unified approach to targeting and engaging key accounts. I recently met with Planful and was really impressed with their marketing performance to pipeline and revenue capture.

5. Resistance to Change

Change is always challenging, and shifting to an ABM approach is no exception. Revenue teams might resist ABM due to a lack of familiarity or fear of deviating from their proven methods.

Solution: Foster a culture of continuous improvement and openness to new strategies. Involve Revenue teams in the planning and execution of ABM campaigns to ensure their buy-in and commitment. Recognize and reward those who embrace the change and contribute to its success.

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE SDR, ERMs and DEMAND TEAM

A critical component of a successful ABM strategy are the SDRs, ERMs and Demand Team. These individuals act as the Revenue team, and the SDRs bridge between marketing and sales, ensuring that the personalized efforts of ABM are effectively translated into meaningful interactions with target accounts. Here’s why SDRs and ERMs are indispensable in an ABM framework.

1. Personalized Outreach and Engagement

ABM thrives on highly personalized interactions with key decision-makers within target accounts. Once the Demand team has delivered a lead through personalized marketing efforts, SDRs are specifically trained to execute the next step in this level of engagement. They can tailor their outreach efforts to align with the specific needs and pain points of each account, ensuring that the messaging resonates deeply.

Solution: Equip SDRs with detailed account insights and resources from marketing to personalize their outreach. This ensures consistency in the ABM approach and maximizes the impact of each interaction.

2. Efficient Lead Qualification

In an ABM strategy, not all leads are created equal. SDRs play a crucial role in qualifying leads to ensure that the sales team focuses on the most promising opportunities. They engage with prospects to assess their needs, readiness to buy, and fit with the company’s offerings.

Solution: Implement a robust lead scoring system and provide SDRs with clear criteria for qualification. This helps streamline the process and ensures that only high-quality leads are passed on to the sales team.

3. Building and Nurturing Relationships

SDRs are instrumental in building and nurturing relationships with key contacts within target accounts. They maintain regular communication, provide valuable insights, and keep prospects engaged until they are ready to move further down the sales funnel. They inform the Demand team what assets they need to keep the conversation moving.

Solution: Develop a comprehensive nurturing strategy that includes regular touchpoints and personalized content. SDRs should have access to a variety of resources, such as case studies, whitepapers, and webinars, to keep prospects engaged and informed.

4. Closing the Feedback Loop

SDRs serve as the frontline in the ABM process, gathering valuable feedback from prospects. This feedback is crucial for refining and improving the ABM strategy. They can provide insights into what messaging resonates, which pain points are most pressing, and how prospects perceive the company’s offerings. Another important role in this phase is the Enterprise Relationship Manager (ERM), when renewing or upselling.

Solution: Establish a feedback loop where SDRs and ERMs regularly share insights with the Revenue team. Use this information to continuously refine targeting, messaging, and engagement tactics.

5. Maximizing Resource Efficiency

ABM requires a significant investment of time and resources. By having SDRs focus on initial outreach and qualification, Revenue teams can concentrate on closing deals. This division of labor ensures that resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Solution: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of SDRs within the ABM strategy. Ensure that there is a smooth handoff process between SDRs and Account Executives to maintain continuity and momentum in the sales process.

While the journey to successful Account-Based Marketing can have its challenges, the rewards are well worth the effort. By aligning goals, fostering collaboration, and addressing the concerns across the organization, it can pave the way for a more effective and impactful ABM strategy. Sales Development Representatives play a pivotal role in this process, ensuring that the personalized efforts of ABM are successfully executed and that key accounts are effectively engaged.