Why is ABM still hard to implement in 2024
In the fast-evolving landscape of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), data quality is a make-or-break factor. It’s the engine driving your targeted efforts, ensuring that your campaigns hit the right people at the right time. But when data goes bad? Poor data can derail even the most well-planned ABM strategy.
As we head into 2025, B2B marketers face some big challenges:
Data collection and analysis
Today’s digital ecosystem is vast. Companies pull in data from multiple channels—websites, social media, email, events, and even third-party sources. Keeping track of all these inputs can feel like juggling knives. Focus on centralizing your data into a single source of truth—this reduces the risk of inconsistency and helps teams work off the same playbook.
Outdated or inaccurate data is a major ABM killer. Regular data hygiene practices, such as cleaning and enriching data, are critical to ensure you're always targeting the right accounts.
With the increasing focus on privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, it’s essential to ensure compliance when handling personal data. But this isn’t just a box-ticking exercise—it can also build trust with your audience.
AI - an opportunity as well as a hurdle
AI can be the powerful drive for your ABM program—if you know how to use it properly. But many companies stumble when it comes to implementation.
From predictive analytics to chatbots, AI offers numerous tools that can transform your marketing. But choosing the right tools and getting them to work with your existing systems can be a daunting task. Start small. Test out AI tools on smaller campaigns to see what works before scaling. Focus first on AI features in your existing tools and see how they work for you before you buy new tools.
AI can only take you so far if your team isn’t up to speed. Employees need proper training to fully leverage AI-powered insights and automation. Develop a training roadmap to ensure your team can maximize these tools’ potential.
At the end of the day, relationships still matter in B2B marketing. Relying too heavily on AI can make your campaigns feel robotic. The best ABM strategies balance AI’s efficiency with the human touch.
Cross-functional alignment
One of the biggest hurdles for ABM success is still, yes in 2024, an issue. Marketing, sales, and even customer success teams need to be on the same page.
It’s vital that both marketing and sales are working towards the same goals—otherwise, you risk sending mixed messages to target accounts. Regular goal alignment meetings can help keep everyone on the same page.
Whether it’s weekly sync-ups or shared dashboards, consistent communication is key to breaking down silos and ensuring a cohesive ABM strategy.
Silos are the enemy of ABM. Encourage collaboration between teams by creating cross-functional task forces that can work together on specific campaigns.
Personalization at scale
We all know personalization is critical to ABM success, but doing so at scale is the real challenge.
Personalized content takes time, effort, and resources. Marketers need to craft messaging that speaks to individual account needs—while managing the volume that large-scale ABM requires. Leverage automation to handle basic personalization, and save your creative energy for the top tier accounts that need extra attention.
Your message needs to be consistent and personalized across every touchpoint—email, social, website, and more. Consistency builds trust. Tools like marketing automation platforms can help.
Finding the sweet spot between high-level personalization and resource efficiency can be tough. Prioritize your top accounts for hyper-personalization while automating for the rest.
Measuring ROI of ABM
Measurement remains a struggle for many companies. Without clear KPIs and attribution, it’s hard to justify investment and show results of your efforts.
Your ABM KPIs need to go beyond just vanity metrics like clicks and impressions. Focus on metrics that tie directly to revenue, like pipeline velocity and customer acquisition cost.
Attribution is notoriously difficult, especially when you’re running long-term ABM campaigns. Use multi-touch attribution models to give credit to each channel involved in moving a deal forward.
To justify your ABM investments, consistently show how your efforts are contributing to larger business goals. Track metrics that your leadership team cares about: revenue and growth.
Rapid changes in B2B buying behaviors
With buying decisions now made by multiple stakeholders, your messaging needs to appeal to various decision-makers. Tailor content for different roles within the same account.
B2B buyers expect a seamless, digital-first experience. This means investing in your digital channels—website, email, and social—and offering personalized, self-serve options.
B2B sales cycles are long, but staying top-of-mind is critical. Use a mix of content, personalized emails, and targeted ads to keep your brand relevant throughout the process.
Technology integration
The right tech stack can make or break your ABM efforts. But with so many tools available, it can be tricky.
From CRM to marketing automation, choosing the right tools that fit your company’s needs and budget is crucial. Don’t fall for the “shiny object” syndrome—pick tools that directly solve your ABM challenges.
Ensure your new ABM tools work seamlessly with your existing systems, such as CRM and analytics platforms. If your data doesn’t flow easily between platforms, you risk inefficiencies.
Poor data flow can create gaps in your ABM program. Regularly audit your integrations to ensure everything is working smoothly and information is flowing where it should.
Takeaways
Addressing these challenges head-on will set you up for ABM success. Focus on data quality, AI, cross-functional alignment, and the right tech stack to drive your ABM strategy forward.
What challenges do you anticipate in your ABM efforts next year? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
#ABM #B2BMarketing #AccountBasedMarketing #Personalization #MarketingTechnology #SalesAlignment #ROI
Dynamic B2B/B2G Marketing Director | Strategist & Doer | Hi-Tech Enthusiast | Driving Growth via Strategic Positioning, Thought Leadership & Data-Driven Campaigns | Proven Leader in Revenue Generation & Brand Positioning
2 周Great insights, Amit! Your article really resonates with my experience leading ABM initiatives. It reminds me of a particularly challenging project I led last year. I have implementing an ABM strategy for a B2B/B2G tech company, and we faced nearly all the hurdles you mentioned. Our data was scattered across multiple platforms, our sales and marketing teams were misaligned, and we struggled with personalization at scale. We invested time and money in resolving it in various ways. The result? We saw a a two-digits' increase in engagement from target accounts and shorter sales cycles within six months. One challenge I'm particularly interested in for 2025 is to leverage AI and embed it deeper into ABM strategies. I believe it could offer new, ways to engage B2B buyers, enhance effectiveness and stimulate efficiency. Thanks for sparking this discussion, Amit. It's crucial that we as marketers continue to adapt and innovate in the face of these evolving challenges. #ABM #B2BMarketing #MarTech #InnovationInMarketing