Account-Based Marketing

Digital transformation has profoundly impacted customer decision-making and behavior, especially in the B2B market where there's a growing preference for larger, more complex solutions. This shift challenges conventional decision-making processes within companies, emphasizing the need for suppliers who can contribute to broader project specifications.

As a result, traditional sales approaches relying on face-to-face meetings are being replaced by strategic partnerships to navigate the complexity of modern solutions. However, limited access to key decision-makers poses challenges for sales teams in effectively engaging all stakeholders – and has shown that whether or not meetings with these decision-makers can be achieved in person, influencing their perception of the brand can be an essential factor in winning business.

Account-specific audience building

To effectively influence all relevant decision-makers within both new and existing clients earlier in the decision-making process, several crucial steps must be executed accurately.

Build the right audience
The initial step involves identifying the target audience, which can be achieved through a combination of research and leveraging available digital tools. By employing this approach, it becomes feasible to construct a tailored audience that aligns with the overarching objectives, possibly targeting specific people (based on title and senority) within specific companies (e.g. new or existing customers), and even reaching into specific industries or geographies.. Over time, it becomes possible to expand this audience by incorporating look-alike audiences, thereby broadening reach at a reduced cost.

Drive differentiation through value creation
Create a communication framework with a clear value proposition and develop structured messaging pillars. The comprehensive value framework should be derived from an outside-in analysis of the target customer, addressing their pain points, needs, related interests, all related to their daily jobs-to-be-done. It is important to note that by adopting a value-selling approach within our communication framework, we address two distinct phases. Firstly, the “Opportunity moment” establishes the initial relationship, demonstrating understanding of the customer's business and challenges, and providing initial evidence of our ability to address their needs, thereby encouraging further engagement. Secondly, the “Solution moment” involves delving into specific issues and presenting technical solutions, thereby proposing value for the customer through our product or service. 

Create an integrated ecosystem of online and offline channels
Once the audience and the communication framework are established, the subsequent phase involves crafting a robust and integrated eco-system that includes a strategic mix of online and offline channels, to captivate our customers. Armed with this framework, we can execute a high-frequency communication strategy tailored to the optimal mix of digital platforms and offline channels.

Marketing and sales should work in tandem for successful outcome

To empower sales teams for effective follow-up, it is crucial to recognize the significance of a close collaboration between marketing and sales, as evidenced by our experience in account-based marketing. In order for salespeople to seamlessly follow up on messages, they must be actively engaged in the value-proposition process. They must also be equipped with real-time data that monitors the performance of the messaging framework, and finally they must be provided with necessary materials to support their follow-up communications through sales-enablement initiatives. By involving sales in these key aspects of the messaging strategy, we enhance their ability to engage clients effectively and drive success throughout the funnel.

If you’d like to discuss how account-based marketing could positively impact your business needs, book an inspirational meeting with one of our experts.

W3c