Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has evolved into a powerful go-to-market strategy, especially in B2B sectors where long sales cycles and complex buying committees are the norm. Executed correctly, ABM can deliver higher ROI, better customer experiences, and closer alignment between marketing and sales. However, many organizations still struggle to operationalize ABM in a way that produces consistent results. To succeed, companies need to focus on the right intent data, combine it with relevant content, and execute personalized outreach through strategic SDR cadences.
What is ABM?
ABM is a strategic approach where marketing and sales work together to target high-value accounts with personalized campaigns. Instead of casting a wide net, ABM focuses on the accounts most likely to convert and bring long-term value. The goal is precision—using data, insights, and personalization to engage specific accounts in a meaningful way.
The Formula for ABM Success: Intent + Content + SDR Cadences
Getting ABM right involves a three-pronged approach:
- Intent: Understand which accounts are actively in-market.
- Content: Deliver the right messaging at the right time.
- SDR Cadences: Orchestrate timely and personalized human outreach.
Let’s break each of these down further.
1. Intent: Identifying Buying Signals
Intent data reveals which businesses are actively researching topics related to your product or service. By tapping into this data, companies can prioritize accounts that are showing early signs of purchase intent, giving them the ability to act before their competitors.
There are two types of intent data:
- First-party intent: Data collected from your own website, such as downloads, page visits, or return frequency.
- Third-party intent: Aggregated data from external sources indicating interest in a specific topic or pain point.
Platforms like Bombora, ZoomInfo, and 6sense help organizations track and interpret intent data effectively. The key is to integrate intent intelligence within your CRM and marketing automation platforms to trigger personalized actions.
2. Content: Speak to the Pain Points
Once you know which accounts are in-market, the next step is providing content that resonates. Content is the bridge between a prospect’s problem and your solution. It should reflect an understanding of where the account is in its buying journey.
Effective ABM content strategy includes:
- Industry-specific content: Tailor whitepapers, blog posts, and use cases to an account’s vertical.
- Persona-targeted messaging: Create different assets for economic buyers, technical users, and decision-makers.
- Journey-aligned assets: From awareness to decision, support accounts with the right piece at the right time.
For example, a CMO might respond better to ROI-driven content, while a technical buyer may prefer solution briefs and integration guides. If your content lacks relevance, it won’t matter how well you gathered your intent signals—the engagement just won’t happen.
3. SDR Cadences: Making Human Connections at Scale
No ABM program is complete without an effective SDR strategy. While content plants the seed, SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) are the people who convert interest into real opportunities. Cadences—a series of calls, emails, and social touches—are how SDRs maintain top-of-mind presence and drive engagement.
Key elements of successful SDR cadences include:
- Personalization: Reference recent actions, content engagement, or firmographic data.
- Variety: Mix emails, LinkedIn messages, video voicemails, and calls.
- Timing: Space out touches and follow up persistently but respectfully—often requiring 8+ attempts.
- Relevance: Use content as a lever to add value in each communication.
By weaving intent data into the cadence design, SDRs can know exactly which triggers to act on and what messaging to use. This empowers reps to prioritize high-likelihood accounts and save time otherwise wasted on cold leads.
Technology like Outreach, Salesloft, and Apollo streamlines cadence creation and measurement. Yet, even with all the tools, a cadence without personalization quickly becomes noise. That’s why sales and marketing need to align closely in crafting plays that meet prospects where they are.
Aligning Teams Across the ABM Funnel
The real magic of ABM lies in the alignment it enforces between sales and marketing. When both functions rely on the same data and understand the same objectives, they can deliver a more cohesive prospect experience. This collaboration is essential for navigating complex buying committees with varying decision power.
Here’s how alignment enhances each stage:
- Top of Funnel: Marketing uses intent data to target ads and deliver educational assets.
- Middle of Funnel: SDRs leverage content to nurture and progress conversations.
- Bottom of Funnel: Sales execs use personalized insights to close the deal.
Regular meetings, shared KPIs, and collaborative playbooks form the backbone of this alignment. Everyone should speak the same ABM language—what we’re targeting, why we’re targeting it, and how we win the account.
ABM Measurement: Proving the ROI
Measuring ABM impact requires different KPIs than traditional lead-gen efforts. Instead of pure volume, ABM looks at engagement depth and deal velocity. Some of the key metrics include:
- Account engagement score: Aggregate activity across buyer personas.
- Pipeline influence: Revenue linked to ABM-touched accounts.
- Meetings booked: SDR productivity with target accounts.
- Sales cycle time: Reduction due to earlier buyer education.
Continuous feedback from metrics helps refine targeting, content creation, and prospect engagement tactics. Building dashboards that both SDRs and marketers can view helps maintain transparency across the funnel.
Conclusion: ABM Done Right is Worth the Work
ABM is not a campaign—it’s a company-wide strategy. When businesses combine actionable intent insights, personalized and timely content, and SDRs who can execute dynamic cadences, they create a system that builds trust and accelerates sales. It’s not about buying leads; it’s about earning the right to engage with decision-makers by showing you understand them deeply.
The organizations that thrive with ABM take the time to build collaborative processes, invest in the right tools, and continuously optimize based on data. ABM done right isn’t easy—but the results are worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What tools are necessary to execute ABM effectively?
A: Tools like Salesforce, Outreach, 6sense, Bombora, and HubSpot are commonly used for tracking, targeting, and outreach in ABM campaigns. - Q: How many accounts should I target in an ABM strategy?
A: That depends on your ABM model. One-to-One ABM focuses on fewer, high-value accounts. One-to-Few and One-to-Many can include dozens or hundreds of accounts but with less personalization. - Q: Can ABM work for small businesses?
A: Yes. Even without a large budget, small businesses can practice ABM by focusing on a handful of high-priority accounts and creating tailored outreach efforts. - Q: How long does it take to see results from an ABM campaign?
A: ABM is a long-term strategy. Typically, it may take 3–6 months to begin seeing traction, especially for large deals with long sales cycles. - Q: What’s the biggest mistake companies make with ABM?
A: The biggest mistake is treating ABM like any other demand gen tactic. Without tight alignment between teams, a unified strategy, and personalized execution, ABM efforts can miss the mark.
