Page 12 - AeM_August_2021

BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES

The time is more than ripe for integrated

account-based marketing (ABM)

Smart analyses for both sales and market-
ing

Data and analysis are essential to coordinate any fu-
ture actions with sales and to better understand cus-
tomer expectations and needs. Marketers need to be
able to measure and analyze the effectiveness of mar-
keting content to provide answers on how they are
used by sales or if they are used at all? Answers to
these questions will help marketers tailor their strate-
gies and content accordingly to ensure customers get
the right message at the right time and get a proven
benefit from it.
Cold calling is no longer popular with buyers
these days, which is why marketers are Cooperation instead of working side by
increasingly relying on Account Based Marketing side
(ABM).
In addition to the data, marketing must also listen to
When ABM emerged in marketing circles for the first feedback from the sales teams which is usually in direct
time a few years ago, it was lauded for its potential to contact with the customer and has therefore an insight
bring sales and marketing teams together. But unfortu- into the special challenges of the customers and into
nately, competition between these departments is still the information and content they want. Therefore, the
on today, even though this customer-centric approach communication channels between marketing and sales
offers the perfect opportunity for departments to come must always be open and technology that helps to es-
together. In fact, ABM strategy can only work if both tablish collaborations should be fully used. Because if
teams work closely together, because customers’ ex- updates aren't made quickly, opportunities can be
pectations for a personalized customer experience put missed, or worse, a customer can be alienated by irrel-
huge pressure on sales and marketing teams to ad- evant, outdated, or even incorrect content or infor-
dress customers with the right content and messages mation.
at the right time. ABM allows marketing and sales
teams to sell more successfully and face challenges Ultimately, account-based marketing is great to bring
sales and marketing finally together which is needed to
together.
achieve a truly personalized and great customer experi-
Joined forces overcome limitations ence. Its focus is not on winning the most customers,
but on targeting the most relevant and valuable cus-
The digital reality with home office and virtual meetings tomers who are very likely to buy. At a time when buy-
poses an enormous challenge for sales since it has ing behavior is changing radically, and the pressure on
become more difficult to impress and inspire customers marketing and sales is increasing to sell more efficient-
and ultimately close a deal. Marketing can be a big ly and effectively, integrated account-based marketing
sales support and close collaborator. Particularly, B2B can clearly provide significant support in achieving
buyers are getting more and more information digitally, these goals. ◊
and thus meet sales much later in the buying process.
Therefore, marketing must lay the foundations for the By Daniela La Marca
process to continue seamlessly to complete the sale.
This is also in the interest of marketing since their ex-
penses are increasingly measured in terms of sales
growth.

12 August 2021: Omnichannel Marketing