Hey , today we’ll unveil the 4 stages of launching a successful ABM program. 

Stage 1: 𝐀𝐁𝐌 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲

Before running an execution, make sure you have:

• Defined the market segment you want to focus on.
• Clearly defined your ICP including buying committee structure:
• Roles
• KPIs
• Why they can buy the product
• Typical concerns and objections, and how to address them
• Alignment with execs and sales on:
• Goals
• Leading indicators (how you'll evaluate campaign success)
• Account qualification and disqualification criteria
• Budget
• ABM team structure
• Value proposition hypotheses tailored to each of the buying committee members of the selected segments

Stage 2: 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐀𝐁𝐌 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧

DOs: 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-10 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤

This framework stands for:

- 1 market

- 1 vertical

- 1 SDR

- 1 marketer

- 1 source of intent data

- 1 warm-up tactic

- 1 tier

- 1 goal (expansion, net new revenue, acceleration, renewal)

- 10 accounts (3 buying committee members per account) max

Why?

The Pilot campaign is an experiment. You make hypotheses about your ICP, do preliminary account research and learn a lot about target accounts. 

You need to apply learnings to improve account qualification criteria, account research process, and activation processes.

The goal is to launch a campaign fast with minimum resources to avoid losing momentum and trust from execs and sales.

DON’Ts:

- Including lots of accounts in the pilot program (you won't be able to run ABM properly)

- Adding a wish list of accounts instead of engaged accounts

- Allocating big budget

- Involving the entire sales team. You need 1 SDR who'll be your Champion in the sales team helping to scale the program later.

Stage 3: 𝐀𝐁𝐌 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

DOs:

- Installing new sources of intent data to identify engaged accounts

- Documenting campaign

- Creating marketing and sales playbooks

- Creating ABM tech stack

- Turning the pilot campaign into an evergreen process

- Launching a new pilot campaign with a new warm-up tactic

DON’Ts:

- Adding more salespeople to the program

- Investing in expensive ABM software or adding ads as a warm-up tactic

Your goal is to embed ABM into your marketing operations and make it an evergreen process instead of a one-time campaign.

Stage 4: 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐁𝐌

DOs:

- Creating a core ABM team

- Onboarding more SDRs and marketers with documented playbooks

- Including new verticals and markets

- Modifying campaigns for tier 2 and tier 3 accounts

- Embedding ABM into marketing operations and demand generation

Dear , don’t skip these 4 stages and launch mass campaigns right from the bat. If you do, you won’t be able to execute ABM properly and you’ll lose money, trust, and support from sales & execs.

Best Shares From Trenches Community

1. A step-by-step guide to developing a GTM strategy for a B2B company(adapted for companies with high ACV and a long sales cycle)
2. Black Friday is shifting earlier and earlier, like holiday shopping at big box stores
3. 15 things I wish more B2B companies knew about marketing in 2022  (swipe the slides)

Questions from fellow Trenchers

Let's help each other. If you can contribute or answer any question below, just click the link and share your thoughts.

1. Little help here: Linktree or Carrd? Which link in the bio tool are you going for or already using? Any reason for your pick?
2. Hey guys, I have 2 questions for you. Of what product marketing frameworks and guides do you think first when it comes to go-to-market strategy and getting an n% market share? (B2B SaaS)

What tools/frameworks do you use for lead gen funnel optimization?

3- Curious to know from those in SaaS how many are keeping an eye on their rule of 40 metrics as part of their organization's health scorecard/reporting.

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See you in Trenches 😉

Adechina ODJO