Account-Based Marketing: 16 Useful Resources

What is account-based marketing? ABM has been generating quite a bit of buzz in the B2B marketing community over the last couple years — and for good reason. ABM increases marketing and sales alignment and leads to closing bigger deals with individual customers, by rejecting the wide-net strategy of broadcasting messages to huge audiences in favor of targeting individual customer accounts on a 1:1 basis.

According to a recent survey, 92% of B2B marketers now recognize the value of account-based marketing. But there’s a major gap between perceived value and implementation; only 20% of the same survey pool had full ABM plans in place. In other words, marketers love the concept, but have not yet implemented it themselves. Fortunately for them, new tools like Terminus, DemandBase, and Lean Data have made it easy for business of all sizes to utilize and scale the strategy. Plus, the recent resurgence of ABM has created a wave of information on the subject.

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C marketer, it’s worth learning more about how you can implement ABM tactics. So we’ve compiled 16 useful resources.

1) Infographic: Account-Based Marketing

This graphic from Marketo provides a perfect overview of the ABM concept. Take a look at their overview and the 5 quick steps they recommend to get started, in order to optimize your marketing and sales processes.

2) Video: Why is Everyone Talking About Account-Based Marketing?

This animated explainer offers a simple, 2-minute introduction to ABM. It’s a great piece to share with colleagues and other stakeholders who you’d like to educate on the subject.

3) Blog Post: The Difference Between Account-Based Marketing and Outbound Sales

Most B2B companies come to account-based marketing through outbound sales. This blog post helpfully distinguishes between the 2 concepts by outlining 4 major differences, including a look at the core principle of account-specific, customized programs.

4) Webinar: The ABCs of Account-Based Marketing

For a more in-depth discussion of the benefits of ABM, we recommend this webinar recording from Engagio. CEO Jon Miller and Mintigo CPO Atul Kumar discuss how to determine the accounts you should target, to switch your current customers to an ABM-focused approach, and to measure your efforts.

5) Survey: The 2015 State of Account-Based Marketing

We quoted this survey above; conducted by B2B consulting firm SiriusDecisions, it’s full of valuable insights and worth a read for anyone considering ABM.

6) Blog Post: What’s Behind the Resurgence of Account-Based Marketing?

LeanData’s blog post brings up a valuable point, right in its headline: ABM is not a new concept. It originated in the 1990s; part of its recent resurgence is due to new technology to help businesses optimize their practice. The post also outlines two industry hurdles that need to be overcome for ABM to be successful.

7) White Paper: The New State of Account-Based Marketing

This white paper is a more in-depth discussion of the blog post above. Aiming to help companies determine whether ABM is right for them, it dives into the concept and its origins. If you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion of the strategic approach and requirements of ABM, this resource is for you.

8) Video: Why Is Account-Based Marketing Right for B2B?

In this 25 minute interview, DemandBase CEO Chris Golec and BusinessOnline CEO Thad Kahlow explain the tenets of account-based marketing and its emergence as a winning strategy for B2B marketers. Good news: if you don’t have the time to sit through the entire interview, the above link also includes short highlights of important sections.

9) White Paper: Where Does Account-Based Marketing Fit in Your Demand Gen Strategy?

This resource will appeal especially to marketers who put major emphasis on analytics. Learn from three experts on how to support your ABM with predictive analytics, and define KPIs to help you measure progress and success.

10) Blog Post: 5 Reasons Account-Based Marketing Can Fail

An important point that this post makes: ABM is not a magic bullet. It has the potential to be immensely successful for your business, but if you don’t approach it correctly, it of course can fail. Learn how ownership, simplification, and measurability should be crucial part of your ABM strategy.

11) Blog Post: 5 Steps to An Account-Based Marketing Champ

What do you need to do to help your company succeed in ABM? This blog post simplifies the process for you. It’s a written expansion in the infographic above, going into more depth about how you can discover and define your high-value accounts, determine optimal channels, and more.

12) Blog Post and eBook: 5 Ways AdTech Can Scale Account-Based Marketing

If you are looking to successfully integrate an ABM model, advertising technology will be a crucial ally. From this post and the attached eBook, learn how CRM platforms and email marketing tools can help you achieve success, regardless of the size of your business.

13) eBook: Account-Based Marketing: The Key to B2B Success

This eBook can serve both as an introductory resource and a starting point for your ABM strategy. It outlines the ABM philosophy and goes in-depth on how business can generate leads, turn those leads into 1:1 relationships, and increase both up-sell and renewal processes.

14) Blog Post: 11 Tactics to Drive Your ABM Process

We love actionable advice. While most of the resources here will introduce you to the concept, this post outlines the specifics of optimizing ABM. Helpful tips range from developing prospect-specific offers to personalizing the account’s experience on your website, with many more in between.

15) Blog Post: Creating Targeted B2B Content with Account-Based Marketing

This resource marries two concepts that have arisen together: content marketing and ABM. Valuable content plays a crucial role in the B2B buying experience; that importance is amplified in the ABM philosophy. How can the two philosophies thrive together? Read the post to find out.

16) Infographic: #FlipMyFunnel Account-Based Marketing Stack

For those ready to get familiar with the available tools for a executing a comprehensive ABM strategy, the folks at #FlipMyFunnel have put together a nifty infographic. Have at it.

These 16 resources will give you a great overview into account-based marketing, and how to use it within your B2B business.

Take the next steps: contact BlueWing to discuss how we can implement ABM tactics in your brand publishing strategy, and follow us @BlueWingDigital on Twitter to discover more useful resources in the future.