Learning and applying account based marketing trends for 2018 will help your brand stand out from the crowd. If you are not familiar with account based marketing (ABM), it has a standard marketing model like inbound marketing. Here are the five steps of an ABM effort:
- Identify accounts
- Profile accounts
- Create content
- Launch campaigns
- Measure results
The main difference in an ABM campaign is the word “account.”
In traditional marketing campaigns, B2B companies cast a wide net with plenty of content to target anyone who might need their product or service. In ABM, you target a specific client, company, or revenue stream, thus going deeper rather than wider.
Here are the top 5 ABM trends we see making a big splash in 2018.
1. Programmatic ABM
Programmatic technology offered by third parties for data collection will help increase your ABM campaigns’ reach and scope. The more information you have, the more you can personalize your messages to build the essential relationship. Each company within an industry has a different business model and a different culture. You need to target specific accounts with the help of targeted, programmatic technologies.
Consider how each role and responsibility inside an account (or company) will have different needs and desires. The C-suite looks at things differently from front-line managers, but each might have a hand in decision-making. Even a receptionist might weigh in on a decision, depending on the product or service. You need to know how to target individuals with different needs.
2. Align Sales and Marketing
is the basis for a successful account based marketing strategy. When the two work hand-in-hand to target accounts, you create a much more consistent and cohesive campaign with smart touches along the pipeline. Part of working together means agreeing on communication, metrics, and reporting.
MarketingProfs reported companies that align sales and marketing had 36% higher customer retention rates and 38% higher sales win rates. By aligning sales and marketing, you can identify the best accounts and targets within those accounts on which to focus. This helps create a select list of people for your efforts, making it easier to track if they convert or not.
3. ABM Technology
Watch for a sharp increase in ABM tools and software in 2018 to help you create successful campaigns. SiriusDecisions found over 70% of B2B companies are focusing on ABM programs. With this level of competition, you can expect constant advancement, innovation, and improvement in ABM tools and services.
Platforms like LinkedIn and Marketo will refine their offerings to stay relevant, while emerging platforms will proliferate the landscape, offering new tools and functionality in the mix. Savvy marketers will take advantage of the explosion of ABM technology in 2018.
4. ABM for Startups and Small Businesses
In the past, small businesses and startups did not consider aiming for specific targets, but that changes in 2018. Instead of tossing out their wide net to try capturing any leads, small businesses are engaging in ABM campaigns like larger enterprises.
Small and medium-sized businesses and startups are leveraging ABM tools historically used by large enterprises to help them with marketing campaigns. Assumptions about what startups and small businesses can and will do are changing, allowing them to adopt and implement ABM tools. In fact, ABM offers smaller companies a higher ROI over the traditional wide-net marketing and sales efforts.
5. Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics allow you to identify which accounts are most likely to convert. You can use predictive analytics to target your list creation and score leads. This helps you find companies with similar attributes to target; however, algorithms make the predictions that drive your ABM strategies.
In essence, predictive analytics help you find your ideal customer profile, the foundation for a successful ABM campaign. As predictive analytics and their algorithms get better in 2018, you will see higher ROI and conversion rates from your ABM campaigns.
ABM is one of the most powerful marketing tools you have at your disposal. KEO Marketing finds and implements the latest ABM strategies to help our clients succeed. Focusing on the above trends in 2018 can propel your ABM efforts and lead to real success this year. Make sure you stay out in front of trends and tactics to lead the competition in 2018.
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