ABM Trade-Offs
The balance between short-term wins and long-term value creation remains one of the most debated dilemmas in Account-Based Marketing (ABM). In a recent roundtable hosted by Joaquin Dominguez, Head of Marketing at Adzact, industry leaders shared their experiences, challenges, and strategies for navigating this evolving marketing approach. The conversation highlighted the importance of strategic alignment, data-driven personalisation, and adaptability in ABM efforts.
Hosts
Joaquin Dominguez was joined by four marketing experts to discuss the topic.
Guests
Ben Bulpett, Vice President of Performance Marketing at Algolia
Andreea Ceasar, Senior Marketing Manager at Trend Micro
Dani Stancheva, ABM Campaign Manager at ConnectWise
Maissa Moussa, Principal Campaign Manager at Hexagon
A Shift in Focus: From Leads to Engagement
The panel agreed that traditional metrics like Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) no longer suffice. Instead, ABM strategies now prioritise account engagement.
Ben emphasised the importance of organisational buy-in and meticulous preparation for change management. Algolia’s journey into ABM started with collecting data to demonstrate the pitfalls of traditional MQL-driven strategies and the potential of account-based approaches. He shared that their team moved from scoring leads to scoring accounts, focusing on multiple personas within high-potential opportunities.
Andreea pointed out that 85% of buyers determine their requirements before engaging with vendors, underscoring the need for early-stage demand generation. She stressed that ABM should nurture awareness over the long term, enabling vendors to remain top of mind when buyers are ready.
Dani highlighted that ABM's shift to engagement aligns well with modern buying behaviours, where buyers are inundated with content but spend significant time researching independently. She argued that personalisation must become mid-funnel to enable efficient targeting and resource allocation.
"ABM isn’t just a marketing initiative—it’s a company-wide shift. To make it work, you need internal buy-in at every level, from sales leaders to SDRs, showing them how this approach isn’t just different—it’s better." - Ben Bulpett
Navigating Personalisation at Scale
Effective ABM demands balancing personalisation with efficiency. Maissa discussed Hexagon’s approach to customising content for specific verticals, such as the construction industry. By focusing on challenges like project safety and seamless data integration, Hexagon positioned itself as a thought leader, offering actionable solutions that resonate with its target accounts.
Dani echoed this sentiment, advising marketers to begin with broad, SEO-driven content strategies and refine them as they gather more data. She also championed “echo campaigns,” which leverage insights from sales to amplify personalised messaging across digital channels.
The risks of over-personalisation, however, were not ignored. Andreea cautioned against investing heavily in one-to-one strategies without a clear plan, as this can strain resources and result in diminishing returns if accounts do not convert.
"One-to-one ABM can be incredibly powerful, but without a clear plan, it risks wasting resources. Focus your efforts where they matter most—otherwise, you risk investing heavily in accounts that may never convert." - Andreea Ceasar
The Role of Technology and Data
Integrating the right tools and data sources emerged as a cornerstone of successful ABM. Ben credited Demandbase for helping Algolia track account-level engagement, enabling targeted outreach aligned with behavioural intent. He noted that while account scoring based on firmographics remains common, Algolia is shifting towards web traffic metrics as a more reliable indicator of account potential.
Andreea stressed the importance of using multiple tools for cross-verifying data and ensuring consistency. She advocated for intent data platforms like 6Sense and TechTarget, which help identify accounts researching solutions long before engaging with vendors.
Maissa shared how Hexagon used Google Analytics and responsive ads to uncover behavioural trends, combining long-term nurturing with tactical campaigns to extract actionable insights for sales.
Aligning Marketing and Sales
A recurring theme was the necessity of collaboration between marketing and sales. Ben illustrated how workshops with account teams fostered alignment at Algolia, allowing sales to co-create ABM strategies. The sales team gradually embraced the shift, recognising marketing's role in influencing buyers before they engaged directly.
Maissa reinforced this idea, detailing Hexagon’s practice of involving sales teams early in campaign planning. She emphasised the importance of equipping sales with tailored messaging, personalised email templates, and playbooks to ensure consistent communication across touchpoints.
Dani added that ABM’s success hinges on executive sponsorship and picking sales leaders with strategic mindsets. She noted that while SMB-focused teams tend to prioritise immediate results, enterprise sales teams are more open to the long-term relationship-building intrinsic to ABM.
"SMB teams often focus on quick wins, while enterprise sales teams are more open to the long-term relationship-building that ABM requires. That’s why it’s crucial to choose sales leaders with a strategic mindset—those who understand the value of investing time in nurturing meaningful connections." - Dani Stancheva
Key Takeaways and Best Practices
Strategic Planning and Buy-In: Effective ABM requires upfront investment in change management and sales alignment.
Personalisation Must Be Targeted: Focus on mid-funnel tactics to efficiently scale efforts without overextending resources.
Data Integration: Unify data sources to build a coherent understanding of account behaviour.
Sales Enablement: Provide sales teams with tailored insights and tools to engage accounts meaningfully.
Patience and Measurement: ABM results take time but deliver higher lifetime value by fostering deeper relationships.
"ABM succeeds when sales is involved from day one. Early collaboration ensures our messaging is aligned, our targets are strategic, and our campaigns speak the same language as the people closing the deals." - Maissa Moussa
Conclusion
The roundtable reaffirmed ABM's potential to transform B2B marketing by shifting from volume-based lead generation to targeted, high-value engagement. However, the transition demands organisational buy-in, a focus on long-term outcomes, and continuous refinement of strategies.
As the panel concluded, the underlying message was clear: ABM is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a customised approach that, when executed well, aligns marketing and sales in driving sustainable growth.
Stay tuned for more insights from Adzact as we continue to explore the frontiers of B2B marketing
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