The Best ABM Strategies Scaling Non-Tech Companies Must Employ

Account-based marketing (ABM) uses data to deliver customized content to high-value accounts. By targeting accounts, businesses can shorten their sales cycle, and decrease resource waste while increasing their revenues by focusing on specific accounts.  According to a Benchmark Study conducted by ITSMA, 77 percent of the participants saw a 10 percent increase in their return on investment (ROI) when they used ABM strategies.  

If you want to get the most out of ABM, you need to adhere to best practices and a set of strategies and tactics that match your resources. We created a list of ABM strategies that non-tech companies can utilize to grow their businesses. Use them according to what your team needs and your available resources. 

Tip #1: Create Offers that Will Land Meetings

A lot of marketers design offers designed to get leads from webinars. These help the sales team convince prospects to agree to a meeting. 

But we know that it doesn’t stop there. They should see how your product or service can be of value to their business. And value equates to convenience. How can your product or service make their life convenient?

Furthermore, that offer should be specific to the CFO or COO you’re targeting. It allows you to create content using language that specifically resonates with them. 

For example, if you are an AI company that specializes in automation. You can offer a fast-food chain looking to reduce its overhead costs with cashier-less technology, similar to Starbucks. The technology would help them cut on manpower, allowing them to save money in the long term.  

Check out how Callbox Gathered A 100+ Potential Customers for Intelligent Automation Leader’s Webinar

Tip #2: Retarget Leads to Put Your Brand In Front of Accounts

Lead generation is a long process that requires resilience, strategy, flexibility, and teamwork. And if you want to keep your brand at the forefront, retargeting is one of your best strategies. 

When retargeting key decision-makers, don’t forget these three strategies:

  1. Combine Website and Direct Mail Personalization

Email marketing and direct mail campaigns have the same response rates. But according to a study, direct mail generates purchases five times larger than email marketing campaigns plus, it has a longer shelf life.      

In a time where email is more prevalent, rarely do C-suite officers receive physical mails. So when you send them one, it will definitely stand out. But there are some elements you can use to further set your letter apart. 

  • The envelope. Personalize by addressing it to the intended recipient. It will ensure that the person it is addressed to will receive the letter.     
  • The letter. Using data, create an offer that addresses a specific pain point the recipient is experiencing. Such focus allows you to create a one-on-one experience that nurtures them and moves them down your sales funnel.
  • The reply card. Make sure that your prospect can easily contact you back when they want more information from you.
  1. Create Offers that Are Prospect-Specific

Personalization and relevance are two essential factors in account-based marketing. A typical ABM program normally has a small number of target accounts; thus, your campaigns and offers should aim to deliver high conversion rates. 

One strategy that works, no matter what industry you’re in, is creating offers that specifically target an account. When your prospect receives it, they feel compelled to open it knowing the report or offer has been created with them in your mind. 

Tip #3: Personalize Your Landing Pages

Personalizing your landing pages is another effective tactic for getting high conversion rates. Here’s how to create account-specific landing pages for your prospects:

Cluster Accounts by Industry

It allows you to address the specific pain points of each segment. Get the details you gathered and use it to create your account personas. If it’s applicable, create a unique persona profile for each role/position at certain accounts. It might be additional work for you, but they are essential for creating a personalized landing page. 

Follow the Same Layout

Although you are using customized content for your landing pages, you should follow the same basic layout for your landing pages. Make sure that it flows naturally and guides visitors to take action. Each page should look like a mini resource page, addressing their specific concerns.    

Add a custom logo and banner for the company. Research their brand guidelines to make sure you’re using their logo properly.

After that, put some relevant content. Use an AI engine grab to pick the best content you have for each visitor’s industry, problems, and challenges. 

Lastly, don’t forget to include your personalized offers.

Tip #4: Supercharge with Videos

Sending key accounts with a direct video message makes personalization one step further. It puts a face to a name and helps build trust. Here are a few instances where videos can boost your ABM strategy:

  • Whiteboard Technique

The whiteboard technique is a selfie-style video where you introduce yourself to your prospect. At the beginning of the video, you have a whiteboard with your prospect’s name on it. 

  • Screen Share Video

This type of video works well if you want to walk your prospect through your product because it showcases your expertise. Don’t forget to talk about their pain points and the solutions you have while presenting your product or service.

  • Email or Newsletter Videos

Adding a video to your email or newsletter produces higher engagement scores than a text-based email alone. It increases open and response rates since it effectively catch the attention of even the busiest CEO. 

Related: 6 Types of B2B Marketing Videos that Your Business Needs in 2022

Tip #5: Use an Appropriate Call to Action

Not everyone is ready to buy. But marketers often overlook this so they fail to use a call to action that compels the prospect to act. 

If you really want to win your prospect, let them take action in several ways. You can give them access to gate content, free tools, app downloads, resources, and many more. Be creative with your call to action. Don’t just show them you want to land a sale but genuinely care about their challenges and needs.   

Here are the 3 Cs to a powerful CTA: 

  • Concise

When it comes to CTAs, less is more, especially in account-based marketing. C-Suite executives are busy and they won’t take a minute to read a mile-long CTA.  So how short is short? Strive for 3 – 4 words for clarity. The CTA below tells visitors that when they enter their email, they will get a demo:

  • Clear 

Make sure you use actionable words that guide your visitors on what they exactly need to do. Don’t just say, “Learn more” or “Download Now.” Instead, be specific like the example below:

  • Context

ABM is all about creating personalized messages for the right people at the right time to keep them engaged. Consider the end-to-end experience of your audience when creating ads.  Make sure that they know why they saw it and where they are going. Take note as well that not all visitors are going to convert immediately. Thus, it makes sense to offer non-risk CTAs like “Get the e-Book” now. Then, you can use the data they submitted on your form. 


PPC: Changing one word in the CTA leads to a 90% boost in CTRs

Tip #6: Assign a Dedicated Sales Rep for Each Account    

A dedicated sales rep can add a human element to the user experience. 

It’s true that users nowadays want to research on their own. But they also appreciate that someone — a human being — is there to answer their questions and requests. Talking to an actual human assures them that immediate action will be taken. 

Don’t forget to add the sales rep’s photo and a simple profile blurb to make it more legitimate. 

Next Steps

Hopefully, you’ll have a clearer perspective on what you can do to improve your ABM strategy. It might seem challenging but starting little by little is better than not doing anything at all. Start with baby steps if you haven’t yet and you’ll soon reap the rewards of your effort. 

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