B2B

ACCOUNT-BASED MARKETINGStrategies and Tactics for Achieving Objectives

Ascend2 Research Conducted in Partnership with KoMarketing, August 2017

© 2017 KoMarketing Associates, LLC komarketing.comB2B Online Marketing

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is essentially the practice of compiling key contact data on high value prospects and customers, and targeting them in a personalized way.

But what strategies and tactics are helping B2B marketers achieve their most important objectives for ABM?

To find out, KoMarketing and Ascend2 fielded the Account-Based Marketing Survey.

The data in this report, titled B2B Account-Based Marketing, exclusively represents the opinions of marketers who are dedicated to the business-to-business marketing and sales channel. We thank these busy B2B professionals for sharing their valuable insights with you.

This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share this research credited as published.

Enjoy!

B2B Account-Based Marketing

© 2017 KoMarketing Associates, LLC komarketing.comB2B Online Marketing

Important Objectives of an ABM StrategyA 62% majority of B2B marketers say growing the revenue generated from existing accounts is a top priority for account-based marketing. Half (50%) also consider unifying marketing and sales teams an important objectives.

Note: “Increase the number of new accounts” means converting existing prospect targets to new accounts.

Rating Strategic Success28% of B2B marketers consider their account-based marketing strategy “best-in-class” at achieving important objectives, while another 41% believe their account-based marketing achievements are above average.

The remaining 31% consider their their account-based marketing strategy as unsuccessful at achieving important objectives.

What are the most important objectives of an account-based marketing strategy?

62% Grow the revenue per existing account

Unify marketing & sales teams 50%

Increase the number of new accounts 42%

Reduce sales cycle time 35%

Integrate marketing & sales technologies 31%

Identify more contacts within accounts 30%

Increase appointments with accounts 20%

Critical Challenges to SuccessReducing sales cycle time is a critical challenge to success for 43% of B2B marketers. To overcome this challenge, 39% of B2B marketers are focusing attention on integrating marketing and sales technologies, and unifying marketing and sales teams.

Sales Cycle EncounteredFor 71% of B2B marketers, the complex sale – involving a lengthy selling process with many purchase influencers – is the type of sales cycle encountered most often. And the complex sale is the sweet spot for account-based marketing.

What are the most critical challenges to achieving account-based marketing success?

43% Reduce sales cycle time

increase the number of new accounts 40%

Integrate marketing & sales technologies 39%

Unify marketing & sales teams 39%

Grow the revenue per existing account 32%

Increase appointments with accounts 30%

Identify more contacts within accounts 29%

Which best describes the type of sales cycle encountered most often?

71% Complex sale

(long cycle, many influencers)

Direct sale(short cycle, few influencers)

19%

Complex sale and Direct sale equally 10%

© 2017 KoMarketing Associates, LLC komarketing.comB2B Online Marketing

Analyzing Strategic Objectives and ChallengesAnalyzing the importance of strategic objectives in comparison to how challenging they are to achieve will improve the odds of developing a successful account-based marketing strategy. The more important and less challenging an objective, the higher the strategic priority.

Most Effective Tactics Used for ABMTactically, personalizing the content and messaging delivered to prospects and customers is a most effective account-based marketing tactic for a 58% majority of B2B marketers. The creation of account-specific campaigns with personalized content and messaging compounds the effectiveness.

How Tactical Effectiveness is ChangingAs more companies adopt and become proficient in account-based marketing practices and technologies, the effectiveness of tactics used is increasing. For 30% of B2B marketers, the increase in effectiveness is significant. 59% say the increase in effectiveness is marginal while only 11% say effectiveness is decreasing.

Skill, Time and Expense RequiredPersonalizing content and messaging, and creating account-specific campaigns, are not only the most effective tactics used for account-based marketing, they also require the most effort to perform according to 63% and 50% of B2B marketers respectively.

Importance of objectives versus challenge to achieve

Grow the revenue per existing account

Unify marketing & sales teams

Increase the number of new accounts

Reduce sales cycle time

Integrate marketing & sales technologies

Identify more contacts within accounts

Increase appointments with accounts

62%

32%

50%

39%

42%

40%

35%

31%

30%

20%

62%

43%

39%

29%

30%

What are the most e�ective tactics used for account-based marketing?

58% Personalize content & messaging

Create account-specific campaigns 49%

Identify high value existing accounts 42%

Profile key contacts within accounts 40%

Measure results for optimization 35%

Develop target account segments 31%

Develop content delivery channels 24%

© 2017 KoMarketing Associates, LLC komarketing.comB2B Online Marketing

Resources Used to Perform TacticsThe skill, time and expense required to perform account-based marketing tactics such as content and messaging personalization is considerable and the reason two-thirds (66%) of B2B marketers outsource all or part of account-based marketing tactics to specialists.

Tactics e�ectiveness versus e�ort to perform

Personalise content & messaging

Create account-specific campaigns

Identify high value existing accounts

Profile key contacts within accounts

Measure results for optimization

Develop target account segments

Develop content delivery channels

62%

63%

49%

50%

42%

22%

40%

35%

31%

24%

58%

31%

38%

27%

30%

What tactics require the most e�ort to perform?

63% Personalize content & messaging

Create account-specific campaigns 50%

Measure results for optimization 38%

Profile key contacts within accounts 31%

Develop content delivery channels 30%

Develop target account segments 27%

Identify high value existing accounts 22%

Analyzing Tactical Effectiveness Versus EffortTactics such as developing content delivery channels and measuring results for optimization require more effort to perform than they are effective in the eyes of B2B marketers. This is often the reason these tactics are excluded from

an account-based marketing tactical plan of action.

© 2017 KoMarketing Associates, LLC komarketing.comB2B Online Marketing

Number of Employees

• More than 500 41%• 50 to 500 35%• Fewer than 50 24%

Role in the Company

• Owner / Partner / CXO 34%• VP / Director / Manager 56%• Non-Management 10%

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ABOUT THE RESEARCH PARTNERS

Our Mission: Deliver strategic online marketing programs tailored to maximize results. We help B2B organizations get found online, drive more leads, and build brand visibility. We do this through strategic search, social media and content marketing programs tailored to your specific business challenges.

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METHODOLOGY

Ascend2 benchmarks the performance of popular digital marketing strategies and tactics using a standardized questionnaire and a proprietary 3-Minute Survey format.

This survey was fielded online to a panel of research subscribers and marketing influencers by KoMarketing and Ascend2 and the report was published in August, 2017.

Survey Respondents: N=113 B2B Marketers

Marketing technology companies and digital marketing agencies partner with Ascend2 to reliably generate demand and supplement content for their firms. Our Research Partner Programs are transparent – spotlighting your brand and the interests of your market. If marketing professionals are your ideal prospects, we can help you find more of them.

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