At first glance, the name account-based marketing can be a little misleading. In reality, ABM is a joint operation between sales and marketing which can only be successful with strong alignment under a clear common goal. Marketing teams are tasked with executing creative campaigns to target the right accounts, while sales teams must complete specific sales plays to convert opportunities received from marketing and move the needle on pipeline.
In a team sport, everyone has their position to play. A quarterback is only as good as their receiver: no matter how talented members of your sales and marketing teams are, the team only performs well when they work together. Here’s how an ABM strategy can ensure your marketing and sales teams perform well together.
- Teamwork: know your positions.
The first step of any successful team is to know everyone’s positions, and to understand what each teammate brings to the table. Sales need to trust that their marketing team members are generating demand from the highest-fit, highest-intent accounts. In turn, trust that the sales team members are closing the high value accounts brought in by marketing. When team members understand each other’s positions and trust in one another, opportunities will be cleanly passed from marketing to sales.
- Communication: Know the play.
In successful account-based marketing programs, marketing and sales need to have an open line of communication on what works, what doesn’t, opportunities, threats, and more. Marketing insights and the use of intent can help sales know what play to run in any given situation. Each person on the team has unique experiences and knowledge that can lend insight to others. In the same way, on the field, team communication is critical. If you don’t say you’re open, you might lose out on valuable opportunities to pass, score, and win.
- Clear common goal: Quality over quantity.
The #1 thing sales needs from their marketing teammates is opportunities with high-fit, high-intent accounts. To accomplish this, marketing must invest in demand generation campaigns that are laser focused on the accounts that sales have the highest likelihood of closing. (You wouldn’t pass to someone who isn’t open, right?)
When both sales and marketing are on the same page, account win rates go up, minimizing friction between sales and marketing. Higher quality accounts in the funnel lead to pipeline growth, and more predictable revenue growth — wins for both sales and marketing.
With strong alignment, sales and marketing teams can focus on account quality versus account quantity. A cohesive ABM strategy allows sales and marketing teams to target key stakeholders with strategic campaigns and sales plays. Rather than prioritizing account quantity, marketing teams can focus their efforts on the quality of accounts in pipeline, by providing the right messaging at the right time to the highest-fit accounts.
When companies have strong sales and marketing alignment, ABM programs run smoothly, and sales are converted. When everyone is aligned to a common goal, the whole team wins.
At the end of each game, the team wins together or loses together and either result rarely rests on one one individual player. One team member may score the winning goal, but who dribbled the ball up the field, or made the corner kick? It’s the same in ABM, everyone plays their part to create more opportunities and bring more wins for the team.
Want your team to win the highest-fit accounts in pipeline? Schedule a briefing with one of our ABM experts here: https://triblio.com/request-demo/