• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, August 11, 2023

There has been much talk in B2B circles about account-based marketing (ABM). What kind of technology does it require? And does it really work? 

As the very name suggests, ABM is built on personalization. An article published by MTC lists five channels through which dynamic personalization can be achieved:  

• Email campaigns based on segmented lists and dynamic content.
• Websites that address the account’s pain points and interests. 
• Rules-based ABM personalization that employs predefined rules and account characteristics to help marketers provide tailored content and product recommendations. 
• Social media ads in which ad content, imagery and calls to action can be customized based on the account profile.
• Predictive personalization in which businesses anticipate the needs soft target accounts through predictive analytics. 

Of course, there are major obstacles to achieving all this. 

For one thing, few firms have an ABM adequate tech stack. The majority rely on “core marketing systems and even those are often sub-optimal for ABM impact,” according to a study released earlier this year by Momentum ITSMA and the ABM Leadership Alliance. 

What kind of technology do they need?

MTC recommends platforms that “facilitate the execution of ABM strategies by providing tools for data analysis, segmentation, content personalization, and campaign management.” 

Another challenge is that ABM may not work as well entering into the funnel. Only 22% of companies said ABM helps them reach top-of-funnel goals in a recent study by Ascend2. 

MTC says B2B firms should branch out and utilize search. “While ABM focuses on individual accounts, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) aims to enhance visibility in search engines for broader audiences.” 

In addition, MTC advises companies to:

use machine learning to uncover patterns and insights (assuming they have the technology).  

MTC concludes: “As businesses continue to evolve, those that master the art of personalized ABM will undoubtedly stand out and create lasting customer relationships.”