• by Jeremy Durant , Op-Ed Contributor, March 30, 2017

When executed properly, account-based marketing (ABM) is more than just a popular buzzword for sales and marketing. When executed in conjunction with sale initiatives, it can provide a significant boost to the campaign’s KPIs.

However, when a ABM campaign is launched simply to keep up with the times, it can end up a giant waste of money. Here are 4 tips for companies looking to launch (or re-launch) a ABM campaign for their brand.

Defined Strategy

Not every type of marketing technology or distribution channel is appropriate for every firm out there. The right mix of channels and outreach methods will vary by company, even those in the same industry.

Set the stage for success by having a defined strategy for your account-based marketing campaign. Ask yourself and your team:

• What do we expect to see from this campaign?
• Who is the ideal audience?
• Is this campaign tied to another campaign?
• Are other internal factors affected by this campaign?
• What are our campaign parameters?

Starting with a clearly defined strategy ensures that the creative, copy, target audience list, and metrics are all inline.

Clear KPIs

If you don’t have key performance indicators (KPIs) attached to all your campaigns, it might be time to take another look at your entire strategy. In some cases, the metrics provided by ABM software firms, aren’t always a match for our internal KPIs. For this reason, we define our KPIs and establish our goals internally, without relying on the vendor for their data.

Google Analytics is a good, objective way to measure the KPIs for your account based marketing campaign. We like to use unique tracking URLs so we can capture as much traffic as possible, even traffic that the ABM software isn’t able to track.

Small, Targeted List

The list you choose to target will likely fluctuate depending on your campaign objectives and the ABM vendor you work with.

For example, we’ve worked with a client who was targeting CTOs at insurance companies. The list they wanted to target for their campaign was a small list of their top 50 prospective insurance firms.

The ABM vendor was able to target just the CTOs at the list of 50 vendors. The best results come from a specific, targeted list of prospects or past clients. Refine your list by geographic area, event participation, etc. to ensure you are reaching the right people.

The Right Creative

The creative aspect of an account based marketing campaign is often one of the last considerations. However, producing the right creative can make or break a campaign. Start with your messaging and craft a message that will create an emotional connection with your audience, along with a clear call-to-action.

Once you have your concise messaging, select visuals that support the text and deepen the impact of the message. Your creative should tell a cohesive story that appeals to your target audience.

There can be a lot of unknowns with an account based marketing campaign. It’s best to get a good data set (a month or months, depending on budget) to determine the success of your campaign. If you aren’t seeing the results you want for your ABM, don’t give up. Start over with a new list of targets or new creative.

Even if your campaigns are wildly successful at the start, you may find users fatigue after some time. Change up your campaigns to keep their interest and get results.