You might be wondering why, as a salesperson, you’re reading a blog post about account-based marketing tools. Shouldn’t you leave this for your marketing colleagues, so that you can focus on closing deals? A few decades ago – if blogs even existed! – we might have agreed with this notion, but times have changed:
sales and marketing teams need to work as a unit if generating demand and increasing revenue are priorities. Account-based marketing (ABM), and account-based marketing tools help you do just this. Let’s take a look at some of those tools and how you can use them to win large accounts.Account-based marketing tools helps you convert potential leads to customers – but only after you’ve identified the right accounts
The principle behind account-based marketing is simple: identify accounts with the largest revenue potential, and formulate a marketing strategy around this individual account. It involves ascertaining key decision makers within the account and then tailoring marketing content and communication (which includes any meetings you secure) to these people. The account based marketing tools you draw on are instrumental in whether or not leads are converted to customers.
Channel mapping helps you identify the most valuable accounts to target with an ABM strategy
Channel mapping marks the first step in an account-based marketing strategy – before you can create the strategy, you need to know who you’re targeting. Channel mapping involves finding the most valuable accounts to pursue, and identifying the most important individuals – and their pain points – within an account to target as part of the strategy. Not to mention conducting detailed research about these accounts. B2B telemarketing is a highly effective way to conduct channel mapping as you can use it to fill in any missing information from existing databases, and connect with potential leads in a more personalised and human way.
Use social media to get to know and build relationships with potential leads
Another powerful tool for B2B businesses looking to convert leads, social media is an important facet of any account-based marketing strategy. Why? Because it’s easy to reach out and target specific individuals within your target account. This is especially important in the beginning phases of developing your ABM strategy, alongside channel mapping, when your focus is on relationship building and research. Spend some time getting to know which social media platforms the decision makers within your target account spends the most time on, and the kind of discussion they’re most involved in. Once you’re up to speed, you can get involved in the conversation to make inroads with them and discover more about what makes them tick.
Are you fully leveraging your CRM system when it comes to account-based marketing?
Besides having integrated sales and marketing team
s at its core, account-based marketing relies heavily on data to succeed. Even though you target accounts on an individual basis, you still need data about the account, and players within it, to exact a strategy that’ll increase your chances of closing. Your CRM is, therefore, essential for collecting and tracking data about leads, as well as recording every interaction each individual within an account has had with anyone within your sales or marketing departments. With the data collected in your CRM, you can glean the insights about your target accounts required to create winning pitches.
If you’d like a more detailed breakdown of how an ABM strategy can boost your sales potential, alongside a lead generation service, download our guide:
