TLDR:
LinkedIn is making tools available for marketers to practice Account-Based Marketing (ABM) successfully. More specifically, the digital platform “created a robust ecosystem of marketing partners across audience data, campaign management and measurement.” To that end, they created a report that serves as a “how-to” manual for executing ABM gainfully. Five steps are outlined in this article, but all seven can be found here.
LinkedIn, a digital networking platform for professionals, is making tools available for marketers to practice Account-Based Marketing (ABM) successfully.
More specifically, the digital platform “created a robust ecosystem of marketing partners across audience data, campaign management and measurement.”
To that end, they created a report that serves as a “how-to” manual for executing ABM gainfully.
First, marketers want to figure out what they want to get out of their ABM strategy—what they’re using ABM for. For example, consider the differences between demand generation, account nurturing, pipeline acceleration, and account penetration:
Demand Generation: Demand generation is all about reminding cold accounts of what you’re offering, and making new accounts aware of it.
Account Nurturing: Account nurturing happens when certain stakeholders are targeted and engaged for improved conversions.
Pipeline Acceleration: Pipeline acceleration is when marketers engages a broader group of targets “during the sales process.”
Account Penetration: “account penetration hinges around increasing usage of the solutions across the account by tapping into new lines of business or folding new products into the existing portfolio.”
When marketers figure out what they need ABM for, it’s time to align marketing and sales teams. This process is helped along by quality data at the contact and account levels.
But it’s not enough to have quality data without a target—that’s why when you do ABM, it’s a good idea to have an idea of who your ideal customers are. If you develop an ideal customer profile, it goes a long way toward getting customers that just “get you.”
After that, you want to identify who the members of your targets’ buying committees are and personalize content to that audience. This is where LinkedIn helps:
LinkedIn already has an advantage, since the members tend to be highly engaged. As per data, they are twice as intent-driven than users of other platforms, which means they visit LinkedIn expecting to learn and be informed.
Help in the form of insights from the sales team can be useful here, especially in identifying pain points and how to address them.
Original article from The Drum on 18 January 2021.
