For sales and marketing people who work with large accounts.

1. ACCOUNT-BASED
MARKETING

2. What is it?
We define ABM as:
Marketing that is
specifically developed
to support the goals
of a single large account

3. Isn’t it just personalisation of our
materials?
It should absolutely utilise your marketing messaging and
materials, however the personalisation comes from
developing value propositions for the account, i.e. the
value(s) to that customer specifically.
Identifying your WOW(s) to that account should be a key
part of account-based marketing
There will be multiple value propositions according to the
people you need to and want to engage with.

4. When is account-based marketing
useful?
Transitioning To Solutions Or Challenger Approach With
Customers, Branching Out To Speak Directly To The
Business, Gaining Objective Insight Into Your Customer,
Growing Revenues, Competitive Swap Out, Competition
Blocking, Tender Response, Changing Relationships,
Elevation To The C-suite, Increasing Relationship
Footprint, Quickly Getting To Grips On A Huge Account,
Changing Perceptions And Positioning.

5. Isn’t an account plan the same thing?
In an ideal world the account plan incorporates the marketing plan. ABM should
deliver vital ingredients to the account plan:-
 Specific customer perspectives to develop propositions and messaging
 Appropriate and useful activities to fuel relationships in the account
 Instant elevation in the customers’ mind – that you are taking the time and
trouble to understand their business
 Insight to develop ideas and suggestions based a customers’ situation and
aspirations

6. How do I know if ABM is a perfect
(no-brainer) fit to our organization?
If you answer Yes to all of the following, then don’t delay.
 Key Account Managers to Customer ratio of 1:1
 Customers are big / complex. FTSE 500 / Global, or Public
Sector
 Your organisation has a large portfolio of products and
services
 Marketing want to help drive revenues in key accounts
 Key Account annual revenues are in the tens of millions

7. Is ABM a good marketing strategy for all
enterprise account customers?
Adopting a customer insight driven marketing approach
enables you to focus resources, and fuel sales teams with
business orientated conversations.
If you are adopting challenger sales, value-based selling or
simply want to stop having conversations about product
prices, then ABM is a smart way forward.
Typically an effective ABM strategy can increase revenues
in an account by up to 30%.

8. What are the critical success
or failure factors?
Senior marketing exec buy-in, because ABM doesn’t
happen overnight, you have short-term outcomes, the win is
long-term business revenues and trusted people
relationships ‘it’s a mile not a 100metre dash’.
Key Account Director ownership and championing the
approach internally and with the customer.
Marketing have to drive and own the ABM plan.
Willingness to invest in understanding customer accounts.

9. How much does it cost?
In our experience the cost has never exceeded 1% of the
total value of an account, in most cases it is significantly
lower.

10. How long does it take to see results?
It is a long-term strategy that is constantly refreshed, that
said there are quick wins, often in a matter of weeks from
the kick-off.
Generally speaking you can identify goals with both the
account and marketing team and break the activities down
by quarter to ensure that the activity coincides effectively
with purchasing cycles or other aims.

11. Can’t we do this in-house?
Yes, if you have the right resources and they have the time.
The missing element with in-house implementation will be the
impartiality, focus and experience that an outside agency should bring.
The added advantage of out-sourcing is that if you choose your agency
partner carefully, you and your customers will benefit from peer to peer
interaction.
With the right people involved, the sales account team will take it
seriously and see the power of ABM. To the customer you will be
instantly demonstrating the value you attach to their business
– they will feel the love. 

12. Delivering real impact with
account-based marketing
Contact the BigFoot team with your specific questions.
team@bigfoot-abm.com
+44 203 289 4304
Account-based Marketing FAQ is ©BigFoot ABM Ltd. 2014