B2B Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is like having an ace up your sleeve – it lets you focus your...
Table of Contents
Growing a B2B company is not easy. From getting customers to using marketing strategies, there are various things to focus on. But in the middle of all these, there is a proven marketing strategy that is important to use. It’s called Account-Based Marketing (ABM).
ABM is a niche-based marketing plan, that has proven to be a base for growth for many businesses. Notably, 76% of marketers have reported higher ROI when using ABM than other marketing tactics.
But what is the reason behind this increment in ROI?
While traditional marketing is broader, ABM focuses on the targeted customer segment. It helps you to focus on specific high-value accounts. It combines the efforts of marketing and sales teams. This targeted approach boosts your customer engagement with higher ROI.
Though the benefits of using ABM are many, you must also get associated with the right agency partner. Your B2B ABM agency should be aligned with your business goals and understand your market.
So, now let us explore the steps to reach the right ABM partner for your business.
4 Steps To Choose The Right B2B ABM Agency
Selecting the right B2B ABM agency starts with identifying the potential partners in your purview. A thorough research process will give you a sense of the available services. And highlight the agencies that align best with your needs and objectives. Below are some effective strategies for starting your research.
Step 1: Research ABM Agencies On Your Radar
The journey toward identifying the right ABM agency for your business begins with a comprehensive research phase. This stage is crucial to accumulate a list of potential agencies.
The main aim here is to help you shortlist your customer base and strategies to align with your needs. Here's how you can embark on this phase:
Get Referrals
Start by tapping into your professional network. Referrals are a powerful way to identify agencies that have delivered satisfactory results for businesses like yours. Thus, contact your contacts and ask if they have worked with any ABM agencies.
If they have, ask for an introduction and inquire about their experience. It will give you first-hand insights into the agency's work ethics, delivery, and overall relationship management.
Conduct Google Search
Though referral can help you a great deal, you need to hustle more to get efficient results. Independent research on Google can help you identify the top players and compare their features as well.
When you are using search engines in your ABM partner research, try using key phrases like:
- account-based marketing agency
- best ABM agencies
- top B2B ABM agencies.
Such searches will yield numerous results, and you can explore the websites of these agencies to understand their offerings, clientele, and successes better.
Furthermore, remember to check their 'testimonials' and 'case studies' sections if available, as these often give a more tangible sense of the agency's capabilities.
Search In Directories Clutch For Top ABM Agencies
Lastly, leverage agency directories such as Clutch. It is a B2B research, ratings, and reviews company that provides firms with critical business insights. Look up ABM agencies on such platforms to discover:
- An array of agencies
- Their offerings
- Client feedback
- Ratings
Such platforms offer a consolidated view of various agencies, making your comparison process more straightforward.
Step 2: Qualify The Listed Agencies
After creating a list of potential agencies through your research, it's time to qualify them based on specific criteria. It will assist you in reducing your options to those that best suit your requirements, financial situation, and objectives. Consider the following aspects:
Company's Experience
Evaluate how long the agency has been operating and its history in handling ABM campaigns. Experience often translates into the following:
- A well-defined process
- Knowledge of best practices
- The ability to anticipate and handle challenges effectively
Also, look into the complexity of projects they've handled and their outcomes.
Industry Expertise
An agency's familiarity with your industry is paramount. They should understand the market dynamics, key trends, and challenges specific to your industry. This expertise allows them to tailor strategies that resonate with your audience and navigate industry-specific hurdles.
To inspect their expertise, check out their past clients and success stories, and don't be shy about asking them to talk about their experience in your industry.
Strategy Type They Follow
Have you ever wondered why building strategies is so important? 79% of prospects and 73% of overall revenue is attributed to ABM initiatives by businesses with established ABM strategies.
However, you must be aware of ABM strategies available in the market:
- Tailored ABM (One-to-One)/Strategic ABM: This method is like creating a unique love letter for each target account, where you build and run super personalized marketing tactics for each one, boosting the chances of them really engaging with you.
- Segmented ABM (One-to-Few)/ABM Lite: This is more like sending out a tailored invite to a group of friends with similar interests. You bundle similar target accounts together and whip up marketing plans that appeal to their common traits and needs.
- Broad-Scale ABM (One-to-Many)/ Programmatic ABM: This method involves creating and deploying marketing strategies catering to many target accounts. It leverages automation and AI technologies to maintain personalization at scale.
Each approach suits different goals and scales, such as:
- Strategic ABM is preferable if you're targeting a few high-value accounts.
- For targeting slightly larger segments with similar characteristics, ABM Lite is effective.
- Programmatic ABM is for marketing at scale. Identify which type aligns with your strategy and ascertain the agency's expertise.
Specialization Offered
Know how extensive the agency’s services are. Do they cover all aspects of ABM, from account identification to campaign execution and measurement? Or do they specialize in certain areas?
You might favor a provider that strengthens your strengths or fills in complete service depending upon your skills internally and demands.
Budget
When selecting an agency plan, it is crucial that you consider your budget and opt for the best option. It's not enough to simply choose the cheapest one available. By comparing pricing and weighing the benefits against your financial limitations, you can ensure that you are making a wise and effective decision for your needs.
So, here are some points that you should understand:
- Understand what's included in their pricing.
- Evaluate potential return on investment.
- Ensure there are no hidden costs.
- Have the right questions ready to get critical insights.
You can ask questions like this to help you gain better insights:
| Questions | Importance |
| 1. What is your process for planning and executing ABM programs? | This inquiry reveals information about the respondent's capacity for planning ahead and their approach to carrying out campaigns. The agency's knowledge and dependability can be discerned from a well-planned process. |
| 2. What strategies do you use to reach and engage our target accounts? | The agency's inventiveness and comprehension of ABM tactics are evident in the answer to this query. Reaching high-value accounts and increasing conversions require effective engagement techniques. |
| 3. What platforms do you use for digital marketing? | You can better grasp their multi-channel strategy by answering this query. A capable agency should use both online and offline strategies to ensure a broad reach and give you a wider marketing scope. |
| 4. Do you have offline tactics you can use? | This inquiry will show whether the company can use offline strategies, including events, direct mail, and telemarketing, and is adaptable in its approach. To create a more complete and successful marketing strategy, offline strategies might be used in addition to digital ones. |
| 5. What is your process to create targeted campaigns and run them? | In response to this inquiry, the agency will emphasize its capacity to create custom campaigns connecting with your target accounts. Additionally, it will reveal their operational effectiveness and project management capabilities. |
| 6. What types of data do you have, and how do you use it to guide your choices? |
This question sheds light on the agency's:
A data-driven approach is crucial in ABM for informed decision-making and constant optimization. |
| 7. How do you measure the success of account-based marketing campaigns? | The agency's reply will show you how they determine if they've hit the bullseye in their ABM campaigns. Getting the scoop on their success measures (the so-called KPIs) and seeing how they match up with your business goals will give you a feel for how dedicated they are to delivering results you can count on. |
Step 3: Gauge The Benefits Of An ABM Agency
Once you've sifted through potential ABM agencies, you must know what goodies the right one should bring to the table. A top-notch ABM agency should add a whole bunch of perks to your B2B marketing strategy, significantly boosting your sales and marketing targets. Here are the main things you should be keeping an eye out for:
Integration With CRM And Advertising Platforms
The ability to smoothly integrate with existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and advertising platforms ensure a unified approach to your marketing activities. This integration can help:
- Avoid data silos
- Streamline campaign management
- Provide a comprehensive view of your marketing efforts
Account Filters Based on Criteria
Agencies that let you sort accounts can seriously step up your targeting game. This lets you group accounts based on different stuff like what industry they're in, how big the company is, or certain things they do, which makes your marketing strategies super personalized.
Analytical View Of Accounts
Having an in-depth, analytical view of your target accounts can reveal valuable insights about their needs, behaviors, and preferences. These insights can inform more effective, data-driven marketing strategies.
Real-time Journey Of Accounts
Keeping tabs on where accounts are at in real time lets you chat with them just when they need it and about what they care about. By figuring out where an account is in their shopping spree, you can offer up info that fits right in with what they're looking for and how much they already know.
Customer Support
Strong customer support from your ABM agency can make a significant difference. It ensures a smooth, efficient ABM process, from resolving issues quickly to providing necessary guidance.
Reporting
It is imperative that you remain up-to-date on the progress of your campaign, and comprehensive and frequent reports are the key to achieving this. It fosters transparency and allows for informed decision-making and timely optimizations.
Sales And Marketing Orchestration
An effective ABM agency will synchronize your sales and marketing efforts. This synergy ensures a coherent message across all touchpoints – improving the customer experience and increasing the chances of conversion.
Channel Experience
Your agency should be good at leveraging all of the available marketing channels. You might use any of these:
- Social media
- Email marketing
- SEO
- Offline channels
- Even a combination of different channels.
The chosen agency's job is to know how much value each channel provides you with. It'll help you reach and engage your target accounts.
Good Project Management
Solid project management ensures your ABM projects are
- Neat and tidy
- Within your budget
- Delivered on time
Solid project management can keep your marketing goals on track while keeping the ball rolling smoothly.
Clearly Defined Service Delivery Process
An agency with a clear-cut way of delivering what you need shows they're pros, open, and dependable. Plus, it helps you know what to expect and builds a solid, get-things-done kind of relationship.
Focus on KPIs
The agency should prioritize measuring campaign performance, analyzing outcomes, and making necessary optimizations. This ongoing focus on improvement ensures your marketing efforts keep pace with changing circumstances. It'll help you to deliver high performance continuously as per your KPIs.
Capability to Leverage Your Team's Expertise
An ideal agency should be able to tap into the skills and knowledge of your team. This collaborative approach can enrich the marketing strategies with your team's unique understanding of your product, industry, and customers.
Step 4: Connect With The Shortlisted Agencies
After assessing the benefits an ABM agency should provide, personally connecting with your shortlisted candidates is the next phase. This direct interaction is vital, allowing you to:
- Evaluate their customer service.
- Understand their approach.
- Identify if they align with your company's culture and needs.
It's like the final round of an interview, where you can clarify any remaining questions and truly determine the best fit for your company. Let's break down this step into more detailed actions:
Initiate a Discovery Call
Begin by setting up initial consultations or discovery calls. This is an opportunity to:
- Introduce your business
- Explain your needs
- Learn how the agency proposes to meet them
Assess their Responsiveness
How quickly and effectively does the agency respond to your inquiries? A prompt and insightful response indicates their customer service quality and commitment to your business.
Evaluate Cultural Fit
An ABM agency will be like an extra member of your marketing family. So, seeing how well your crew and the agency vibe together is super important. Keep an eye out for real enthusiasm for your business and a match-up with your company's values and work style.
Inquire About Their Processes
To understand their approach, inquire about the tools they use, their strategy, and how they handle account-based marketing. Gain insight into their operations. Their answers will clue you in on their level of knowledge and how they tackle challenges.
Review Proposals
Once the agency gets what you're after, they'll probably whip up a plan showing what they aim to do. Give this a good makeover, ensuring it's in line with what you want for your business.
Take your time with this step - it'll make sure you pick an ABM agency that can get the job done and fits into your business like a puzzle piece.
Conclusion
Choosing the right B2B ABM agency can significantly influence your company's success, boosting your marketing efforts and amplifying your results.
Picture yourself embarking on an exhilarating adventure. You need a reliable roadmap, a keen eye, and great chat. By following the path we've drawn, you can easily navigate through and find an agency that truly connects with and champions your unique business needs.
One such agency worth considering is Revnew. Specializing in outbound lead generation, we employ strategic analysis, innovative tactics, and robust technology to connect businesses with their ideal target accounts. We're a bunch of experts who know the ropes of account-based marketing. We can tweak our plans to line up perfectly with your goals.
