What is Account-Based Marketing?
ABM, or Account-Based Marketing, is a strategy aimed at concentrating on key partnerships for your company. Its goal is to acquire new, strategically significant clients or to develop relations with existing ones (in formal ABM nomenclature, we speak of „accounts”, not „clients”, but for the sake of simplicity, I will use the latter term).
What distinguishes the ABM approach is the „flipped marketing funnel”, which assumes identifying and reaching specific clients (unlike traditional marketing activities directed at a broad audience who may potentially be interested in your offer). Such a message is created based on in-depth research, relies on personalized communication, and is not limited solely to marketing activities—sales, or rather the collaboration between both departments, plays a huge role in effective ABM activities.
The idea of ABM is to build long-term relationships with clients that will result in cooperation across many areas in the future. Thanks to an individual approach, such a relationship becomes more authentic, building trust and long-term engagement. As a result, this relationship is not based only on one-off transactions but leads to mutual, multi-faceted cooperation where both parties benefit.
Social media in B2B marketing
In B2B marketing, social media is often undervalued and reduced to a place for showing the company „behind the scenes” or promoting HR and CSR initiatives. Meanwhile, it can play a key role in building a professional image and direct communication with potential clients. In the context of ABM, social media becomes a tool for precisely reaching key decision-makers, strengthening relationships, and building engagement through valuable content tailored to individual needs.
See how key aspects of ABM activities can be implemented in social media:
Choosing clients for ABM activities
Instead of actions directed at a broad audience, in ABM we focus on selecting specific companies (accounts) that have the greatest potential from a business perspective. When selecting accounts, you should analyze where and how they can be reached. This is where social media helps, serving as a valuable source of client intelligence—providing information that helps better understand the needs, behaviors, and preferences of potential clients. Good research will allow you to identify decision-makers, the industry events they attend, and the topics that interest them. It is also an excellent tool for monitoring the statements of potential clients and, based on them, identifying the problems they face. This, in turn, allows you to determine the direction in which the client should develop and how you can help them in that process.
Personalization of communication
ABM campaigns are tailored to the specific characteristics of the client, their challenges, and their goals. Communication is precise and highlights the value the client can receive. Social media meets the need for personalizing this communication by offering many possibilities; for example, Twitter allows for direct interaction with corporate accounts or individuals in key roles. Proper monitoring of hashtags and industry discussions enables the delivery of valuable content. When someone from the target company mentions a problem, you can engage in the conversation by offering helpful tips and then establish more direct contact that can lead to a sale.
Precision targeting
Social media provides the opportunity for precision targeting of campaigns. It allows for an exact definition of the target group based on criteria such as demographics, job title, industry, and even the specific company where the recipient works. An example is LinkedIn, where you can create a very accurate audience group and reach, for instance, only the owners of selected companies. Although LinkedIn is most closely associated with ABM activities, it is worth including Meta as well. Facebook and Instagram also offer precise targeting capabilities—not as detailed as LinkedIn, but you can still reach people employed in specific industries. Furthermore, most social media tools allow for targeting based on so-called customer lists. After uploading such a list to the system, you will reach a very specific group of people.
Marketing and sales alignment
Collaboration between these two departments is crucial. Social media provides many tools for precise reporting of campaign results, which should be regularly analyzed by both the marketing and sales teams. Based on the data and its proper interpretation, team members can jointly draw conclusions and determine the next steps. Imagine that an analysis shows a potential client is increasingly commenting on your company’s posts. By discussing this within the marketing-sales team, you will not only determine the best way to reach the client but also receive appropriately personalized materials for the campaign and personal contact.
Long-term relationships
The goal of ABM activities is not only to gain new clients but also to build and strengthen relationships with key clients. Social media is ideal for this purpose, as it allows you to constantly remind clients of your brand in a pleasant, non-intrusive way.
How does social media support ABM activities?
Social media primarily supports the achievement of ABM goals. Thanks to the possibilities they offer, they are perfect for selected aspects of activities. Check which ones!
Building brand awareness
A frequent goal of ABM activities, especially in the initial phase, is to build recognition and brand awareness among desired clients. Social media can be a powerful tool for achieving this. How? Primarily by showcasing existing knowledge and sharing it in a way that makes the recipient feel they are dealing with an expert. Image-building campaigns are a very good way to disseminate such information. Furthermore, when building brand awareness, it is important to strengthen your market position. Your company should share achievements, analysis results, or ongoing projects, as well as highlight its advantages, such as collaborations with pioneers in a given field and the skills of team members. This ensures that the brand remains in the recipients’ memory for a long time.
Audience engagement
Maintaining relationships and engaging recipients is essential from an ABM perspective. In this regard, social media also plays a vital role. There is no better place to strengthen contact with your clients than where they spend their time—and depending on the industry, we can find them in practically every social medium. This offers many opportunities. You can actively participate in discussions under potential clients’ posts or reach out to them with personalized communication, such as direct messages. The essence is to show that you have the answer and can help solve their problem or advise on an issue that concerns them. A good way to engage the audience is to show that the brand is appreciated and noticed by external entities. An example could be „boosting” on the brand’s channels, for instance, a statement by an expert in a given field who mentions your brand. Such action can encourage audience discussion, and for you, it is an excellent opportunity to present yourself as an expert.
Content marketing
Publishing valuable materials in social media, such as webinars, articles, or case studies, helps build the image of an expert in a given industry. By regularly sharing knowledge and experience, you demonstrate your proficiency and understanding of the subject, which increases trust and authority in the eyes of the recipients. It is worth weaving mentions of collaborations with other brands, especially recognizable ones, into the content plan. For decision-makers in target companies, such content can be a signal that it is worth establishing cooperation with you, as other brands recognize your competencies and innovative approach to solving problems that may be significant to their organization.
Key Takeaways
- When building an ABM strategy, remember to thoroughly analyze where your clients are and through which channels you will be able to reach them.
- ABM is a long-term process, and you sometimes have to wait patiently for the results. However, if you decide on such an action and it is correctly implemented, you can gain much more than with „standard” activities.
- It is worth dividing activities into channels and personalizing communication not only for specific audience groups but also tailoring it to specific social media platforms.
- In ABM campaigns, continuity is very important, as it will allow you not only to maintain continuous communication with recipients but also to present the company as a professional and reliable brand.
