ABM was the hot buzzword of 2017 and 2018, and while it may seem like lately, the ABM methodology may be losing a little bit of buzz or a bit of momentum, ABM isn’t going anywhere.
We interview Declan Mulkeen, CMO at strategicabm, about how personalization and technology (and partnership with sales) define modern ABM.
According to Declan, ABM is still very much in its growth stage — not at all losing its momentum but rather gaining it as organizations appreciate what modern ABM can really do.
We discussed how ABM has rebounded after the pandemic, automating ABM with vendors, the definition of modern ABM, the power of storytelling, and why ABM doesn’t work without sales teams.
Is ABM Dying?
Is it true that ABM is a buzzword? Sure. Is it also true that ABM is a term that is very much overused and misunderstood? Absolutely. But part of what Declan does in his role is to help clarify what ABM is, what ABM isn’t, and when it’s suitable and when it’s not.
But when you look at the numbers, and the amount of companies that are actually doing ABM, it’s pretty evenly split. About ⅓ of the companies are in a mature stage in their ABM journey, ⅓ are at least six to twelve months into their journey, and ⅓ haven’t even started yet.
Modern ABM is more about how you build an engaging and impactful account experience that takes that account through.
Declan Mulkeen – CMO at strategicabm
So is ABM dead?
Far from it. If anything, these numbers prove that the ABM methodology and the ABM market is really very much in the growth stage.
What Should Modern ABM Look Like?
There are a lot of different ways to do ABM. You can find a million books, websites, podcasts, and more on how to implement effective ABM at your agency, but for Declan and his team, modern ABM is all about building an engaging and impactful account experience.
An experience that you take the account holder through that is aligned to the value proposition that you have created uniquely for that campaign.
Ultimately, ABM is about delivering qualified accounts and qualified conversations to your sales teams.
Declan Mulkeen – CMO at strategicabm
An ABM account experience is when you really start seeing clients and prospects engaging, and that’s when you start to have some serious conversations, hopefully delivering qualified accounts and qualified conversations to your sales team, which is what ABM is all about in the first place.
The SDR Role in ABM Strategy
ABM cannot be successful without sales. Period. End of story. You either have sales in the room, or it’s just not going to work.
ABM is only half of the coin, the other half of the coin being the sales team to actually make it all come to life.
Declan Mulkeen – CMO at strategicabm
So often when we talk about ABM, we talk all about marketing. Because that’s what ABM stands for, right? Account based marketing.
But at the end of the day, ABM is only one side of the coin. Without the other side of the coin, the sales team, ABM doesn’t actually come to life.
So is ABM dead? Not by a long shot. It’s alive and kicking, and in some ways, just getting started.
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