What should you say when someone says they "want ABM"?

Account-based marketing (ABM) has become far more mainstream, and that is a good thing. More businesses recognise the value of bringing sales and marketing together to win and grow the accounts that matter most. But it also means marketing teams increasingly hear a familiar request: we want ABM. Sometimes that comes from a new colleague who has seen it work before, which is a great starting point. Sometimes it comes from someone who has heard it's what everyone is doing now.

ABM is not the challenge. It may (or may not) be the right solution, but the most valuable response is to understand the problem before deciding on the answer.

We see six ways to make that first conversation count.

Treat it like any other request. Being asked for ABM is no different from being asked for an event, a brochure or a video. The best response is to ask why, and then ask why again, until the real business challenge is clear. The aim is to hear the problem, not the answer.

Be clear on what ABM is. ABM is a programme of activity for long-term growth, not a one-off activity. A request for ABM might really be a request for branded merchandise for a stand at a customer’s event. That may be a perfectly valid request, but it isn't ABM, so don't assume the person asking knows exactly what they need.

Ask questions that get to the challenge. A few questions help move the conversation from the request to what sits behind it:

• What is happening in the business that has prompted this?
• Which accounts, or groups of accounts, are we talking about?
• If this worked exactly as you hoped, what would be different?

Match the response to the goal. A large programme isn't always justified. If the goal is to get ten of the right people to an event, a well-targeted invitation may do the job. The effort and investment should be in proportion to what you are trying to achieve.

Follow the answers. Sometimes the answers confirm ABM is the right way forwards. Sometimes they point to something that needs addressing first, such as unclear priorities, limited account insight or teams that aren't aligned.

Our role as marketers. Our job is to be the voice of reason, the investigator and the collaborator: asking the questions, getting to the real need and working with colleagues on the right response, whether that turns out to be ABM or not.

How to move forward

We believe the strongest ABM programmes start with a well-understood problem, not a request. That is the thinking behind our 7 Questions Behind Effective ABM series, which helps shape the approach around the challenge rather than the label.

When someone in your business asks for ABM, do you know the problem they are trying to solve?