Orchestrating complex account-based marketing (ABM) programs requires a mature marketing automation tech stack and someone who knows its ins and outs.
If your organization is embarking on its first ABM program, it’s essential that your marketing operations/tech stack lead has a seat at the table to help define your strategy.
They will hold critical insights into the execution and measurement of your program.
Following are five questions to determine your ABM database preparedness:
1. Are your target accounts in your CRM?
You can’t target accounts that aren’t in your CRM. Full stop. Don’t know what accounts to target? Here’s a 6-step guide to getting started with an ideal customer profile (ICP).
2. Do you have a documented email hygiene protocol?
While this is an email marketing best practice, it’s also critical to the long-term success of any ABM program. If the email addresses of the top personas are invalid or they haven’t opened one of the last 10+ emails you’ve sent them, the chances of engaging them via email are slim to none. They either need to be removed or put in another workflow to engage them via an alternative channel.
3. How easily can you segment leads by persona?
ABM is all about creating relevant, personalized experiences for individuals at target accounts. If you can’t quickly isolate the top personas at your target accounts to serve them that personalized content, you’re not ready to launch.
4. What’s your process for managing duplicate contacts?
Spoiler alert: you need one before you launch your ABM program. At the account level, this ensures past interactions aren’t spread across multiple records. At the individual level, this ensures you’re not double-counting engaged users and marketing touchpoints. This is particularly problematic when individuals complete lead gen forms using a personal email address. Your organization needs a process to identify and merge records for individuals who enter your CRM with different email addresses.
5. Can you measure and track the KPIs for all the stakeholders on your team?
Don’t wait to figure out what specific metrics your leadership team wants until after you launch. Ask your leadership what success looks like before you launch and make sure the ABM metrics your reports capture will demonstrate performance relevant to their KPIs.
ABM tech stack best practices
The good news is that the leading marketing automation systems have ABM modules and how-to documentation available, including HubSpot target accounts and Marketo Engage.
All the ABM strategy in the world is for naught if the execution falls flat. Start with these five ABM tech stack best practices to make sure your strategy has a strong foundation.
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