Imported from the-nam-shub/e5-real-skills (skills/account-based-marketing/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add the-nam-shub/e5-real-skills --skill account-based-marketing. Copyright stays with the author.

Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

Overview

This skill covers account-based marketing strategy and execution for B2B companies, including account selection, program design, channel mix, measurement, sales alignment, and scaling decisions. All practices are sourced exclusively from Exit Five podcast guests across 26 episodes; no external best practices have been added. Where guests disagree, all positions are presented with full attribution so you can help users make informed decisions rather than presenting false consensus.

Is ABM Right for Your Company?

Before recommending ABM, assess whether the company is a good fit.

ACV and TAM fit (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• Recommend ABM for B2B companies with ACV of at least $50,000, a dedicated sales team, clear product-market fit, and expansion opportunities. For vertical SaaS with a very small TAM (e.g., 500 accounts), recommend ABM regardless of ACV. For companies below $50K ACV with a large TAM (2,000+ accounts), recommend demand generation instead. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Alternatively, frame ABM readiness around organizational stage ($1M+ revenue, dedicated sales and marketing leadership) rather than ACV alone. Note that very early-stage founders are already doing scrappy ABM through individual outreach. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Use the "Five Ways to Build a $100M Business" framework: companies with ~$50K+ ACV and lower customer volume should focus on ABM; companies with lower ACV and infinite addressable accounts should focus on inbound/demand generation. (Source: John Short, Episode #201)

Other fit criteria:

• ABM is not appropriate for every company. Before committing, confirm: (1) the product/service fits ABM economics; (2) the team has resources, talent, and budget for custom creative and personalized outreach; (3) executive buy-in exists to commit to a long-term, non-scalable approach. Many ABM failures stem from lack of true organizational commitment. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• ABM should not be your only go-to-market playbook. Maintain a "greenfield mentality" to continue testing new markets and buyer types beyond the ABM list, especially for early-stage companies where the next big customer may come from an unexpected place. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• ABM is not display advertising. Programmatic display is one possible tactic within an ABM strategy, not the strategy itself. True ABM can be executed with zero technology. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Timeline expectations:

• Plan for a 12-month revenue timeline from ABM program launch: 3-4 months of setup (content, distribution, tracking, sales training), 3-6 months of prospect education (problem to solution awareness), and 90-120 day sales cycles. This timeline justifies the investment only for deals with sufficient ACV. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Separate ABM budget from demand-capture budget and set different ROI timelines with executives. Only ~5% of your target audience is in-market at any given time; ABM's job is to be top-of-mind when that 5% becomes interested. Set expectations that ROI will come 6-18 months out, not next quarter. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Account Selection

Make account selection a strategic, cross-functional activity:

• Establish account selection as a C-suite revenue operations activity, not just a marketing exercise. Start with a data science model identifying good-fit accounts based on firmographic and intent signals, then route to sales leadership for refinement and veto. Sales reps know accounts intimately (existing contracts, relationship status) and should have final say. Update the list dynamically throughout the year. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)
• Align the entire go-to-market team (marketing, sales, product, leadership) on a finite list of target accounts. Concentrate all marketing spend and sales attention on these accounts. This single step drives the greatest ROI impact and prevents wasted effort on misaligned targets. (Source: Morgan Cole, Episode #315)
• Map your total addressable market as a specific list of target accounts (e.g., 50,000 or 100,000 accounts). Use this as the organizing principle for both sales and marketing strategy. Both teams measure success by the same metric: which accounts did we bring in, and which are in pipeline? (Source: Jaleh Rezaei, Episode #248)

Build a data-driven target account list:

• Start with trailing six months of CRM data to identify win/loss patterns and revenue trends by account type. Look for accounts where you're generating opportunities but losing deals—this signals interest but messaging gaps. Layer in industry-specific triggers (growth signals, funding, hiring activity) and intent data. Validate intent data vendors by asking: (1) Do they share/resell this data? (2) What constitutes a signal—website visits or deeper engagement like case study reads? (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Establish a tiered ICP universe (e.g., 15,000 accounts), score all accounts using buying signals (past champions, new hires, funding, hiring activity), and rank them in a Salesforce report by fit and signal strength. Select the top 500-600 accounts per quarter to focus outbound efforts. (Source: Trinity Nguyen, Episode #219)
• Identify in-market buyers by combining three signal layers: (1) business catalysts (leadership changes, acquisitions, product launches); (2) AI-driven intent signals (what accounts are searching for); (3) first-party behavioral signals (content consumption, event participation). When all three align for an account, that indicates high likelihood of purchase. (Source: Lisa Cole, Episode #315)

How many accounts to target (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• One position: true ABM (one-to-one and one-to-few) should not exceed 100 accounts maximum, with 2-5 accounts per quarter as the ideal for creative, differentiated execution. Beyond 100 accounts, you are executing segmented B2B marketing, not ABM. (Source: Chris Rack, Episodes #150 and #140)
• Opposing position: ABM programs can operate at scale across hundreds to thousands of accounts using technology (Hightouch, LinkedIn native targeting, 6sense). Quarterly target lists of 500-600 accounts and ICP audiences of 120K-180K contacts are described as legitimate ABM by multiple guests. (Sources: Trinity Nguyen, Episode #219; Tim Davidson, Episode #127; Kelly Arndt, Episode #341; Casey Patterson, Episode #331; Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Intent data caution:

• Most intent data in the market is low-quality and sold by multiple vendors under different names. Ask vendors: (1) Do you share or resell this data? If yes, it is commoditized. (2) What constitutes a signal? Website visits and bitstream data indicate intent-to-learn, not intent-to-purchase. Better signals include reading case studies, visiting review sites, or other active evaluation behaviors. Google and Bing are the only platforms that reliably capture true purchase intent via search. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Beyond Bombora and Sixth Sense, look for industry-specific signals: job board activity at target accounts, 10-K filings and earnings calls, commercial real estate transactions, lease signings. Use tools like Clay to automate collection of this proprietary data. (Source: John Short, Episode #201)

Choose ABM starting point based on company stage:

• If you're in a high-customer environment and want to grow existing accounts, start with accelerating opportunities or expanding within current customers. If you're a startup with no customers, start with net-new customer acquisition. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)
• In downturns, allocate roughly 80% of ABM effort to customer expansion (upsell, cross-sell to new business units) and 20% to new logo acquisition. Existing customers are already approved vendors with lower friction. If your product has no upsell opportunity, flip this ratio. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Program Design and Scaling

Start small and prove the model before scaling:

• Start ABM with close-loss or website re-engagement playbooks before launching full awareness campaigns. These programs target accounts that are already brand-aware, problem-aware, and solution-aware, making it easier to measure success. Once you've proven the model and gained sales buy-in, expand to fill the top of the funnel. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• You don't need net-new budget to launch ABM. Carve out budget from existing digital spend and run a small pilot. Use a control group (non-ABM accounts) and treatment group (ABM accounts) to measure lift. Track qualified opportunities and conversion rates, not just meetings booked. Not every company or sales motion is suited for ABM, so testing first is critical. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)
• Picking good accounts is borderline free in terms of money. If you want to start ABM with minimal budget, begin by simply identifying and aligning on the right target accounts with sales. This alone will improve sales productivity and focus. Layer in marketing tactics once you've proven the value of account selection. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Scale ABM using a crawl-walk-run methodology:

• Start at the crawl stage with small, signal-based playbooks (website re-engagement, close-loss, customer expansion, pipeline acceleration) using minimal tech. Once you've proven the model and built repeatable processes, move to the walk stage. Only scale (run) after validating the approach. Expect 7-10 months for the crawl stage. This prevents expensive tech stack purchases before proving the model works. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Validate messaging on unpaid channels (email, organic social, communities) before investing in paid advertising. Once you've validated what works on unpaid channels, scale through paid channels. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Test outreach messaging on 5-10 accounts first rather than emailing the entire target list at once. Use feedback (response rates, engagement) to refine subject lines, copy, and CTAs before scaling to the next batch. (Source: Dave Gerhardt, Episode #186)

Establish strong positioning before launching ABM:

• ABM success depends on having a compelling company narrative, clear point of view, and strong positioning. Without a good reason to reach out and a differentiated story, ABM tactics (account lists, distribution, content) will not work. Positioning and messaging drive marketing success; all other ABM components are secondary. (Source: Dave Gerhardt, Episode #186)

Create a written sales-marketing agreement:

• Write down and have both the VP of Sales and VP of Marketing sign agreements on: (1) what defines a good lead (standardize terminology); (2) how many leads marketing will deliver and in what timeframe; (3) what each team will do with those leads. For ABM specifically, define which accounts are targets, what engagement counts as progress, and how sales will work those accounts. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Use AI to automate repetitive execution tasks:

• Leverage AI to automate clicking-around tasks required to launch ABM campaigns (building audience segments, generating nurture emails, creating personalized content). This frees marketers from execution drudgery so they can focus on creative, strategic work like designing out-of-home activations, crafting messaging, and building gifting experiences. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)

Account Progression and Content Strategy

Build an account progression model:

• Create a progression model that defines what you want accounts to know at each stage: awareness (they know you exist) → initial engagement (problem/solution awareness) → meaningful engagement (product page, case studies, pricing page visits) → marketing-qualified account → re-engagement → qualification → opportunity. Use this model to determine which content to serve based on signals of where the account is in the journey. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Distinguish between demand capture and demand generation:

• Segment your target account universe into two groups: the ~10% that are actively in-market and ready to buy (demand capture), and the ~90% that are out-of-market but may buy in the future (demand generation/influence). For in-market accounts, ensure visibility through paid search, analyst reports, and partner channels. For out-of-market accounts, play a longer-term game focused on brand building and reputation. (Source: Gurdeep Dhillon, Episode #203)

Invest in brand building against high-propensity accounts:

• Allocate marketing budget to build brand awareness among accounts that show high propensity to convert (based on lookalike modeling and predictive scoring) even if they show no current intent signals. This creates predictable pipeline growth 2+ quarters out. Requires leadership alignment on different metrics than demand-capture campaigns. (Source: Morgan Cole, Episode #315)

Use engagement signals to trigger next-step content:

• Rather than sending the same cold outreach to all accounts, identify what content prospects have engaged with and follow up with next-step content based on their demonstrated interest. For example, if a prospect read a blog post on community as a marketing strategy, follow up with content on how to build a community. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Build signal-based playbooks for sales teams:

• Create repeatable, trigger-based playbooks for sales teams (e.g., when account hits website, when they view pricing page, when they engage with content). When sellers follow the same signal-based process across all accounts, they're effectively running ABM without needing to understand the framework. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Combine digital signals with ICP filtering for outbound:

• Identify buying signals (website visits, product signups, social engagement) and layer ICP criteria on top to prioritize outreach. For example, a product signup is a signal, but filter for economic buyers (sales leaders, VPs) who fit your ICP. Then use context from past actions to personalize outbound plays. This approach generates 120% higher conversion than traditional ABM-only outbound. (Source: Kevin White, Episode #179)

Personalization and Creative

Personalize content using lookalike customer data:

• Build personalized messaging by identifying lookalike accounts (prospects similar to existing customers) and showing them specific outcomes from similar customers. For example, if targeting SAP customers, show them data on how companies using SAP that switched to your solution saw specific benefits. This creates relevance without requiring custom content for every single account—you're creating content for account cohorts with similar characteristics. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Build a data model that identifies, for each prospect, which of your existing customers are most similar to them (based on firmographics, industry, use case). Use this model to personalize messaging with social proof: "Company X, which is similar to you, uses our product and loves it." Distribute this model across ad platforms, website personalization, and CRM tools. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)

One-to-one ABM creative at scale:

• For each account in your quarterly target list, create multiple creative variations that blend highly personalized messaging with one-to-many messaging that includes the target account's logo. Execution is manual (Canva, campaign tools) but templated and assembly-line driven to maintain efficiency across 500+ accounts per quarter. (Source: Trinity Nguyen, Episode #219)
• Rotate ABM paid social creative every 2-3 weeks to combat fatigue in small audiences. When running paid social ads to small ABM account lists, creative fatigue happens extremely fast because you're buying every available impression for those people. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Landing page personalization (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• One position: build one-to-one personalized landing pages for each target account (e.g., "Account Name, we know you need X. We provide X.") using any landing page builder. Sales reps become the free distribution channel. This is a zero-budget tactic that makes prospects feel seen and known. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)
• Opposing position: do not create a unique landing page for every company on your ABM list. Instead, create 5-6 core landing pages that address different stages of the buyer journey and send all companies to the appropriate page based on their stage. This is scalable and provides clean data for optimization. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #218)
• A third position: you don't need fully personalized landing pages to run effective ABM. Personalization can happen in ad copy (especially on LinkedIn where you can adjust language without creating new ads) and in the sales conversation, not necessarily on the landing page. (Source: Kym Parker, Episode #201)

Maintain detailed prospect profiles for relationship-building:

• Document personal information about prospects and customers (family details, vacation preferences, hobbies, life events) in a centralized location. Use this context when checking in on long sales cycles—reference personal details in follow-ups to demonstrate genuine relationship investment. This approach scales better than generic outreach and significantly strengthens relationship depth in longer sales cycles (9-18 months). (Source: Sandra Rand, Episode #265)

Send personalized, thoughtful gifts based on research:

• Instead of sending standard branded items (logo t-shirts, gift cards, Yeti mugs), research prospects individually to identify personal interests and life details, then send gifts that reflect that knowledge. For example, if a prospect has a 5-year-old daughter, send a Crayola coloring set with a note. Avoid generic moments like holidays; send gifts at unexpected times or around meaningful personal moments. (Source: Sandra Rand, Episode #265)

Channel Mix and Tactics

Digital Channels

Paid social for ABM (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• Present both positions to users and help them assess which applies to their situation based on account list size and program maturity.

LinkedIn native targeting:

• Use LinkedIn's built-in targeting capabilities to run ABM campaigns without needing a separate ABM platform. Target by exact company name, job titles, departments, and interests within LinkedIn's ad interface. This native targeting is powerful enough for ABM campaigns ranging from 100 to 10,000+ accounts. (Source: Tim Davidson, Episode #127)
• Sync HubSpot or CRM lists to LinkedIn so campaigns automatically update as your sales team adds/removes accounts or closes deals. This keeps LinkedIn targeting in sync with your sales pipeline without manual updates. (Source: Anthony Blatner, Episode #243)
• Upload target account lists to LinkedIn and use the Companies Report feature to monitor how many impressions you're serving to specific companies. This is a useful front-end metric for niche B2B campaigns where reaching the right accounts is the primary challenge. (Source: Anthony Blatner, Episode #243)

Multi-step LinkedIn retargeting sequences:

• Structure LinkedIn ABM campaigns as a sequence: start with educational content (blog posts, thought leader ads) to build awareness among target accounts, then retarget those who engaged with a second message focused on your unique value prop and features, and finally retarget again with conversion-focused messaging (demo calls, speed-to-value offers). Each step targets a different retargeting bucket based on prior engagement. (Source: Tim Davidson, Episode #127)

Thought leader ads for nurture:

• Instead of running direct response ads, amplify organic thought leader posts from founders and team members with paid ads targeted to your specific target account list and relevant personas. This drives awareness and nurture rather than immediate conversion. Measure success by tracking what percentage of open opportunities had prior engagement with these ads. (Source: Taylor Udell, Episode #190)

Surround-sound multi-channel campaigns:

• Build a single, precise ICP audience (120K-180K contacts) using third-party data, then deploy that same audience across 4+ channels simultaneously (LinkedIn Connected TV, YouTube, LinkedIn brand solution ads, LinkedIn thought leader ads) with different creative and messaging for each channel. Budget: $15-60K for the campaign. Reported results: 34% net new traffic, 22% increase in sales demo requests, 41% pipeline increase month-over-month. (Source: Kelly Arndt, Episode #341)

LinkedIn Connected TV retargeting:

• When running LinkedIn Connected TV campaigns, build retargeting audiences based on who viewed your CTV ads directly within LinkedIn. Use brand awareness as the core campaign objective, then create a retargeting audience from CTV viewers. Target these CTV viewers into other campaigns (thought leader ads, brand solution ads) to create additional touchpoints. (Source: Kelly Arndt, Episode #341)

Track account coverage percentage:

• Calculate what percentage of your target account list you reach in a given month through paid media. If coverage is below 30-35%, you don't have an effective ABM strategy—you're only reaching a fraction of your audience. Use this metric to justify diversifying away from single-channel spending (e.g., LinkedIn-only) to multi-channel approaches. (Source: Richard Meyer, Episode #341)

Build ABM ad audiences using Hightouch:

• Use Hightouch to load enriched contact data from Snowflake and group contacts into account-based cohorts. Create ad creative by vertical or problem set, then push these account groups to ad platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook). Create 3-5 vertical/problem-based creative variants and saturate impressions for all accounts in each segment. Use Match Booster or similar tools to enrich missing identifiers so you can reach B2B contacts on consumer channels. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Distribute data models across multiple channels:

• Once you've built a data model (similarity model, account scoring, personalization attributes), use Hightouch to pipe it into multiple downstream systems: ad platforms, website personalization, CRM, email, direct mail vendors. Build a similarity model once, then use it to generate personalized nurture emails, pre-build content for SDRs, create direct mail copy, and populate landing pages. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Website visitor data for nurture:

• Use tools that reveal which companies are visiting your website to identify target accounts showing interest. Pull the list of companies viewing specific content and use it to trigger personalized nurture campaigns that reference what their team was looking at. (Source: Taylor Udell, Episode #190)
• Use Vector to identify and segment website visitors by behavior (webinar registrants who didn't convert, pricing page visitors, content downloaders). Create separate ad campaigns for each segment with tailored messaging. (Source: Cindy Dubon, Episode #341)
• Track ungated demo engagement at account level using IP address and cookie-based tracking. This provides intent signals for retargeting and ABM even without form submissions. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episode #122)

LinkedIn connection building before posting at scale:

• Before ramping up content creation, systematically connect with people on a target account list (named accounts, event attendees, people who commented on relevant posts). Use personalized connection messages. This pre-work ensures that when you start posting, your target audience is already opted in to see your content. (Source: Brad Zomick, Episode #156)

Use Company Intelligence for account-level measurement:

• Implement LinkedIn's Company Intelligence tool to measure the impact of organic and paid media at the company account level, not just individual conversion level. When connected to CRM sync and Conversions API, it shows exponentially more influence and conversions than last-click attribution alone, because it captures the full buying committee's exposure to your brand across organic posts, ads, and website interactions. (Source: Davang Shah, Episode #338)

Direct Mail

Scrappy ABM with direct mail, QR codes, and programmatic vendors:

• For a lean ABM program: (1) Talk to one excited sales rep and ask which accounts they're most excited about. (2) Use Clay to get mailing addresses. (3) Use a programmatic direct mail vendor (e.g., Lob, Sendoso) to upload your list and send personalized pieces with QR codes. (4) Track delivery and QR scans. (5) Offer an incentive (e.g., AirPods) to those who scan the QR code and book a meeting. This approach is low-cost and creates pattern interruption. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)
• Use Clay to enrich your target list with accurate company headquarters addresses and validate data accuracy before committing to print and postage costs. This is especially important for B2B direct mail where home vs. office addresses matter. (Source: Jeremy Chung, Episode #341)
• Send physical books to prospects with specific pages highlighted and personalized handwritten notes explaining why that section is relevant to them. Automate the process through a platform to handle address collection, highlighting, note writing, and shipping at scale. (Source: Kris Rudeegraap, Episode #159)

In-Person and Events

When to use high-touch in-person tactics:

• Reserve high-touch, expensive ABM tactics (fancy dinners, event suites, lunch-and-learns) for accounts you already have some relationship with or that show behavioral engagement signals. Don't try to magically create pipeline with cold accounts using these tactics. Use lower-cost tactics (direct mail, landing pages, digital) for top-of-funnel awareness, then graduate to high-touch tactics once engagement is evident. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Sales-led in-person events (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• One position: the most effective ABM in-person events are those where the salesperson originates the idea, often around hyper-specific pain points or industries that marketing wouldn't have thought of. Marketing's role is to support by helping expand the attendee list, logistics, and setup. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)
• Opposing position: delay high-touch sales engagement until accounts reach the meaningful engagement stage (visiting product pages, case studies, pricing pages). Use marketing-only programs to drive awareness and initial engagement first. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Lunch-and-learn events:

• Develop a roster of internal subject matter experts with prepared content on topics relevant to your target accounts. Train these experts to deliver lunch-and-learn sessions at target account HQs. Pair with local food/hospitality. This tactic is hard to replicate at scale and creates credibility in a crowded digital landscape. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)
• Identify the biggest pain point for a target account and develop a credible lunch-and-learn offer around it. Offer to visit their office, bring food from a local restaurant, and teach their team about a relevant topic. Pair with customer voice (have a customer teach alongside you) for added credibility. The key is making it specific to that account's needs, not generic. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

High-end restaurant dinners for mid-funnel accounts:

• For already-engaged ABM accounts (mid-funnel), book expensive, exclusive restaurants to create memorable experiences. This works because you're deepening relationships with known prospects, not creating awareness with strangers. Only use this tactic for accounts you already have some relationship with. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Event suite sponsorships:

• Buy suites at major events (Super Bowl, concerts, sports games) and invite key contacts from target ABM accounts. Example: Ramp bought Super Bowl suites and invited women CFOs with the option to bring family. This creates memorable, high-touch experiences outside the business context. Works well for mid-funnel accounts where you already have some relationship. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)

Localized out-of-home activations:

• For mid-funnel ABM accounts, create localized out-of-home activations in cities where target accounts are headquartered. Example: park a branded coffee truck in a city center, invite AEs and key contacts from 4 target accounts, offer free coffee and demos. Creates memorable in-person touchpoints that drive pipeline velocity. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)

Enforce next-day follow-up after ABM events:

• After any ABM event (dinner, activation, suite), require follow-up to happen the next day, not weeks later. Build this into field marketer and sales rep expectations. Track and report on follow-up rates. This prevents events from becoming one-off activities and ensures momentum is maintained while the experience is fresh. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)

Assign field marketers to consistent account pods:

• Organize field marketers into pods, each responsible for a consistent group of accounts. This creates accountability for immediate follow-up after in-person events. Field marketers should be tightly integrated with sales reps and expected to ensure follow-up happens the next day. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Non-Paid Channels for Small TAMs

Use non-paid channels when target account list is too small for paid platform minimums:

• If your total addressable account list is so small that it doesn't meet platform minimum audience sizes, paid advertising is not the right channel. Instead, focus on direct outreach: network introductions, email campaigns, industry events, hosted dinners with key buyers, and relationship-building. Some industries have cottage industries (e.g., CISO dinners) built around reaching these finite audiences. (Source: John Short, Episode #201)

Use podcast guest invitations as an ABM tactic:

• Invite target accounts and decision-makers to appear as guests on your podcast, then follow up with sales outreach at a later date. This combines content creation with ABM by giving high-value prospects a reason to engage with your brand and building relationship equity before a direct sales conversation. (Source: Matt Carnevale, Episode #137)

Execute ABM with minimal resources:

• A minimal viable ABM program can be built with: (1) a target account list (spreadsheet); (2) direct personal outreach (LinkedIn, email) from marketing and sales leaders; (3) automation tools for scaling outreach; (4) free or low-cost platforms (e.g., Zoom for podcasts). Example: invite target buyers onto a podcast, have a genuine conversation, and casually ask if they're interested in learning more. If not, nurture them via email. Scrappy, imperfect execution beats polished campaigns sent to the wrong accounts. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Sales-Marketing Alignment

Organizational structure:

• Place the SDR/ADR team under marketing's organizational structure rather than sales. This eliminates misalignment between marketing's account selection and sales' prospecting activities, creates unified accountability for pipeline generation, and simplifies metrics (e.g., penetration into target accounts). Negotiate this structure early, ideally before hiring the first sales rep. (Source: Trinity Nguyen, Episode #219)

Cap ABM accounts per marketer:

• Set a maximum number of accounts each ABM marketer can own based on account size and type. For major/enterprise accounts, cap at 20 accounts per person; for mid-market, 40-50 accounts per rep supported; for prospect accounts, limit to 2-3 ABM accounts per sales rep (roughly 120-150 total per ABM marketer). This prevents teams from spreading too thin. (Source: Casey Patterson, Episode #331)

Treat sales outreach as a marketing distribution channel:

• View outbound sales sequences, LinkedIn DMs, and direct seller outreach as distribution channels equivalent to email, LinkedIn ads, or search ads. Ensure all outbound sales activity targets only named accounts in your ABM program—no seller should be working accounts outside the defined target list. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

Hold bi-weekly pod calls with AE/SDR teams:

• Schedule bi-weekly meetings with each AE/SDR pod to review their target accounts, discuss which funnel stages those accounts are in, and align on the messaging and strategy for the next two weeks. Include sales enablement content in these calls. This ensures sales understands the rationale behind account selection and reduces back-and-forth questions. (Source: Jean Cameron, Episode #315)

Use buying group activity to determine outreach type:

• When multiple people from the same account engage with your content (webinar, event, etc.), flag that account for human-led sales outreach rather than AI-first outreach. Buying group engagement indicates higher intent and warrants direct human conversation. (Source: Morgan Cole, Episode #315)

Use internal network for account penetration:

• For account-based marketing, leverage warm introductions from your own organization. Conduct a company-wide exercise asking all employees (not just sales) to identify personal connections at target accounts—college friends, family members, professional contacts. Use these warm introductions as the primary outreach mechanism rather than cold outreach. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #140)

Use executive-to-executive peer outreach:

• When pursuing high-value accounts, leverage executive-to-executive relationships. For example, have your CFO reach out directly to the prospect's CFO with a peer-to-peer message. Extend this principle across functions—product leaders to product leaders, sales leaders to sales leaders—to create multiple entry points and build credibility through peer relationships. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #140)

Win back churned customers with honesty before pitching:

• When re-engaging churned customers, segment win-back ABM by how long ago the customer churned to let emotions settle. Lead with honesty and humor: send a message that admits the company fell short. Only after establishing this tone should you share product updates that address the original reason they left. Consider having the CEO or least-salesy person reach out rather than sales. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Measurement and Attribution

Replace MQL metrics with account-based funnel stages:

• Replace traditional MQL/lead-based metrics with an account-based funnel that tracks target accounts through stages: unaware → aware → engaged → in conversation → in pipeline → customer. Define pipeline as "identified need and timeline" (will purchase within 12 months). Report monthly and quarterly on what percentage of your ICP accounts are in each stage, and track progression month-over-month. (Sources: Gurdeep Dhillon, Episodes #280 and #203)

Measure ABM differently than traditional demand gen:

• ABM campaigns will look inefficient on traditional marketing metrics (cost per impression, click-through rate) because you're limiting audience size and buying expensive impressions for small, targeted groups. Prepare finance and stakeholders upfront that ABM measurement is different. Focus on account-level metrics (progression through engagement stages, conversion rates, deal value) rather than campaign-level metrics. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)

Measure ABM efficacy using treatment and control groups:

• Among your universe of ideal target accounts, randomly assign some to receive ABM programs (treatment) and hold others as control. Measure lift in key metrics: conversion from unengaged to stage-one opportunity, and stage-one to stage-two conversion. Example: treatment group converts to stage one at 32% higher rate than control; stage-one-to-stage-two conversion is 38% higher. This approach proves ABM ROI without relying on attribution models. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Test brand impression impact using cohort splitting:

• Split your named account universe into two cohorts: one that receives brand impressions and one that does not. Measure the difference in opportunity creation rate and sales cycle velocity between the two groups. This allows you to quantify the impact of brand-building activities without relying on direct-response attribution. (Source: Kyle Coleman, Episode #123)

Track ABM success across the full funnel:

• Track ABM impact beyond top-of-funnel metrics. Measure qualified opportunities, conversion rates, and deal value. Use multi-touch attribution and deal story analysis (e.g., LLM-based review of all account activity in Salesforce, Gong, Slack) to understand what marketing activities influenced deal progression. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)

Use engaged target accounts as a leading indicator:

• When measuring marketing success in upmarket/enterprise sales, track engagement specifically from target accounts (accounts you've collectively agreed to pursue), not all accounts. Engaged target accounts serve as a leading indicator of pipeline, but should not be treated as the end-all metric for marketing success. Pair this metric with pipeline contribution to get a complete picture. (Sources: Sean Lane, Episodes #274 and #187)

Score accounts by buying group engagement, not individual lead activity:

• Replace traditional lead scoring with account-level scoring that tracks buying group engagement. When multiple people (3+) from the same company engage with your content, ads, or emails on similar themes, that is a stronger signal than any single person's activity. Score the entire account based on the presence of multiple decision-makers engaging together, combined with technographic and demographic data. (Source: Jean Cameron, Episode #315)

Define qualified opportunities using ICP and ICT intersection:

• Co-create a definition of qualified opportunities with sales by identifying the intersection of Ideal Customer Profile (ICP—company size, industry) and Ideal Customer Title (ICT—specific roles with buying power). A qualified opportunity requires both a meeting with the right person AND a meeting with someone from the right account. (Source: Kyle Coleman, Episode #123)

Attribution approach (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree):

• Multiple positions exist on how to handle attribution in ABM programs. Present all positions to users and help them assess which fits their organizational context.

Measure ungated content success through account visibility:

• When publishing ungated content, measure success by: (1) tracking which target accounts viewed the content using tools like Clearbit or Koala; (2) checking if those accounts have active opportunities in your CRM and whether those deals close faster; (3) counting conversations started by sales reps using the content as a conversation starter; (4) monitoring whether content helps navigate to power users or key personas. (Source: Taylor Udell, Episode #190)

Manually measure LinkedIn ad effectiveness using account list matching:

• Upload your target account list into LinkedIn ads and download engagement data. Use VLOOKUP in Google Sheets to match LinkedIn ad engagement against your target account list to identify which accounts are engaging with your ads. Build a crawler to track followers gained in specific months and organic engagement on posts, then enrich that data and cross-reference against your target accounts to validate message-audience fit. (Source: Taylor Udell, Episode #190)

Prove ABM ROI by combining easy-to-attribute tactics with brand plays:

• Combine tactics with clear, simple attribution pathways (CPL-based lead gen, webinar signups, event attendance where you can directly track: person downloaded asset → meeting booked → revenue closed) alongside harder-to-measure brand tactics (podcasts, custom creative, thought leadership). Make friends with your RevOps person to connect marketing activities in your CRM to closed revenue. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)

Where Experts Disagree

1. Should you use paid social ads for top-of-funnel ABM brand awareness?

Support summary: 6 vs 1

Position A — Stop using paid social for top-of-funnel ABM awareness (1 supporter): Drew Pinta (Episode #331) argued that paid social (LinkedIn, Facebook) should not be used for top-of-funnel ABM awareness campaigns targeting small account lists. His reasoning: digital channels are too crowded, creative fatigue sets in near-instantly with small audiences (e.g., 20 accounts with 10 decision-makers each), and paid social morphs into targeted demand gen rather than true ABM. He recommended redirecting budget to in-person and physical activations that create genuine differentiation.

Position B — Paid social is a viable and recommended ABM channel (6 supporters):

• Tim Davidson (Episode #127): Recommended building multi-step LinkedIn ABM campaigns using retargeting audiences, starting with educational content and progressing to conversion messaging. Called LinkedIn native targeting powerful enough for ABM without separate platforms.
• Taylor Udell (Episode #190): Recommended amplifying organic thought leader posts with paid ads targeted to specific target account lists and personas for awareness and nurture, measuring success by tracking what percentage of open opportunities had prior engagement with these ads.
• Brian Kotlyar (Episode #331): Recommended building ABM ad audiences using Hightouch to push account groups to LinkedIn and Facebook, and advised rotating creative every 2-3 weeks to combat fatigue—implying paid social is a valid ABM channel that requires management, not abandonment.
• Kelly Arndt (Episode #341): Recommended surround-sound multi-channel campaigns including LinkedIn brand solution ads and thought leader ads as core ABM channels, reporting 41% pipeline increase month-over-month.
• Kyle Coleman (Episode #123): Recommended splitting named account universe into cohorts to test brand impression impact via LinkedIn display ads, implying paid social brand impressions are a legitimate ABM tactic worth measuring.
• Anthony Blatner (Episode #243): Recommended uploading target account lists to LinkedIn to measure impression coverage as a front-end ABM metric, treating LinkedIn paid as a primary ABM channel.

Context dependency: Drew Pinta's objection is specifically about very small account lists (e.g., 20 accounts with 10 decision-makers each) where saturation is near-instant. The pro-paid-social guests are generally discussing larger target account lists (hundreds to thousands of accounts). The disagreement may dissolve for very small lists but is genuine for mid-sized ABM programs.

How to help users: Ask about their account list size. For very small lists (under ~50 accounts), Pinta's concern about saturation is well-founded and in-person tactics may be more appropriate. For larger lists (hundreds to thousands of accounts), the weight of evidence favors paid social as a legitimate ABM channel with proper creative rotation.

2. How many accounts should a true ABM program target?

Support summary: 5 vs 2

Position A — True ABM should be capped at 100 accounts maximum, with 2-5 per quarter as ideal (2 supporters): Chris Rack (Episodes #150 and #140) explicitly stated that true ABM (one-to-one and one-to-few) should not exceed 100 accounts, and that 2-5 accounts per quarter is the ideal for creative, differentiated execution. He called anything larger "segmented B2B marketing," arguing that creativity, uniqueness, and directness—the core elements of ABM—cannot scale beyond this threshold.

Position B — ABM programs can and should operate at scale across hundreds to thousands of accounts (5 supporters):

• Trinity Nguyen (Episode #219): Described selecting the top 500-600 accounts per quarter from a 15,000-account ICP universe as the core ABM execution model, with one-to-one creative personalization at that scale using templated assembly-line processes.
• Tim Davidson (Episode #127): Described LinkedIn native targeting as powerful enough for ABM campaigns ranging from 100 to 10,000+ accounts.
• Kelly Arndt (Episode #341): Described building a single ICP audience of 120K-180K contacts and deploying surround-sound campaigns across 4+ channels simultaneously as an ABM strategy, reporting strong pipeline results.
• Casey Patterson (Episode #331): Described capping ABM at 120-150 total prospect accounts per ABM marketer (2-3 per sales rep), implying programs well above the 100-account threshold are standard ABM practice.
• Mason Cosby (Episode #186): Described ABM eligibility for companies with TAM of 2,000+ accounts, implying ABM programs can span hundreds of accounts with proper scoring and playbooks.

Context dependency: Chris Rack explicitly distinguishes one-to-one/one-to-few ABM from one-to-many segmented marketing, and the scale-friendly guests may be describing what Rack would call "segmented B2B marketing." However, all guests use the term "ABM" for their approaches, making this a genuine disagreement about what ABM means in practice.

How to help users: Clarify that this is partly a definitional disagreement. If the user wants highly creative, differentiated, cross-functional account pursuit, Rack's small-list model applies. If the user wants a scalable, technology-enabled account-targeting program, the larger-list model applies. Both are legitimate; they require different operating models, staffing ratios, and technology stacks.

3. Should you create company-specific personalized landing pages for each ABM target account?

Support summary: 2 vs 1

Position A — Do not create unique landing pages for every company; use 5-6 core journey-based pages (2 supporters):

• Tas Bober (Episode #218): Explicitly argued against creating a unique landing page for every company on an ABM list, recommending 5-6 core pages by buyer journey stage instead for scalability and cleaner optimization data.
• Kym Parker (Episode #201): Argued that you don't need fully personalized landing pages to run effective ABM—personalization can happen in ad copy and sales conversations rather than on the landing page itself.

Position B — Build one-to-one personalized landing pages for each target account (1 supporter): Casey Patterson (Episode #331) recommended building one-to-one personalized landing pages for each target account (e.g., "Account Name, we know you need X. We provide X.") using any landing page builder, with sales reps as the free distribution channel. Framed this as a zero-budget tactic.

Context dependency: Casey Patterson's one-to-one approach is explicitly framed as a scrappy, low-budget tactic for a small number of accounts, while Tas Bober's advice appears aimed at teams running ABM at scale across many accounts. The disagreement is most genuine for mid-scale ABM programs where both approaches are feasible.

How to help users: Ask about account list size and team capacity. For very small lists (under ~25 accounts) with available design resources, one-to-one pages may be worth the investment. For larger lists, the 5-6 core journey-based pages approach is more scalable and provides cleaner data.

4. What is the minimum ACV threshold for ABM to make sense?

Support summary: 2 vs 1

Position A — $50,000 ACV minimum (2 supporters):

• Mason Cosby (Episode #186): Explicitly stated $50,000 ACV as the minimum threshold for ABM eligibility, with the exception of vertical SaaS with very small TAMs (500 accounts) where ABM is warranted regardless of ACV.
• John Short (Episode #201): Recommended using the "Five Ways to Build a $100M Business" framework, advising ABM with personalization for companies with ~$50K+ ACV and lower customer volume, and inbound/demand gen for lower ACV with infinite addressable accounts.

Position B — Organizational readiness ($1M+ revenue) matters more than ACV (1 supporter): Chris Rack (Episode #150) framed ABM readiness around $1M+ revenue and dedicated sales/marketing leadership rather than ACV alone, noting that early-stage founders are already doing scrappy ABM through individual outreach regardless of deal size. Did not cite a specific ACV threshold.

Context dependency: These positions are measuring different things—deal economics (ACV) vs. organizational readiness (revenue stage)—and could be complementary rather than conflicting. However, they give practitioners different decision rules for the same question of "should we do ABM?"

How to help users: Both criteria can be applied together. A company with $50K+ ACV and $1M+ revenue with dedicated leadership is clearly a good ABM candidate. A company with $50K+ ACV but pre-$1M revenue may be doing scrappy founder-led ABM already. A company with sub-$50K ACV and large TAM should likely focus on demand generation regardless of revenue stage.

5. How should you handle marketing-sales attribution in ABM programs?

Support summary: 4 vs 1

Position A — Avoid attribution disputes; use shared territory credit and control/treatment groups (4 supporters):

• Brian Kotlyar (Episode #331): Recommended establishing company-wide C-level agreement to avoid attribution disputes, using control/treatment groups instead of attribution models.
• Kyle Coleman (Episodes #198 and #123): Recommended account-based territories where any meeting with a named account is credited to the team regardless of which function drove it, using cohort analysis to measure channel effectiveness separately from attribution.
• Chris Rack (Episode #150): Recommended combining easy-to-attribute tactics with brand-building efforts, and explicitly advised making friends with RevOps to connect marketing activities to closed revenue. Framed clear attribution as necessary for executive confidence.

Position B — Measure marketing's influence on all pipeline, not just sourced deals (1 supporter): Mason Cosby (Episode #186) recommended measuring marketing's influence on all revenue and pipeline rather than just marketing-sourced deals, citing a CRO example that achieved 90% marketing-influenced pipeline while increasing sales velocity and deal values by removing revenue goals from marketing and measuring influence instead.

Context dependency: These positions are more complementary than conflicting—both reject traditional sourced attribution and both focus on account-level measurement. The genuine disagreement is about which replacement metric to use: shared territory credit (Coleman/Kotlyar) vs. marketing influence scoring (Cosby).

How to help users: Both approaches reject the traditional "marketing-sourced vs. sales-sourced" debate. Help users choose based on their organizational context: shared territory credit works well when sales and marketing are tightly aligned on named accounts; marketing influence scoring works well when marketing needs to demonstrate broad impact across all pipeline, not just ABM accounts.

6. When should sales get involved in high-touch ABM outreach?

Support summary: 2 vs 2

Position A — Delay high-touch sales engagement until meaningful engagement stage (2 supporters):

• Mason Cosby (Episode #186): Explicitly recommended delaying high-touch sales engagement until accounts reach the meaningful engagement stage (visiting product pages, case studies, pricing pages). Use marketing-only programs for awareness and initial engagement to avoid wasting seller time.
• Brian Kotlyar (Episode #331): Separately recommended lunch-and-learns as a scrappy, nearly-free ABM tactic where you identify a target account's biggest pain point and offer to visit their office with food—framing this as a top-of-funnel awareness tactic, not just a mid-funnel one. (Note: Kotlyar's position is somewhat ambiguous here, as he also recommended not using expensive tactics for cold accounts.)

Position B — Sales should lead ABM in-person events from the start (2 supporters):

• Drew Pinta (Episode #331): Argued that the most effective ABM in-person events are sales-originated, with sales reps driving strategy around hyper-specific pain points that marketing wouldn't have thought of. Marketing's role is support, not lead.
• Brian Kotlyar (Episode #331): Recommended not using expensive ABM tactics for cold accounts, but also described sales-led lunch-and-learns and in-person visits as early-stage ABM tactics—implying sales involvement before meaningful digital engagement signals are present.

Context dependency: Mason Cosby's advice applies specifically to digital/programmatic ABM where engagement signals are trackable, while Drew Pinta is discussing in-person event tactics where sales relationship knowledge is the primary input. The disagreement is most genuine for hybrid programs that use both digital and in-person tactics.

How to help users: Ask whether the user is primarily running digital ABM (where Cosby's signal-based approach applies) or in-person/event-based ABM (where Pinta's sales-led approach applies). For hybrid programs, a reasonable synthesis is: use marketing-only digital programs for awareness, but allow sales to originate and lead in-person event ideas from the beginning, since sales relationship knowledge is irreplaceable for event strategy.

What NOT To Do

• Don't use expensive ABM tactics (dinners, events) for cold, unengaged accounts. Reserve high-touch tactics for accounts you already have some relationship with or that show behavioral engagement signals. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)
• Don't fight over marketing-sales attribution. Fighting over credit is a waste of time and culturally damaging. Focus on control groups, treatment groups, and progression metrics instead. (Source: Brian Kotlyar, Episode #331)
• Don't treat ABM as display advertising. Programmatic display is one possible tactic within an ABM strategy, not the strategy itself. Many vendors have conflated ABM with their display ad products, making it difficult for marketers to prove ROI. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Don't make ABM your only go-to-market playbook. Maintain a greenfield mentality to continue testing new markets and buyer types beyond your ABM list. Over-focusing on ABM can cause you to miss emerging opportunities. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Don't launch ABM without strong positioning. Without a compelling company narrative, clear point of view, and differentiated story, ABM tactics will not work. Positioning and messaging drive marketing success; all other ABM components are secondary. (Source: Dave Gerhardt, Episode #186)
• Don't email your entire target list at once. Test messaging on 5-10 accounts first, use feedback to refine, then scale to the next batch. (Source: Dave Gerhardt, Episode #186)
• Don't invest in expensive ABM tech before proving the model. Start at the crawl stage with minimal tech. Only scale technology investment after validating the approach. Expect 7-10 months for the crawl stage. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Don't use paid social for ABM awareness when your account list is very small (e.g., 20 accounts with 10 decision-makers each). Creative fatigue sets in near-instantly. Consider in-person tactics instead. (Note: this is contested for larger lists — see Where Experts Disagree.) (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)
• Don't trust intent data vendors without asking two critical questions: (1) Do you share or resell this data? (2) What constitutes a signal—website visits or deeper evaluation behaviors? Most intent data conflates intent-to-learn with intent-to-purchase. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #150)
• Don't send generic branded merchandise as ABM gifts. Research prospects individually and send gifts that reflect genuine knowledge of their personal interests and life details. (Source: Sandra Rand, Episode #265)
• Don't allow event follow-up to slip past the next day. After any ABM event, require follow-up to happen the next day, not weeks later. Track and report on follow-up rates. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)
• Don't involve sellers in high-touch outreach before accounts show meaningful engagement signals (visiting product pages, case studies, pricing pages) if running a digital-first ABM program. Use marketing-only programs for awareness and initial engagement first. (Note: this is contested for in-person event programs — see Where Experts Disagree.) (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)
• Don't use paid advertising when your target account list is too small for platform minimum audience sizes. Focus on direct outreach, network introductions, industry events, and hosted dinners instead. (Source: John Short, Episode #201)
• Don't measure ABM with traditional demand gen metrics (cost per impression, click-through rate). Prepare finance and stakeholders upfront that ABM measurement is different and will look inefficient on standard campaign metrics. (Source: Drew Pinta, Episode #331)

Sources