Account-Based Marketing (ABM) had the promise of revolutionizing B2B marketing. They reminded us that it’s all about storytelling and turned this idea from a concept into a craft. They recognized that the value of a lead extends beyond MQLs and SQLs, reframing it as a powerful account signal for prioritization and scoring.
ABM platforms allowed marketers to peer into the crystal ball of intent data, identifying accounts that were in the market for solutions. They have unleashed the superpowers of digital marketing at the enterprise level, helping marketers communicate more effectively with executives and sales colleagues.
We live in the age of large ABM platforms, so why is frustration with them so widespread? Talk to CMOs who have been using these platforms for at least nine months, and you’ll often see steam start blowing out of their ears like a train whistle. What is wrong and can it be fixed?
To understand, we’ll discuss the three main tasks an ABM platform is designed to do as well as the hidden costs and complexities that make integrating these platforms difficult for marketing teams to integrate. We will also look at alternatives that allow brands to remove the intermediation roles of ABM platforms and achieve similar or even better results.
The essential functions of an ABM platform
1. Predictive Analytics
This is the first, and arguably most critical, function of an ABM platform. The promise here is simple: use a combination of intent data (such as keyword searches, third-party signals, and industry-specific trends), CRM data, and website visit behavior to prioritize the most trusted accounts. more likely to convert. This process involves using machine learning models to analyze thousands of data points, which helps marketers predict which accounts are showing buying signals and are ready to be targeted. Sounds great, right? That’s because it is.
Intent data alone is invaluable and provides huge directional benefits, but by combining it with CRM and website behavior, ABM platforms can deliver a more holistic and accurate account prioritization process. The result is supposed to be a refined list of accounts, giving sales and marketing teams a clear understanding of where to focus their time and resources.
2. Programmatic account-based bidding
This feature allows marketers to hyper-target digital ads to high-value accounts they have identified. Unlike traditional programmatic ad buying, which casts a wide net to different audiences, account-based programmatic bidding is targeted, targeting only decision-makers or influencers in the target accounts.
This is achieved using granular filters such as job titles, geographic locations and company names to ensure that only relevant people (think purchasing committee) target accounts are exposed to your campaigns. This level of precision maximizes the effectiveness of marketing spend, ensuring every dollar goes toward engaging the right people at the right companies.
3. Account-based measurement
Finally, ABM platforms offer account-based measurement capabilities intended to track and report the performance of account-based campaigns. Rather than focusing on traditional metrics like clicks or impressions, they focus on how specific accounts interact with your content and move through the sales funnel.
These platforms provide a comprehensive view of how marketing activities influence key decision-makers within a target account, whether interacting with ads, visiting your website, or downloading content. This makes it easier to link marketing activities to sales results, providing transparency in the often murky world of B2B marketing attribution.
Dig Deeper: How to Measure What Matters in Account-Based Marketing
The hidden costs of ABM platforms
ABM platforms do more than just offer great features; they enable companies to use ABM as a complete system, not just a one-off tactic. This distinction is crucial. In B2B, every marketing tactic, whether demand generation or brand marketing, benefits from an account-based approach.
However, hidden costs make these platforms much more difficult to use effectively than it seems at first glance. Here are the top issues that reduce the value of an ABM platform, which explains why such powerful platforms experience such high churn.
Interdepartmental ownership and confusion
One of the major problems with ABM platforms is that using them effectively requires buy-in and cooperation from multiple departments, such as sales and IT. This introduces the need for organizational change management. Business teams may resist new self-service systems due to different priorities, while IT teams often have their own approaches to integration, security and data governance.
These teams need to align from the start and understand how the platforms work. The marketing department can prioritize accounts based on the predictive analytics provided by the ABM platform. However, if sales is not integrated, they may target different accounts based on personal preferences or historical success. Likewise, IT may have reservations about how data is collected and used, leading to implementation bottlenecks. All of these moving parts can quickly lead to frustration and misalignment of efforts across departments.
The burden of implementation
ABM platforms are often self-service. Marketers are expected to configure, integrate and manage the system themselves. This process is far from simple. Implementing an ABM platform is similar to implementing a RCMP system – it requires rigorous change management, staff training and ongoing maintenance.
Given the complexity of these platforms, many companies underestimate the time and resources needed to get them up and running effectively. Without dedicated project management and stakeholder engagement, the platform becomes a resource drain before delivering transformational results. Additionally, because ABM platforms are often used by multiple departments, the implementation burden is shared unevenly, leading to situations where no single department takes full ownership of the solution.
High costs and long contracts not so hidden
ABM platforms are expensive. Many providers require lengthy minimum contracts, often forcing companies into a year or more of service with six-figure annual fees. These contracts also often include hidden fees for advanced features, data storage, or integrations with other tools, which can drive the cost even higher.
For many organizations, especially small and medium-sized businesses, the ROI of an ABM platform makes it difficult to justify the upfront cost. Because these platforms require ongoing management and optimization, the ongoing costs in terms of staff time and resources can be significant.
That said, we live in the age of large ABM platforms for a reason. They unlock an account-based marketing approach, which is the right GTM for any business selling on an account.
Dig Deeper: Maximizing Your B2B Spend: Is Account-Based Marketing Worth It?
Many organizations are using these platforms successfully and have made the necessary investments to adopt an account-based approach. However, for those who cannot afford to invest in annual fees and organizational change management, there are still alternatives to implementing an account-based approach to drive faster growth and more efficient.
Partner agency
Consider working with an agile and modern partner agency specializing in ABM. Agencies bring their expertise, tools and data partnerships without the need for in-house teams to manage a complex platform. Whether it’s helping to integrate and manage an ABM platform or replicating the three tasks an ABM platform performs, they can offer consulting services to help your business implement an more efficient marketing approach.
Point solutions
Instead of using an all-in-one ABM platform, companies can create point solutions to manage each of the three main functions. For example, predictive analytics can be handled by specialized intent data providers, programmatic bidding through innovative new advertising platforms, and measurement through new account-based measurement tools. This approach allows businesses to create a more agile solution tailored to their needs.
Managed Services Partners
Managed service partners offer a hybrid option, providing the technological capabilities of an ABM platform along with hands-on management and strategy. They can take over the day-to-day management of campaigns, freeing up internal teams to focus on higher-level strategy and execution.
Dig Deeper: The ABM guide for the small B2B marketing team
Agile alternatives to unlock ABM potential
It’s never been a more exciting time to be a B2B marketer. B2B CMOs are making up for lost time by pioneering the innovative use of data and martech to drive faster, more measurable growth. We have ABM platforms to thank for bringing so much innovation over the past five years.
That said, what’s right for one business isn’t right for every business. There are innovative ways to deliver targeted, effective and measurable account-based marketing without using an ABM platform. By using alternatives such as agency partners, point solutions, or managed service providers, organizations can remove the “to-do’s” of an ABM platform while achieving account-based marketing success without the hassle. high costs and headaches.
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