In our last blog post, we compared ABM marketing to hunting for the biggest fish in the sea, as opposed to casting a wide net to bring in the small ones. We also spoke to the amazing metrics that marketers are uncovering when switching to an ABM-centered strategy. (Read it here.) With audiences becoming more educated in the ways of being sold to, it makes sense that it’s becoming increasingly harder to reach buyers.
We’ll admit, ABM isn’t a new thing, and it certainly can be a bit vague.
“Okay, so I’m supposed to pick a smaller audience (aka accounts) and go after them instead of spewing a generic message to anyone who crosses my path? Let me guess. There’s a proprietary software I need for this fancy ABM?”
Yes, and no. While there are several high-quality ABM partners (we’d recommend Terminus or Demandbase® for starters), ABM is something that can be done all on your own. It’s just a way of doing things—not a product, necessarily.
We’ve done it here at Spire Agency and have seen what all the fuss is about firsthand. We’ve also seen case study after case study of others’ ABM success stories. Read on to see several different ways ABM has worked for us as well as others.
ABM Success at Spire Agency
Working with our client, Airbus Helicopters, we designed a custom, high-end promotional item specifically targeting NFL® team owners visiting AT&T Stadium. In what would be a perfect example of one-to-one ABM, the item was created as a way to offer a complimentary flight for NFL owners and guests to and from the game when his or her team came to town.
This highly personalized approach, which literally called out the NFL owners by name, was an absolute success, with an astounding 50% response rate from NFL owners.
In what was more of a one-to-few ABM approach, again we worked with Airbus to design a promotional box specifically targeting Founders Suite owners at AT&T Stadium. Each box was hand-delivered to each suite on opening day.
In addition to raising brand awareness, the item was developed to promote the chance to win a complimentary flight to the game. The custom pop-up boxes garnered a multitude of new leads for Airbus and was incredibly well-received by suite owners and their guests.
ABM Success Elsewhere
Cognizant
Cognizant is a manufacturing and logistics business with a diverse client base that includes one of the world’s leading automobile OEMs. They had hopes of changing this one particular client’s perception of Cognizant from a transactional vendor to a key strategic partner.
Their ABM approach?
Cognizant held a full-day event (called Cognizant Partnership Day) with the company’s senior executives. The content was solely focused on the auto OEM’s current state and future initiatives. Participants interacted with personalized web pages, targeted messaging about the event, a mobile-based game, and information kiosks to enhance engagement.
The results:
• 400% mindshare increase
• 100% year-on-year revenue growth
• 500% increase in demand
• 300% increase in new executive meetings
• 500% increase in new services opportunities
• Perception change from vendor to thought leader
• More client invitations for pursuits in lines of business
• Chosen as a preferred partner for client mobility projects
Plex
Plex is the leading manufacturing cloud ERP software provider. An effective ABM tactic that they utilized was personalizing their website and landing pages based on target accounts. This personalization was based on both visitors identified in marketing automation and their CRM systems, as well as for unknown target accounts who hadn’t opted into an email yet.
Home page creative, messaging, recommended content, and even calls-to-action were all dynamically changed based on the account viewing the home page. Plex saw a 76% increase in pipeline sourced leads from their ABM campaign.
DLT
DLT, a $900 million IT solutions provider, has leveraged their strategic partnerships with top IT companies to develop customized solutions for clients in the public sector. Similar to Plex, DLT personalized their home page with specific hero images tailored to specific account target markets; e.g., a classroom for education institutions, fighter jets for the DoD, etc.
Even a simple effect like this increased their quote requests by 40% in just one quarter.
With metrics like this, it’s no wonder so many companies consider ABM a crucial part of their marketing mix in 2020.
This is Part 2 of a two-part series on Account-Based Marketing. If you missed Part 1, you can find it here.