Build and execute effective account-based marketing pilot programs at any point in your ABM journey
An ABM pilot is a focused program that tests personalized strategies for high-value accounts. As it delivers measurable results for your account based marketing program, it lays the groundwork for future campaigns and growth.
You may have already been researching ABM platforms to launch your pilot campaign—6Sense, Demandbase, or something similar—which is a good starting point.
The broad strategy of an ABM pilot campaign is to select your most relevant, high-value target accounts, and begin marketing to them strategically.
A pilot campaign typically four to six months. This is enough time to determine if the current strategy will deliver the results you want. Expect to see results on the earlier side of the timeline as our pilot campaigns are dynamic and respond to data in real time.
We recommend starting with about 10 accounts. To identify targets for your ABM pilot campaign, an ideal account selection process includes:
ABMA methodology establishes clear roles and responsibilities. You will see more meaningful results sooner and throughout your program when everyone plays a part. Our process:
Your ABM goals should be in line with your revenue goals. The ABM Agency works directly with your team to agree on goals, KPIs, and how they inform a larger ABM campaign and program. These smaller goals can include:
The limited length of a pilot program often means determining different ways to gauge success.
An ABM pilot campaign helps you determine what’s needed for the next phase of your ABM program. It provides a scalable template and measurable success metrics to build a larger strategy. Working with an agency that specializes in 1:1 ABM and 1:Few ABM campaigns is the most cost- and time-effective option for your pilot program, plus it delivers stronger ROI.
The ABM Agency implements our proven methodology to launch your pilot campaign within 45-60 days.
Organizations of all sizes run into challenges with team bandwidth and efficacy.
Additionally, you will need to be licensed by third-party platforms and understand how to use the information effectively.
Each individual and tool contributes to the success of your campaign.
The more experienced your ABM team, the better the results. The outcomes of your pilot program will be used to create the framework of your ABM playbook.
The ABM Agency runs pilot campaigns for enterprises at every stage of ABM experience.
You may know how you want to approach your ABM pilot campaign, but your tech stack is what gets you there.
A pilot campaign requires tools to support the marketing efforts.
Our team will audit what you currently have with an eye toward what’s absolutely necessary to run your pilot (see “First things first” section below) . From there, we’ll help you identify what technology you may want to invest in later—your ABM results will help support that larger investment in resources.
Even if your pilot campaign focuses on fewer channels or target accounts than standard ABM, tailored personalization is still crucial for success. If you’re running a 1:1 pilot campaign, we will also target within the account’s buying committee.
We can typically use your existing assets to get started.
If your internal team doesn’t have the bandwidth to customize your assets or create new ones for your ABM pilot, our copywriters and graphic designers are ready to help. We develop all assets needed for ABM campaigns—everything from white papers and landing pages to emails, display ads, and infographics. See examples of our work here.
After we’ve outlined a thorough strategy, set up your ABM tools, developed the flight plan, and thoughtfully prepared your assets, The ABM Agency experts will build out all relevant campaigns, including: programmatic, paid search, content marketing, and paid social.
The ABM Agency is a full-service agency that handles every aspect of pilot campaign development and execution.
The launch of an ABM pilot campaign is exciting, especially if it’s your first—there is much to celebrate. Yet, it’s important to remember that the campaign doesn’t have a grand finale or finish line. It’s just the beginning.
The ABM Agency is continuously engaged, monitoring and optimizing your ABM program performance.
We keep everyone informed through our custom reporting dashboards and data visualizations, providing actionable insights such as where each account is located in the sales funnel and the performance of each creative asset. We do the same for 1:Few and 1:1 campaigns.
Increased engagement, higher and faster conversion rates, and increased revenue. Discover the estimated ROI your company could see with an omnichannel ABM strategy.
While a pilot campaign doesn’t require a five-figure tech stack, it does need eight tools to support your marketing efforts:
Company match software: Identify actionable opportunities (e.g., tools that integrate with Google Analytics).
Content Management System (CMS): Efficiently create, edit, publish, and manage content (e.g., WordPress, Magento).
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Engage target accounts effectively (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics).
Marketing automation software: Streamline, automate, and measure your campaigns (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot).
Data visualization software: Bring data from across your organization into one platform for informed decision-making (e.g., Domo).
Access to in-market data: Identify which accounts are actively researching relevant services.
Method of account scoring: Prioritize accounts based on engagement and potential.
Our team will audit your current stack and recommend best options, including using instances of our tech stack. Your ABM pilot program results will help support decisions about larger investments in tech resources.