Full-Funnel B2B Marketing Show Episode 68: Developing a centralized ABM playbook and scaling ABM with Andy Culligan
Nov 1, 2021
49:40
I sat down with Andy Culligan to nail down the process and discuss:
- How to build a centralized ABM playbook from scratch
- How to onboard and train sales on ABM programs properly
- How to scale ABM
RESOURCES
6-Weeks ABM Playbook: https://fullfunnel.io/account-based-marketing-playbook
Full-Funnel Insider - A Marketing Newsletter For B2B Marketers: https://fullfunnel.io/marketing-newsletter/
Join our community for B2B marketers - The Trenches: https://sendfox.com/trenches
Upcoming events: https://lu.ma/fullfunnel/events
Full-Funnel Marketing Content Hub: https://fullfunnel.io/blog
HOW TO DEVELOP A CENTRALIZED ABM PLAYBOOK AND SCALING ABM: 5 STEP PROCESS
Here is a 5-step process I use to develop a centralized ABM playbook for marketing and sales teams.
1. ๐๐๐ & ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Playbook includes:
โ Buying committee structure (job roles), typical goals, needs, and pain points.
โ Account qualification and disqualification criteria including verticals, geo & firmographic
โ Buying triggers (triggers that prove the account might be potentially interested in a product)
โ # of accounts for the ABM campaign
2. ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Playbook includes:
โ Information should be collected about accounts (Account strategic initiatives, Personaโs KPIs, challenges, and potential needs)
โ Proofs that the product might fulfill accountsโ needs
โ Value hypotheses (how product can help to fulfill existing needs/achieve goals)
3. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ-๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ.
โ Type of warm-up programs (paid content nurturing, content collaboration, social engagement, etc.)
โ Length of a warm-up program
โ Engagement threshold/outreach triggers (proofs that account might be interested in a further product discussion)
4. ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค.
Playbook includes:
โ # of outreach touches via channels (direct mail, email, phone, social, SMS)
โ Conversation scenarios
Sales should always start from a phone call because this is the best opportunity to:
โ Address all the concerns and generate sales opportunities
โ Identify the root and the real objections that can be used as new disqualification criteria you can use for account list building.
โ Figure out what grabs the attention and pass this info to marketing to refine the value proposition.
5. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐.
Dashboard includes:
a) Metrics
โ # of engaged accounts
โ # of positive replies
โ # of sales-qualified opportunities
โ sales pipeline value
b) Account research status including every buying committee member.
c) Account engagement (website visits, event sign-ups, etc.)
d) Campaign analysis and takeaways
TLDR;
Without a centralized playbook that aligns sales and marketing, even the most creative ABM campaign is doomed beforehand.
Andy on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-culligan/
- How to build a centralized ABM playbook from scratch
- How to onboard and train sales on ABM programs properly
- How to scale ABM
RESOURCES
6-Weeks ABM Playbook: https://fullfunnel.io/account-based-marketing-playbook
Full-Funnel Insider - A Marketing Newsletter For B2B Marketers: https://fullfunnel.io/marketing-newsletter/
Join our community for B2B marketers - The Trenches: https://sendfox.com/trenches
Upcoming events: https://lu.ma/fullfunnel/events
Full-Funnel Marketing Content Hub: https://fullfunnel.io/blog
HOW TO DEVELOP A CENTRALIZED ABM PLAYBOOK AND SCALING ABM: 5 STEP PROCESS
Here is a 5-step process I use to develop a centralized ABM playbook for marketing and sales teams.
1. ๐๐๐ & ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Playbook includes:
โ Buying committee structure (job roles), typical goals, needs, and pain points.
โ Account qualification and disqualification criteria including verticals, geo & firmographic
โ Buying triggers (triggers that prove the account might be potentially interested in a product)
โ # of accounts for the ABM campaign
2. ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Playbook includes:
โ Information should be collected about accounts (Account strategic initiatives, Personaโs KPIs, challenges, and potential needs)
โ Proofs that the product might fulfill accountsโ needs
โ Value hypotheses (how product can help to fulfill existing needs/achieve goals)
3. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ-๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ.
โ Type of warm-up programs (paid content nurturing, content collaboration, social engagement, etc.)
โ Length of a warm-up program
โ Engagement threshold/outreach triggers (proofs that account might be interested in a further product discussion)
4. ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค.
Playbook includes:
โ # of outreach touches via channels (direct mail, email, phone, social, SMS)
โ Conversation scenarios
Sales should always start from a phone call because this is the best opportunity to:
โ Address all the concerns and generate sales opportunities
โ Identify the root and the real objections that can be used as new disqualification criteria you can use for account list building.
โ Figure out what grabs the attention and pass this info to marketing to refine the value proposition.
5. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐.
Dashboard includes:
a) Metrics
โ # of engaged accounts
โ # of positive replies
โ # of sales-qualified opportunities
โ sales pipeline value
b) Account research status including every buying committee member.
c) Account engagement (website visits, event sign-ups, etc.)
d) Campaign analysis and takeaways
TLDR;
Without a centralized playbook that aligns sales and marketing, even the most creative ABM campaign is doomed beforehand.
Andy on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-culligan/