ABM OUTLOOK SURVEY 2018 ABM OUTLOOK SURVEY 2018 An Overview of the State of Account Based MarketingTable of Contents3 About the Study 4 ABM Strategy13 The ABM Team 20 ABM Measurement 26 ABM Challenges 33 Key Takeaways and OpportunitiesAbout the Study In January 2018, Engagio conducted a comprehensive survey of more than 1,260 companies to assess trends in B2B marketing. 37% of responses were from small companies (100 employees or less), 44% of responses were mid-market companies (between 250-2,500 employees), and 19% of responses were from enterprise companies (2,500 and up employees). Results from that survey are used throughout this book; when percentages are used its against a fluctuating total number of respondents in that range. This is an inside look at the state of Account Based Marketing. More specifically, our research examined: lHow companies are utilizing ABM as a strategy lHow organizations are structuring their teams to support ABM lHow ABM can be measured at different stages lThe challenges most organizations are facing regarding ABM Along with showing the results, weve included our interpretation of the data to help you draw insights and apply them as you continue down your ABM journey. The research underscores where companies are at with their ABM programs and the key challenges they are facing. Regardless of your company size or maturity, there is always a need to grow your business and drive efficiency. The data from this survey illustrates how ABM can help. 3. Section 1: ABM Strategy At a glance: ABM Maturity ABM/Demand Gen Mix ABM Budget5 ABM Strategy How would you describe your companys maturity with ABM? 7.22% 23.92% 44.95% 19.07% 4.85%AdvancedNo plans to get startedThinking about getting startedWell underwayJust started 23.9% of companies reported having ABM programs that were well underway or advanced. 6 ABM Strategy Many organizations are still getting started with ABM. In a separate survey by ITSMA and the ABM Leadership Alliance, 89% of respondents reported a higher return on investment (ROI) from ABM than traditional marketing initiatives if their ABM program was in place for more than two years. A vast majority (85%) of companies - even those that have NOT had an ABM program in place for two years - are still seeing better ROI with ABM. Many organizations will use a combination of ABM and also some demand generation. Figuring out the balance will depend on the types of companies you market and sell to. 27.01% 8.14% 64.85%Demand generationAccount-based marketingMix of both What marketing strategies do you currently use? 64.8% of companies are currently using a mix of ABM and traditional demand generation programs.7 ABM Strategy Fewer than 10% of companies are using ABM exclusively while about 27% report using only demand generation a hybrid approach is common for most B2B organizations. “Best-in-class organizations deftly integrate their campaigns and programs to utilize both inbound and outbound marketing tactics, often for different purposes.” Jason Hekl, Vice President 2) Establishing an account foundation; and 3) Running ABM plays. Checklist for Building Alignment 4 DO know why youre doing ABM 4 DO position it as a strategic initiative 4 DONT describe ABM as the next big marketing campaign 4 DO sell it to Sales 4 DONT tell Sales which accounts to go after. (They dont want to be told who to sell to). Get their input and make it a joint process 4 DO agree on resources committed to each style of ABM accounts 4 DONT expect results overnight; big wins in ABM can take a while 4 DO over-communicate to let everyone know whats happening. Section 3: ABM Measurement At a glance: AMB Metrics Measurement Support20 ABM Measurement What ABM measurement do you track? Revenue generated Meetings set Pipeline created21 ABM Measurement Theres no surprise here. But what was surprising was that the top reported metrics were the same metrics that demand generation marketers tracks. Metrics are crucial for all marketers, and the rise of ABM requires a new way of thinking about measuring success. By definition, lead-based metrics are insufficient for ABM because the old models count every lead as “the same.” In ABM, we certainly know this is not the case. Ultimately, you must connect your ABM initiatives to revenue generated. However, with longer sales cycles, multiple people involved on both sides of the table, and many touch points, measurement and attribution can be hard without the right tools. “Revenue generated” was the #1 reported metric for organizations doing ABM. Demand Gen Account Based Marketing “Person-centric” “Account-centric” lDecision maker lEnd users lInfluencers Up to 17 people influence enterprise purchases (up from 10 in 2011)22 ABM Measurement It is about asking the right question, at the right time: There are three main categories of ABM analytics: l Engagement: Am I creating and deepening relationships with target accounts? You can evaluate engagement for EARLY stages of ABM initiatives. l Journeys: How do accounts move through buying journeys to desired outcomes (e.g. pipeline and revenue)? This is a mid-stage measurement - are you doing a good job moving accounts to the next stage (ex: MQA -> opportunity) l Attribution: Which marketing activities work? What is the return on investment of my marketing programs? 1. We just launched the pilot/initiative - are we engaging people at our target accounts? 2. What % of our accounts are we progressing to the next stage? - ex: meetings, pipeline, cross-sell? 3. We ran four types of program initiatives - which worked best?23 ABM Measurement Measuring impact of ABM Attribution Orchestrating account interactions running plays Developing account plans insights Where would you like to see more ABM content published by analysts or vendors?24 In ABM, teams need a quantifiable way of measuring success as accounts develop and progress through the stages to becoming a customer. Here is a helpful framework to use: ABM Measurement When asked what content theyd like to see published more, the #1 topic was “measuring the impact of ABM.” For a deep dive into how you can measure each of these three categories and for a full understanding of ABM analytics in general, download Engagios Clear and Complete Guide to ABM Analytics. The Framework for ABM Analytics TYPE METRIC DESCRIPTIONAm I creating and deepening Accounts Engagement relationships with my targetaccounts?How do accounts move through their Journeys Outcomes buying journeys towards the outcomes(pipeline, revenue) we care about?What is the marketing return on Programs ROI investment on my programs(multi-touch attribution)?