Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is gaining traction among B2B companies looking to drive higher-value sales through personalised engagement. Unlike traditional lead generation, ABM treats high-priority accounts as individual markets, enabling marketing and sales teams to deliver tailored messaging at each stage of the buying journey.
While ABM can significantly improve revenue and customer relationships, it is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Before committing resources, it is essential to assess whether ABM aligns with your business model and goals. Use this checklist to determine if ABM is the right fit for your organisation.
ABM readiness checklist
- Do you have long sales cycles?
ABM works best for businesses with extended sales cycles, typically involving multiple decision-makers. If your sales process spans months rather than weeks, ABM can help maintain engagement and guide key accounts through the buying journey.
- Are your deals high-value?
ABM is most effective when targeting accounts that represent substantial revenue opportunities. If your business focuses on high-value contracts rather than transactional sales, investing in a personalised ABM approach can deliver better returns.
- Do you have clearly defined ideal customer profiles (ICPs)?
A successful ABM strategy requires a well-defined ICP based on firmographics, technographics, and behavioural data. If you can confidently identify your best-fit customers, ABM can help focus efforts on the accounts most likely to convert.
- Is there strong alignment between marketing and sales?
ABM demands close collaboration between marketing and sales teams. If your organisation already has a culture of alignment and shared accountability, ABM can enhance these efforts. However, if communication between teams is weak, implementation may be challenging.
- Do you have the right technology in place?
A robust tech stack – including a CRM, marketing automation, and analytics tools – is crucial for tracking and optimising ABM efforts. If your organisation has the infrastructure to manage personalised campaigns at scale, ABM is a viable strategy.
When ABM may not be the best fit
Your sales cycles are short, and deal values are low: If your business thrives on high-volume, low-cost transactions with quick turnaround times, ABM may not provide the best return on investment.
You lack internal resources or alignment: ABM requires dedicated resources for content creation, targeted outreach, and campaign management. If your marketing and sales teams lack bandwidth or struggle to collaborate, ABM may be difficult to execute successfully.
Next steps
If you answered ‘yes’ to most of the questions in the checklist, ABM could be a strong fit for your business. The next step is to refine your ICPs, strengthen marketing and sales collaboration, and ensure your technology stack can support an ABM strategy.
Want to assess your company’s ABM readiness in more detail?
