格恩-2017_ABM目标客户营销调查报告（英文版）-2018-17页

ABM Adoption and Challenges in B2B Organizations

Core Content Summary

This report provides an overview of the current state of account-based marketing (ABM) adoption among B2B organizations based on the Second Annual ABM Benchmark Survey by Demand Gen Report. It highlights the maturity level, challenges, and future plans of companies implementing ABM strategies.

Key Findings

• ABM is still in early stages for most B2B organizations:

  • 52% of respondents said their ABM strategy had been in place for less than six months.
  • 76% have had their ABM strategy in place for less than a year.
  • 56% described their ABM efforts as being in the "early stages of testing our ABM program."
  • Only 7% have a dedicated ABM platform integrated into their tech stack.

• ABM is meeting or exceeding expectations:

  • 74% of respondents indicated that their ABM efforts are meeting or exceeding organizational expectations.

• Adoption has increased significantly:

  • Compared to the 2016 survey, where 47% had an ABM strategy, more than half now have one in place.

Main Strategies and Tools

• Account targeting:

  • 39% target 1–50 accounts.
  • 28% target 500+ accounts.
  • 58% use internal knowledge to define their ideal customer profile (ICP), but only 44% have sales and marketing teams aligned on ICP.

• Data usage:

  • 39% plan to use predictive data.
  • 30% plan to use technographic data.
  • 27% plan to use psychographic data.
  • 19% plan to use firmographic data.
  • Only 19% currently use intent data to identify new customers.

• Content and engagement:

  • 35% are creating personalized/custom content for each account.
  • 54% use targeted executive event invitations.
  • 46% use interactive content tailored by industry/role.
  • 41% use account-based advertising tools.
  • 39% use web personalization tools.
  • 36% use video content.
  • 35% use influencer/advocate-related content.

Technology Stack

• Analytics and reporting tools are the most widely used (72%).
• Campaign execution and orchestration tools are also used (60%), though there was a drop from 91% in the previous year.
• Data and augmentation tools are used by 46%, with 33% planning to use them and 21% not planning to.
• Predictive analytics tools (42%), intent monitoring tools (36%), and insights and intelligence tools (35%) are the top planned tools.

Challenges

• Sales and marketing alignment is the top challenge (45%).
• Proving ROI/attrbution (36%) and lack of internal resources (36%) are also major issues.
• Other challenges include:
  • Personalization at scale (38%)
  • Lead-to-account mapping (24%)
  • Identifying ideal accounts (21%)
  • Data enrichment (19%)

Integration with Demand Generation

• 52% of marketers still prioritize traditional demand generation over ABM.
• 29% have integrated demand generation and ABM processes.
• 16% prioritize ABM over traditional demand generation.
• Many marketers are still trying to find the right balance between the two approaches.

Use of External Agencies

• 37% of B2B brands have not used nor plan to use an external agency or consulting partner for ABM.
• For those that have used agencies, the top uses include:
  • Developing content assets (27%)
  • Designing creative/campaign themes (26%)
  • Setting an overall ABM strategy (22%)
  • Selecting and integrating tools (14%)

ABM Measurement

• 49% measure net-new accounts engaged.
• 46% track win rate.
• 42% measure contribution to pipeline revenue and number of qualified accounts.
• 41% track pipeline velocity.
• 31% use account engagement scores.

4 Keys to Better Marketing and Sales Alignment

1. Secure buy-in from sales leadership.
2. Show the numbers to demonstrate ABM's value.
3. Set clear expectations for sales involvement.
4. Run a pilot to prove ABM's effectiveness.

Conclusion

Despite the early stage of ABM adoption, the majority of B2B organizations are seeing positive outcomes. The report emphasizes the need for alignment between marketing and sales, investment in data and technology, and strategic use of content and engagement tactics to drive success in ABM. As ABM continues to evolve, organizations must focus on improving their processes, tools, and measurement capabilities to fully realize its potential.