# ABM Strategy — Account-Based Marketing Framework

## Account Selection

### Scoring Model

| Criteria | Weight | Scoring (1-10) |
|----------|--------|----------------|
| **Firmographic fit** (size, industry, revenue) | 25% | Matches ICP = 10, Partial = 5, No fit = 1 |
| **Technographic fit** (tech stack compatibility) | 15% | Uses complementary tech = 10 |
| **Intent signals** (research activity, content consumption) | 20% | High intent = 10, No signals = 1 |
| **Relationship** (existing contacts, prior engagement) | 15% | Champion identified = 10, No contacts = 1 |
| **Deal potential** (estimated contract value) | 15% | Above avg deal size = 10 |
| **Competitive** (using competitor, contract timing) | 10% | Competitor contract ending = 10 |

**Account Score** = Weighted sum. Segment into tiers:
- Tier 1 (score 80+): 1:1 personalized campaigns (10-25 accounts)
- Tier 2 (score 60-79): 1:Few cluster campaigns (25-100 accounts)
- Tier 3 (score 40-59): 1:Many programmatic campaigns (100-500 accounts)

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## Three-Tier ABM Framework

### Tier 1: 1:1 Strategic ABM
- **Accounts**: 10-25 highest-value targets
- **Personalization**: Fully custom content, messaging, landing pages per account
- **Channels**: Direct mail, custom events, executive outreach, LinkedIn direct
- **Team**: Dedicated AE + marketing resource per account
- **Content**: Account-specific case studies, ROI models, custom presentations
- **Timeline**: 6-12 month nurture cycle
- **Budget**: $5,000-$25,000 per account/year

### Tier 2: 1:Few Cluster ABM
- **Accounts**: 25-100 grouped by shared characteristics (industry, size, challenge)
- **Personalization**: Cluster-level (industry-specific, challenge-specific)
- **Channels**: LinkedIn Ads (account targeting), personalized email, webinars
- **Content**: Industry-specific guides, benchmark reports, peer roundtables
- **Timeline**: 3-6 month nurture cycle
- **Budget**: $1,000-$5,000 per account/year

### Tier 3: 1:Many Programmatic ABM
- **Accounts**: 100-500+ matching ICP criteria
- **Personalization**: Segment-level (dynamic content, firmographic personalization)
- **Channels**: Programmatic display (account-targeted), LinkedIn, email
- **Content**: Broadly relevant thought leadership, category education
- **Timeline**: Ongoing with quarterly refreshes
- **Budget**: $100-$1,000 per account/year

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## ABM Channel Playbook

| Channel | Tier 1 Use | Tier 2 Use | Tier 3 Use |
|---------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| **LinkedIn** | InMail to buying committee, custom Matched Audiences | Account list ads, Sponsored Content | Broader targeting by firmographic |
| **Email** | Hyper-personalized 1:1 outreach | Segment-personalized sequences | Dynamic content by segment |
| **Direct Mail** | Premium gifts, custom packages ($50-200) | Branded items with personal note ($15-50) | Rarely used |
| **Events** | Custom executive dinners, on-site visits | Industry roundtables, VIP webinars | Webinars, virtual events |
| **Content** | Account-specific materials | Industry/challenge-specific | Category-level content |
| **Ads (Display)** | Account-targeted programmatic | Account list display | Lookalike/similar audiences |

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## Sales-Marketing Alignment Protocol

### Shared KPIs
| KPI | Marketing Owns | Sales Owns | Shared |
|-----|---------------|-----------|--------|
| Account engagement score | ✓ | | |
| Meetings booked | | ✓ | |
| Pipeline generated | | | ✓ |
| Deal velocity | | | ✓ |
| Win rate (ABM vs non-ABM) | | | ✓ |
| Account penetration | ✓ | ✓ | |

### Handoff Process
1. Marketing builds engagement score per account (content consumed, ads clicked, events attended)
2. When score exceeds threshold → alert sales with engagement summary
3. Sales reviews and accepts/defers the account
4. Joint strategy session for Tier 1 accounts (weekly)
5. Shared reporting dashboard (updated daily)

### Feedback Loop
- Sales provides weekly feedback: "This content resonated" / "This objection keeps coming up"
- Marketing adjusts content and targeting based on sales feedback
- Monthly ABM review: pipeline progress, engagement trends, program adjustments
- Quarterly: update account lists, refresh scoring model, adjust tiers

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## ABM Measurement Framework

| Metric | Definition | Target |
|--------|-----------|--------|
| **Account engagement score** | Composite of all interactions per account | Increasing trend |
| **Account penetration** | # of contacts engaged / total buying committee | >3 contacts per Tier 1 |
| **Pipeline influence** | % of pipeline sourced or influenced by ABM | >40% of target pipeline |
| **Deal velocity** | Average days from first engagement to close | Faster than non-ABM |
| **Win rate** | ABM accounts closed / ABM accounts engaged | Higher than non-ABM |
| **Average deal size** | ABM deal size vs. non-ABM | Larger for ABM |
| **ROI** | Revenue from ABM / Total ABM program cost | >5:1 for mature programs |
