What is Account-Based Marketing?
A strategic approach that focuses resources on specific high-value accounts
Quick Definition
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a B2B strategy where marketing and sales focus their efforts on a specific set of target accounts, using personalized campaigns designed to resonate with each account.
Account-Based Marketing flips the traditional marketing funnel. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping to catch the right fish, ABM starts with a defined list of target accounts and focuses all efforts on engaging them. Sales and marketing align around shared account goals, creating personalized experiences that resonate with specific companies and buying committees.
In This Guide
Types of ABM
ABM programs typically fall into three tiers based on personalization level and account volume.
- One-to-One (Strategic): Highly personalized for 10-50 top accounts
- One-to-Few (Scaled): Personalized for segments of 50-500 accounts
- One-to-Many (Programmatic): Automated personalization at scale (500+)
- Most teams use a mix of all three tiers
ABM vs Demand Generation
ABM and demand gen serve different purposes but work best together.
- ABM: Focus on named accounts with personalized engagement
- Demand Gen: Cast wide net to generate volume of leads
- ABM excels for enterprise with high deal values
- Demand gen works for broader market awareness
- Best teams do both: ABM for strategic, demand gen for scale
ABM Tactics
Successful ABM uses coordinated tactics across multiple channels to surround target accounts.
- Account-targeted advertising (LinkedIn, display)
- Personalized content and landing pages
- Direct mail and gifting
- Coordinated sales outreach
- Executive events and experiences
- Website personalization for target accounts
Visitor Identification for ABM
Knowing when target accounts visit your website is essential for ABM. Visitor identification reveals not just that an account visited, but which individuals—enabling personalized follow-up to the right stakeholders.
Real-World Examples
- 1A sales team runs one-to-one campaigns for their top 25 strategic accounts
- 2Marketing creates industry-specific content for account segments
- 3An enterprise company gets Slack alerts when target accounts visit their site
- 4A coordinated campaign surrounds key accounts with ads, email, and direct mail
Key Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Account-Based Marketing?
ABM is a B2B strategy that focuses marketing and sales efforts on specific target accounts rather than generating broad lead volume. It uses personalized campaigns to engage named accounts and buying committees.
How is ABM different from demand generation?
Demand gen casts a wide net to generate leads at scale. ABM focuses resources on specific named accounts with personalized engagement. Most successful teams do both.
How many accounts should I target with ABM?
Start with 50-100 accounts for one-to-many ABM. For high-touch one-to-one ABM, target 10-25 strategic accounts. Scale up as you prove the model.
What tools do I need for ABM?
Core tools include visitor identification (Bullseye), account-based advertising (LinkedIn), CRM/marketing automation, and intent data. Start simple and add tools as you scale.
Related Resources
Comprehensive Guides
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Related Terms
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Related Definitions
What is Website Visitor Identification?
Website visitor identification is technology that uncovers the identity of anonymous website visitors by matching browser signals to databases of known contacts, revealing names, emails, companies, and job titles.
Learn moreWhat is Buyer Intent Data?
Buyer intent data is information indicating that a company or individual is actively researching a particular topic, product category, or solution—showing purchase consideration before direct engagement.
Learn moreWhat is Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the process of identifying, attracting, and capturing information from potential customers who have shown interest in your product or service.
Learn moreWhat is Sales Intelligence?
Sales intelligence encompasses the data, tools, and insights that help sales teams identify prospects, understand their needs, and engage more effectively throughout the sales cycle.
Learn more