Account-based marketing (ABM) might be your B2B MVP in 2023. Digital marketing methods are improving ABM outreach and reducing costs, making it easier than ever before to get in close contact with key stakeholders at high-priority target firms with in-depth research, fine-tuned targeting, and constant online outreach.

 If you’ve started or considered starting an ABM program to develop your business’ relationships with key potential clients and partners in 2023, you’re not alone. ABM is being widely adopted by B2B businesses across all industries.

In a 2022 study by Forrester, 80% of respondents had started their ABM programs within the last two years – a massive and sudden upsurge of interest in a marketing strategy that’s as old as the hills. 

Those numbers are only going up in the post-pandemic online-first economy, where business leaders are increasingly accessible on free platforms like LinkedIn and social media. Decision-makers at the top firms you want to work with are online too – making them as accessible as anyone else with online marketing tools.

Great Content is Key for ABM Marketing

 If you’re looking into ABM strategies in 2023, you’ve also likely adopted or considered content marketing as part of your business’s marketing strategy. It’s the thing to do in digital marketing, after all – content is the fuel for your business’ SEO, digital advertising, etc., and that’s not changing anytime soon.

 And if you’re considering adding ABM to your marketing strategy, content is going to become an even more important part of your outreach. In a modern ABM campaign, content is a key component every step of the way.

 ABM, powered by a digital solutions firm like LSC Marketing Group, is about constantly advertising to your target audience – just like any form of digital marketing in 2023, but with the target audience being a well-researched, handpicked set of key accounts.

What Types of Content for ABM Campaigns?

In your ABM campaigns you’ll be using videos, blog posts, articles, eBooks, guides, webinars and more in all of your ABM campaigns – and that’s just online. As you cultivate personal relationships with your future clients and partners, you’ll find old-school methods are a great way to build closer contacts as well.

How about mailing out a well-produced magazine or pamphlet with your latest research on industry trends – issues you know you can help your target client with, and have already demonstrated expertise in via your online outreach? Or a gift basket, carefully handpicked from your online research, as a thank you to a key webinar attendee? Even the classic handwritten letter is a form of content.

The key to your content strategy in an ABM campaign is to make it personal – a challenge that becomes easier with deeper research. The more you know about your target accounts, the more you can craft content that will grab immediate attention and foster a sense of personal connection – making it far more likely for your targets to become interested in what your business has to offer.

Account Based Marketing Targeting Strategies

 There are two main ways to craft your ABM campaigns – targeting individuals and targeting groups:

• Individuals refers to keyholders, C-suite execs, the individual decision-makers that can single-handedly make it happen.
• Groups refers to subsets of individual accounts that have similar roles in one or several organizations – department managers, for example, that may take an interest in your business’ offer and provide an inroad. 

 Both of these will require distinct approaches to your ABM content.

ABM for Individual Targets 

With in-depth research, individuals can be marketed to with extremely personalized content. Find out what your individual target’s likes and interests are as well as their current business goals, needs and pain points. Combine the two in your content to catch attention, demonstrate the value your business can provide to theirs, build rapport, and demonstrate your commitment to building a strong relationship.

ABM for Group Accounts

For groups of accounts, provide value with content that genuinely benefits your target group, something related to the aspect of their jobs that intersects with your business. Original research is always a great idea – it provides value for free, building rapport, and is a great way to show your expertise to potential clients.

For both groups, you’ll be utilizing all the digital marketing tools at your disposal – SEO, digital ads, email, and social media, along with LinkedIn. Video is going to be a powerful way to catch and hold attention across the board. Address your target audience’s needs and interests, show them a face and let them hear a voice that understands and can help, and they will be far more likely to interact with you and your business.

After all, if you’re already showing up in their social media and professional networking feeds, their YouTube and Google search with relevant content, they’re all the more likely to respond positively to invitations to closer interactions, like a webinar or an online correspondence. Keep following up and demonstrating value, each interaction hopefully leading closer to the handshake.

Work With a Professional Marketing Company for ABM

We hope this short guide gives you some ideas on how to take your ABM content to the next level. At LSC, we’re excited about ABM in 2023. We’ve been doing it for over 40 years, helping our clients stay at the forefront of new developments in methods and tech. We have the research, the data and the expertise to get your ABM campaigns going in 2023.

Contact us for information on our full suite of plug-and-play solutions to augment your ABM efforts or get started from scratch.

ABM is Just as Effective for Small Businesses

Even small businesses can reap big benefits by adopting ABM methods fueled by top-notch content.

Small business owners are some of the best at what they do. ABM campaigns conducted with well-researched, personalized content can even the playing field, putting your small business on the radar of top-level decision makers who can benefit from your expertise – and help you take your small business to the next level in 2023.

Contact us to find out how we can help take your small business to the next level with ABM and content marketing.