Episode 98: How to blend demand gen and ABM: cohesive full-funnel model with Andrei Zinkevich & Vladimir Blagojević

Full-Funnel B2B Marketing Show

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Join me and Vladimir Blagojevic sharing our cohesive demand gen and ABM model including:
​- How to identify engaged accounts to transfer from demand gen to the ABM team
- How to activate engaged accounts
- How to blend both programs and create an evergreen process
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COHESIVE ABM AND DEMAND GEN MODEL
Demand generation = creating awareness and demand on a target market.
ABM = warming up and activating engaged accounts.
During Fullfunnelverse workshop I hosted last week with Vladimir Blagojević one of the most popular questions was:
How to merge demand generation and ABM?
Here is how I see it.
1. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 creates a pool of engaged accounts that are curious about your product.
2. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚.
You can leverage different sources of intent data to spot these accounts, including:
-Website traffic reveal software
-Social engagement
-Demo/product webinar sign-ups
-Engagement with product-related content hubs
-Comparison on G2 or Capterra, etc
3. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝.
Before adding these accounts to the ABM program, you need to make sure they are engaged enough
Example:
-An account spent more than 30 minutes on the website checking the product page and, at least, one of the case studies.
-Somebody from the buying committee signed up for the product webinar.
4. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 / 𝐈𝐂𝐏 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Tier 1 accounts (highest revenue potential): 1-1 highly personalized campaigns
Tier 2 accounts: vertical-based and job-role based personalization.
Tier 3 accounts: vertical-based personalization.
Retargeting and automated activation (e.g. LinkedIn conversational ads).
I believe that Tier 3 accounts should be generated via demand generation programs.
5. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Even if the account matches ICP criteria, are there any other factors that can tell us that this account is a bad fit?
Examples:
- SaaS with pricing of less than $100 per month
- decision-maker with a sales background
- less than 200 SKUs in the portfolio
6. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡.
We collect all the publicly available insights about the strategic initiatives of the qualified accounts and map out the buying committee.
This is crucial before defining how to market to every specific company and what warm up tactic to use.
7. 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐮𝐩.
Our favorite ways to warm up accounts include 1-1 interaction with the buying committee members, including:
1. Content collaboration (podcast, research, roundups).
2. Events.
3. Social engagement.
8. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
The last part is matching the insights we collected from account research and warm-up program, and creating completely personalized proposals for every buying committee member.
This is where you can leverage a creative outreach (we love to send direct mails).
If the deal is won, we move it to client success. When a client achieved the desired result, you can start an expansion campaign.
If the deal was lost or it is stalled, you'd continue nurturing the account with your demand gen program and non-sales touches.
Vladimir on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladimirblagojevic/
Andrei on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azinkevich/