My Top Must-Answer Questions for Successful ABM Briefs

Lessons from the field

I've seen a lot of account-based marketing briefs. I mean a lot. Some good and some bad, but all in the end, very critical to the ultimate success of an ABM effort. When the brief is spot on, we kill it. When rushed or half-baked, we sometimes get lucky, but we are often disappointed with the results. Sigh.   

It goes without saying the success of any ABM campaign hinges on a thorough understanding of the target account(s) and their unique need(s). 

The good news is there is so much more data today than ever. With tools like Apollo and 6Sense, CRM, and first-party data, we now have many ways to get nuanced information on accounts and what they need.

So, when building any overarching ABM system or process, a comprehensive ABM brief must be at the core of your ABM system.

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In this blog post, we won't discuss the entire briefing process (which we covered in this past post); instead, I'd like to explore the three most critical questions I want to ensure are answered every time I see a new brief. With these top questions, I know I can build a great ABM effort, but without them, I'm often screwed.

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One quick note before we dive in. In addition to locking down a brief document, it's essential to recognize the importance of having a robust system for interviewing stakeholders and documenting sales needs.

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Before you get into the structure of the brief, I always encourage teams to build their system to train the entire team on what a good briefing is and how it should be performed. Some can be automated (through Salesforce and other systems), and some need old-fashioned collaboration, but to ignore the more extensive process and, say, send the brief out in an email is likely to end in disaster.

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Pro-tip: We've used asynchronous technology to gather brief information in the form of LOOM or VideoAsk, and some sales teams really love it.

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OK, let's get on to the top questions I always make sure are answered in my ABM briefs.

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Question 1: What are the strategic business challenges facing the target account?

This is a big one. Understanding the strategic business challenges of your target account is a non-negotiable for crafting relevant and compelling messaging. While you may only sometimes have direct access to this information, making informed projections based on public information such as earnings releases, industry trends, and competitor analysis is essential.

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By addressing these challenges head-on, I've found that the messaging will resonate with the customer's needs, demonstrating your understanding of their pain points and positioning your solution as the ideal remedy.

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Additionally, knowing (or guessing) the business challenges allows you to create targeted content that speaks directly to the customer's concerns, increasing engagement and building trust. By demonstrating your expertise in solving their challenges, you differentiate yourself from competitors and establish your company as a valuable partner.

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Effective ABM strategy development starts with a deep dive into your target accounts' business challenges. This approach ensures your hyper-targeted and personalized marketing campaigns align precisely with their needs, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Question #2 What intent data is available?

Intent data, such as buying stage and competitive interest, is a goldmine for ABM marketers. By analyzing this data, you can tailor your communications to the buyer's specific mindset, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

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For example, if a prospect is early in the funnel and considering a competitor, focus your messaging on industry challenges and how your solution addresses them vs the rest of the competition. If they're later in the funnel, emphasize pricing, features, and your product's unique value.

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Intent data also lets you prioritize accounts based on their conversion likelihood, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively. There may be good reasons to attack this target account now, but making decisions on go or no go on an account can sometimes come down to the buying stage and the conversion likelihood you uncover in the intent data. It's a gold mine for account prioritization. (Note - I just wrote another blog post here on aligning your strategy to prioritize ABM accounts.)

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OK... for those who don't have intent data available, you should have it. In today's modern ABM campaigns, investing in acquiring it or leveraging your own first-party data to infer intent is essential. This data is too valuable to ignore.

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Successful ABM strategy development hinges on effectively interpreting and acting on intent data. OK... I'm off my intent data soapbox now.

Question 3:  What is the one big message you want to convey to the target account?

In ABM, focus is critical. Rather than diluting your messaging with multiple themes, identify the most important message you want to communicate to your target account. Whether it's your solution's seamless integration, immense value, or unmatched capabilities, ensure this message is front and center in all your communications and make sure it is aligned with the account's challenges.

Supporting messages can reinforce your main point, but never at the expense of clarity and impact.

Focusing on the main message ensures consistency across all touchpoints, creating a unified ABM messaging experience that builds trust and credibility. Furthermore, emphasizing your unique selling proposition makes it easy for potential customers to understand why they should choose your solution over competitors.

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While target account selection is undoubtedly the most critical factor in ABM's success, your messaging must be clear and compelling. This clarity is the cornerstone of successful personalized and hyper-targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive engagement.

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Question 4: How can this ABM campaign support the customers journey?

A successful ABM brief doesn’t just focus on where your target account is today—it must consider the entire journey they are on. Where is the customer now? What knowledge gaps exist? What mindset are they in? And most importantly, where do you need to take them to create clarity, build trust, and drive action?

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Understanding the customer’s current state versus their desired future state informs not only the channels you choose but also the narrative you build across those channels.

Why This Matters:

Customer-Centric Storytelling: Shifting the focus from your company’s offerings to the customer’s experience allows you to craft messaging that resonates with their needs and aspirations rather than sounding like a product pitch.

Channel Relevance: Different stages of the journey call for different channels. Early-stage accounts might engage with thought leadership on LinkedIn, while accounts deeper in the funnel may respond better to personalized direct outreach or case studies.

Narrative Consistency: By mapping the journey, your messaging becomes clearer and more consistent across all touchpoints. This prevents fragmented messaging that can confuse prospects and dilute your impact.

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Pro Tip: Include a simple timeline or journey map in your ABM brief, outlining the key stages the account is likely in and how messaging and channels will evolve at each stage. This ensures alignment between the marketing and sales teams while keeping the focus on the customer’s perspective.

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By acknowledging the customer’s full journey, your ABM brief will become a powerful tool for building trust, aligning teams, and driving more effective, high-performing campaigns.

‍Conclusion

My premise is that a well-crafted ABM brief is the key to unlocking the full potential of your ABM campaigns. When I can answer these three critical questions – understanding strategic business challenges, leveraging intent data, and focusing on one big message – I know I am well on my way to creating campaigns that resonate with my target accounts and drive meaningful results.

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In summary, effective ABM strategy development requires a clear understanding of your target accounts, strategic business challenges, and the ability to create personalized marketing campaigns.

Ready to get started building better briefs?

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Download our free ABM brief template to help your team gather the insights to create winning ABM campaigns. 

FAQs

What is the first step in ABM strategy development?

The first step in ABM strategy development is thoroughly understanding your target accounts' strategic business challenges. This involves gathering and analyzing public information such as earnings releases, industry trends, and competitor analysis.

How can intent data improve my ABM campaigns?

Intent data can improve your ABM campaigns by enabling you to tailor your communications to the buyer's specific mindset. By analyzing intent data, you can prioritize accounts based on their conversion likelihood and ensure your outreach is timely and relevant.

Why is target account selection important in ABM?

Target account selection is essential in ABM because it allows you to focus on accounts most likely to convert. Selecting the proper accounts will enable you to create more personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive engagement.

What should be included in an ABM brief?

An ABM brief should include understanding the strategic business challenges facing the target account, available intent data, and the one big message you want to convey to the target account. This helps ensure your campaign is aligned with the needs of your target accounts.

How do personalized marketing campaigns benefit ABM?

Personalized marketing campaigns benefit ABM by increasing engagement and building trust with your target accounts. Creating content that speaks directly to the customer's concerns allows you to demonstrate your expertise in solving their specific challenges and differentiate yourself from competitors.

How can I ensure consistency in my ABM messaging?

You can ensure consistency in your ABM messaging by focusing on one big message you want to convey to the target account. This helps create a unified brand experience across all touchpoints, building trust and credibility with your audience.

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