8 Steps to Successful ABX Rollout

By Payal Parikh, VP of Client Services at Heinz Marketing

If you are just getting started in your ABX journey, you’ve landed at the right place. We have learned some things along the way, helping so many organizations successfully roll out an Account-Based Experience in their organization. Rolling out an Account-Based Experience (ABX) program requires a strategic approach and a focus on personalized, targeted engagement with your target accounts. Here are some steps to help you successfully roll out ABX in your organization. And this framework is good for those that have or don’t have a fancy ABM tool in their tech stack – it doesn’t matter. I would start with aligning the people and process first and then get into the tool. Even if you have the tool and you are having issues with adoption, don’t worry, you are still in the right place.

Let’s get started step by step on a successful ABX journey:

1. Align your teams:

ABX requires alignment across your marketing, sales, and customer success teams. Make sure all teams are aligned and understand the goals and objectives of the ABX program. Communicate clearly the ‘why’ behind the entire initiative:

• • Traditional B2B marketing focuses on individuals
  • Most purchase decisions are made by a committee. The typical B2B buyer has anywhere between 7-15 internal stakeholders
  • Building consensus internally is the #1 biggest external obstacle to closing deals
  • Coordinating sales & marketing efforts is key
    • Increase close rates
    • Accelerate the velocity of deals

2. Identify your target accounts:

Identify the accounts that are most important to your business. Use data analysis and research to identify key decision-makers and influencers within these accounts. You can also build a target account list based on your pre-defined ICP

3. Segment your accounts:

There are multiple ways for account segmentation. You can start by vertical and then further segment those accounts based on their intent and engagement level. Focus hyper-personalized efforts providing 1:1 outreach to accounts that show a high level of intent and engagement. Design ABX programs focused on 1:Many, 1:Few, and 1:1 efforts for your target accounts. A further level down for segmentations is then based on Personas. The pain points and needs for Business personas will be different than Technical personas.

4. Develop a messaging and content framework:

Develop a messaging framework that speaks to the specific needs and pain points of each segment. This will help you tailor your messaging to each segment and increase the effectiveness of your outreach. Create content that is tailored to each segment of your target accounts. This can include white papers, case studies, webinars, and other resources that address the specific challenges and opportunities of each segment.

5. Build a multi-channel approach:

Build a multi-channel approach that includes a combination of email, social media, direct mail, and other channels. Use data analysis to identify the channels that are most effective for each segment of your target accounts. Again, keep the 1:Many, 1:Few, and 1:1 efforts in mind and use your channels accordingly.

6. Personalize your outreach:

Use personalization to tailor your outreach to each segment of your target accounts. This can include customized messaging, personalized content, and personalized offers and incentives.

7. Most important step to ABX rollout is team training!

Train your teams: Train your marketing, sales, and customer success teams on the ABX program and how to effectively engage with target accounts. Provide ongoing training and support as needed. We recommend developing a step-by-step checklist for the sales team since their day-to-day is changing. Following up with accounts or MQAs is different than following up with leads. Quality takes over quantity. More time is needed to research and build the buying committee. The more hand-holding you do now, the more chances of your ABX being a hit!

8. Lastly, as with any other new initiative, measure and refine.

• Measure the effectiveness of your ABX program regularly and refine your approach based on the data.
• Use A/B testing and other techniques to optimize your messaging, content, and outreach.
• Review progress with sales teams every week
• Understand their roadblocks and help them overcome them to get better results
• Here’s a list of Top ABM Metrics you should be tracking

By following these steps, you can successfully roll out ABX in your organization. Remember to stay focused on personalization and targeted engagement, and you’ll be well on your way to building long-term relationships with your target accounts.

Let us know if we can partner with you in your ABX journey. Reach out to us for a free 30 min consultation! payal@heinzmarketing.com.