ABM in the 'Dotlight'

ABM Case Study: 5 lessons from a successful ABM program

5 lessons from
a successful
ABM program

Building a $4.5m+ in pipeline from scratch with an Account-based strategy.

This is the story of our partnership with BlueBotics, a global leader in autonomous navigation technology.
Together, we built a successful ABM program from scratch. The result? BlueBotics grew its reputation, fostered valuable relationships, and drove revenue.
$1m in closed-won revenue, to be precise.
Those are impressive numbers, and our journey brought with it some valuable lessons.
To truly succeed with ABM, these are a few things you should keep in mind.
Want to road test your ABM strategy?

Be realistic
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
In much the same way, you can’t expect spectacular results from your ABM program in just a few months. And it’s important that this is communicated clearly. It may be tempting to promise the world to a client, but you’re almost guaranteed to underdeliver.

We knew from the outset that we had to be honest with BlueBotics about what could be achieved. This is always the case, whether a client is new to ABM or not.
And these expectations should be set throughout a business – from Marketing to Sales, and through to Leadership. Everyone needs to know the destination and how they plan on getting there.

In the case of BlueBotics, we partnered with them at an early stage of their new Marketing rollout. This meant that we could support a team that was growing, just as our efforts progressed.

ABM is all about relationships, and this close contact with BlueBotics offered the opportunity to foster a relationship by working closely with Matt Wade, the company’s Head of Marketing.
Realistic goals and expectations were set early on. There was no magic wand to wave, just a clear direction and alignment across teams.

Define your approach
Communicating your unique value to the market is key to long-term success.
All companies are in a state of evolution.
And this is very much true for the value you bring to the market and the market's understanding of your value proposition.
An Account-based strategy ensures your most valuable accounts not only understand the value you can offer them but also become firm advocates.

This requires all-important alignment between teams, agreement on where you fit within the market, and
crystal-clear messaging.

BlueBotics was at a transition stage when its leadership first reached out to us. Its messaging still reflected where the company had been a few years before. Since then, it had evolved as a business and they had changed how they wanted to approach the market.
They had defined their approach. All they needed was the messaging to match, aimed at the right accounts.
This alignment made getting the messaging right a lot simpler –
an important lesson. A defined approach meant the aim was now to place the customer at the center – to take them on a ‘Hero’s Journey’.

Get close to your accounts
Getting close to your target accounts and developing those relationships is essential for the success of any ABM program.
The first step when we teamed up with BlueBotics, was to determine where it had existing relationships and the depth of those relationships.

Some target accounts had very little awareness at all, a few had only a single established contact, and others had more developed relationships. Each of these required a different approach.
The aim for each account was to build and nurture those relationships. For those at the top of the funnel, this meant creating awareness. Further down the funnel, we had to educate accounts on the value BlueBotics brings and what pain points its products solve.
For each account, the lesson was the same – relationships matter. You need to get close to your target accounts and speak to them as a market of one.
Each account is on a different journey and at a different stage. Knowing them and nurturing those contacts means you can personalize your message, get Sales involved, and start edging toward closing a deal.

Plan for the future
Not everyone is ready to buy your product or use your service.
This is an important lesson and one especially relevant to ABM. It highlights a key aspect of what makes ABM such an effective tool – its longevity.
ABM is not about quick wins and quick revenue. It’s about building reputation and relationships over time; so that accounts know you’re there, they see you as an authority, and they understand how you can help them.
This means that, while they may not be ready to commit straight away, you’ve earned their trust. You’ll be front of mind when it’s time to make a buying decision.
The way to do this is by planning for the future. A multi-channel approach allows you to lay the foundation for a business case that lasts beyond the quick wins. It nurtures that majority of accounts that aren’t yet ready to commit, and is designed to be there when they are.

This is more than an ABM program, it’s a way of doing business.
Take time to think beyond the next few months. Think about what business will look like a year from, or two years from now.

Which accounts may be ready to make a buying decision?
What messaging will you need for them?
What approach should you be taking?
The long-term planning that a multi-channel ABM program brings can set you up for success, years into the future.

It’s not magic
As any ABMer will tell you, doing ABM takes time.
Matt said this may have been his biggest lesson of all. It takes dedication and a lot of hard work.

The work comes not only from creating the strategy, but getting that buy-in from your team, communicating your message, fostering those relationships, and committing to the journey.

ABM is not a magic pill.
If it’s seen as such, there’s every chance it’ll be abandoned before it even gets off the ground. Nobody wants to wait for a magic pill to take effect when they believe its powers should be instant.

The key is to manage expectations.
Have those conversations early on and be clear about your goals, and what the process will be to reach them. If all the above is in place, stick to the program, optimize, and be ready to put in the time.

You’re ready for success
This strategic approach is what set BlueBotics on the path to $4.5m+ in pipeline.

Every program will have its lessons so taking stock is important. Measure throughout the journey, optimize, and be ready to apply what you have learned.
Our partnership with BlueBotics has grown and we’re now working with Matt and his team on a new One-to-many ABM program to further expand their market.
Ready to start celebrating ABM wins? Join a L unch & Learn workshop with our team to find out more about our Account-based Marketing programs at strategicabm, and how your business could benefit from an Account-based approach.