Getting Started with Account-Based Demand Generation

Today’s discussion

1. Why account-based strategies matter for demand gen

2. Designing your first campaign

3. Four sample plays to get you started

Third Culture Grounded in UX Strategy

Recently Account Focused

In case we haven’t met, I’m:

Why account-based strategies matter for demand gen

1. Align your demand gen efforts with your buyers.How do buying groups actually want to purchase from you? Do you facilitate that process?

Your typical funnel works well for many

buyers…

…but some of your most valuable potential accounts really do need

a different process

A few examples: valuable prospects who should not be routed through the typical demand waterfall

Account Set Key Differences Don’t… Do…

Closed-lost opportunities BANT qualified, knowledgeable buyers

Waste time re-qualifying or re-educating

Promote product updates, show mid-funnel content

Competitors’ customers BANT qualified, existing solution in place

Offer top-funnel content, waste time qualifying

Promote differentiators, show testimonials, ungate

videos

Existing customers Existing relationship, existing contract

Offer demos and white papers

Promote “next best buy”, leverage upsell team

“Top 10” accounts Likely complex solution sale, compared to average deal

Run through typical qualification process

Promote VIP events, offer C-suite meetings

1. Align your demand gen efforts with your buyers.

2. Expand your revenue influence Lead based programs artificially limit your influence at relevant points of influence in the buying cycle.

If buyers are self educating more and more, and marketing can’t email open opportunities…

Research before first form submissionLead to MQL

Buying Cycle

SAL to Close

And if deals require up to 17 stakeholders to make a decision…

Known

Unknown

1. Align your demand gen efforts with your buyers.

2. Expand your revenue influence Lead based programs artificially limit your engagement at relevant points of influence in the buying cycle.

How to get started

1. Identify a valuable segment of accounts to start with

2. Define your objective for that segment

3. Prepare your systems and metrics

4. Design the campaign

4 steps to your first campaign

1. Identify a valuable account segmentPossible Segments

Closed-lost opportunities

Buying centers in research mode

Open opportunities

Current customers

Competitors’ customers

Former customers

2. Define your objectivePossible Segments Buyer Need Objective

Closed-lost opportunities Reason to re-engage Rebuild awareness, updates

Buying centers in research mode Win executive support, educate peers Maximize awareness across buying center

Open opportunities Consensus, decision criteria Maximize engagement with bottom-funnel content

Current customers Maximize value from existing investment Promote awareness of “next best buy”

Competitors’ customers Understand differentiators and migration process

Engage with a takeaway offer, educate on differentiators

Former customers Reason to re-engage, updates on problem areas with service Personal meeting with exec

CRM Data Segment Performance

Account Journey Map

3. Prepare your systems

Tech Stack / Capabilities

Account Segment Who are you targeting?

Account Need What does the buying group need in order to advance to the next step?

Display

How can you respond to or target these accounts in each of your channels?

Website

Email

Sales

Retargeting

Direct Mail

4. Design the campaign

Measuring: _____________________

Four plays to get you started

Where to start?• Segments with proven and immediate business value

• Multi-channel campaigns that can be run in “evergreen” mode

• Execution involves relatively small number of people

Account Behavior A new contact downloads top-of-funnel content from your website

Account Need The researcher needs to make a compelling case; win over their peers and superiors

Display Target entire account (or buying center) with brand awareness or solution ads

Website Change offers on primary inbound pages (homepage, blog) to align with account interest

Email Trigger follow-up emails to account activity (e.g. case studies after team meetings)

Sales Deliver account insights and alerts in the CRM for account owners

Retargeting n/a

Direct Mail n/a

1. Help researchers get executive buy-in

Account Behavior An account or buying center is tied to an Open Opportunity

Account Need Answer objections, compare you to competition, build consensus

Email n/a

DisplayTarget account with messaging relevant to the blocking issue or competitor

Retargeting

Website Ungate all resources to maximize engagement and self-education Focus messaging on blocking issue or competitor

Sales Alert sales of daily account activity (including anonymous) Watch “hot” pages for key moments/profiles (pricing, ToS, demo videos)

Direct Mail End of quarter awareness piece

2. Accelerate this quarter’s pipeline

Account Behavior Any new customer eligible for services or value-adds

Account Need Maximize value from their investment with your solution

Email Enter new customers in automated upsell cadence

DisplayIntroduce the services/features with ungated webinars / videos

Retargeting

Website Change demo/contact links to customer-facing CTAs (New features, Announcements) Change gated offers to upsell/cross-sell promotions or case studies

Sales / CSM Alert account managers to buying interest signals on the website (e.g. demo videos)

Direct Mail n/a

3. Create quick upsell opportunities

Account Behavior Accounts you lost to a specific competitors

Account Need Reminders about the value you offer, and incentives to switch

Display Show ads highlighting differentiators to entire account, particularly if <6mos to renewal

Retargeting Retarget according to differentiators + behavioral indicators

Website Run messaging+offers for clients of each major competitor highlighting differentiators Ungate product demo videos and point visitors to “Switching” case study

Email Place account into “switching” offer email cadence if they touch the website

Sales / CSM Automate BDR follow-up campaigns from CRM when account score passes threshold

Direct Mail Used in conjunction with BDR cadence

4. Win accounts from competitors

Remember…• Segments with proven and immediate business value

• Multi-channel campaigns that can be run in “evergreen” mode

• Execution involves relatively small number of people

Discussion time

Appendix

My play: ___________________Account Behavior

Account Need

Display

Website

Email

Sales

Retargeting

Direct Mail

Measuring: _____________________