Account Based Marketing (ABM) Software
Account-based marketing (ABM) software is a type of marketing technology that helps businesses create and execute marketing campaigns that are targeted specifically at individual accounts, rather than at a broad group of potential customers. The goal of ABM is to deliver highly personalized and relevant marketing messages to specific accounts in order to build relationships, generate leads, and ultimately close deals.
ABM software typically includes tools for managing and organizing target accounts, creating and distributing personalized marketing materials, tracking engagement and progress, and measuring the success of ABM campaigns. These tools may include features such as email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and customer relationship management (CRM).
ABM software is often used by B2B companies that sell to large enterprise accounts, where a more targeted and personalized approach is needed to effectively reach and engage decision makers. It can also be used by businesses of any size that want to focus their marketing efforts on specific accounts and build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers.
What are the features of Account Based Marketing Software?
Here are some common features that you may find in ABM software:
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Account targeting: The ability to select and organize specific accounts that you want to target with your marketing campaigns. This may include features for identifying key decision makers within the target accounts, and for tracking their engagement with your marketing materials.
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Personalization: Tools for creating and distributing personalized marketing materials, such as email campaigns, website content, and social media posts, that are tailored specifically to the interests and needs of the target accounts.
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Lead generation: Features for generating leads from target accounts, such as landing pages, forms, and email campaigns.
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Lead nurturing: Tools for following up with leads and guiding them through the sales process, including automated email campaigns, drip marketing, and lead scoring.
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Customer relationship management (CRM): Integration with a CRM system to help manage customer interactions and data, and track the progress of leads and deals through the sales process.
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Analytics and reporting: Tools for tracking the effectiveness of your ABM campaigns and measuring their results, such as metrics on engagement, lead generation, and conversions.
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Collaboration: Features for enabling collaboration and communication among marketing and sales teams, such as shared calendars, task lists, and project management tools.
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Integration with other marketing tools: The ability to integrate with other marketing technologies, such as marketing automation platforms, social media management tools, and content management systems, to help streamline your marketing efforts.
What are the advantages of using an Account Based Marketing Software?
There are several advantages to using ABM software:
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Targeted marketing: ABM software allows you to create and execute marketing campaigns that are targeted specifically at individual accounts, rather than at a broad group of potential customers. This can help you deliver highly personalized and relevant marketing messages that are more likely to engage your target accounts and drive conversions.
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Improved ROI: By focusing your marketing efforts on specific accounts that are most likely to convert, you can achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) from your marketing campaigns.
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Enhanced collaboration: ABM software often includes tools for enabling collaboration and communication among marketing and sales teams, which can help improve coordination and drive more effective campaigns.
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Better data and insights: ABM software often includes analytics and reporting tools that can help you track the effectiveness of your campaigns and measure their results. This can provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn't, and help you optimize your campaigns for better performance.
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Streamlined marketing efforts: Many ABM software platforms offer integration with other marketing tools, such as marketing automation platforms, social media management tools, and content management systems. This can help streamline your marketing efforts and reduce the time and effort required to manage your campaigns.
What are the different kinds of Account Based Marketing Software?
There are several types of ABM software available, including:
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Standalone ABM platforms: These are standalone software solutions that are specifically designed for ABM and include all the tools and features you need to create and execute ABM campaigns.
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ABM modules within marketing automation platforms: Some marketing automation platforms, such as Marketo and Pardot, offer ABM modules that allow you to create and execute ABM campaigns within the same platform you use for your other marketing efforts.
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ABM integrations with CRM systems: Some customer relationship management (CRM) systems, such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, offer ABM integrations that allow you to manage and execute ABM campaigns from within your CRM system.
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ABM integrations with social media management tools: Some social media management tools, such as Hootsuite and Sprout Social, offer ABM integrations that allow you to create and execute ABM campaigns on social media platforms.
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ABM integrations with content management systems: Some content management systems, such as WordPress and Drupal, offer ABM integrations that allow you to create and execute ABM campaigns on your website and other online channels.
How can I implement an Account Based Marketing Software?
What are the alternatives to implementing an Account Based Marketing Software?
If you don't want to use ABM software, there are several alternatives you can consider for implementing an account-based marketing (ABM) strategy:
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Manually manage your ABM campaigns: You can create and execute ABM campaigns manually using tools such as email marketing software, social media management tools, and content management systems. This can be more time-consuming and require more effort, but it can be a good option if you have a small team or limited budget.
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Use a CRM system: Many customer relationship management (CRM) systems, such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, offer tools for managing and executing ABM campaigns. While a CRM system may not include all the features of a dedicated ABM platform, it can provide a good foundation for your ABM efforts.
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Use a marketing automation platform: Some marketing automation platforms, such as Marketo and Pardot, offer tools for creating and executing ABM campaigns. While these platforms are not specifically designed for ABM, they can be a good option if you already use them for your other marketing efforts.
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Partner with a marketing agency: If you don't have the resources or expertise to manage your ABM efforts in-house, you can work with a marketing agency that specializes in ABM. The agency can help you develop and execute a customized ABM strategy that meets your specific needs.
What factors should be considered when researching and comparing Account Based Marketing Software?
When researching and comparing ABM software, here are some specific factors you should consider:
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Audience targeting: Does the software allow you to target specific accounts and decision makers within those accounts? Is it easy to identify and segment your target accounts?
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Personalization: Does the software offer tools for creating and distributing personalized marketing materials, such as email campaigns, website content, and social media posts?
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Lead generation: Does the software include features for generating leads from target accounts, such as landing pages, forms, and email campaigns?
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Lead nurturing: Does the software offer tools for following up with leads and guiding them through the sales process, such as automated email campaigns, drip marketing, and lead scoring?
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CRM integration: Does the software integrate with a CRM system, and if so, is it easy to use and does it provide valuable insights into your target accounts and leads?
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Analytics and reporting: Does the software offer robust analytics and reporting tools that can help you track the effectiveness of your ABM campaigns and measure their results?
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Collaboration: Does the software offer features for enabling collaboration and communication among marketing and sales teams, such as shared calendars, task lists, and project management tools?
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Integration with other marketing tools: Does the software integrate with other marketing technologies, such as marketing automation platforms, social media management tools, and content management systems?
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Ease of use: Is the software easy to use and navigate, and does it have good user documentation and support resources?
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Cost: What is the cost of the software, and is it a good value for the features and functionality it offers?
What is the typical price of an Account Based Marketing Software?
Some ABM software vendors offer subscription-based pricing that starts at around $500 per month for a small number of users and accounts, while others may charge upwards of $5,000 per month or more for larger enterprise customers.
What are the differences between manually-managed ABM campaigns vs using an Account Based Marketing Software?
There are several key differences between manually-managed ABM campaigns and using ABM software:
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Efficacy: ABM software is specifically designed to help businesses create and execute targeted marketing campaigns, and typically includes a range of tools and features to support these efforts. Manually-managed ABM campaigns may be less effective and require more time and effort to achieve the same results.
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Personalization: ABM software often includes tools for creating and distributing personalized marketing materials, such as email campaigns, website content, and social media posts. This can be more challenging to do manually, and may require more time and effort to achieve the same level of personalization.
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Lead generation and nurturing: ABM software typically includes features for generating and nurturing leads from target accounts, such as landing pages, forms, and automated email campaigns. These features can be more challenging to implement manually, and may require more time and effort to achieve the same results.
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Analytics and reporting: ABM software often includes robust analytics and reporting tools that can help you track the effectiveness of your campaigns and measure their results. This can be more challenging to do manually, and may require more time and effort to gather and analyze the necessary data.
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Collaboration: ABM software often includes features for enabling collaboration and communication among marketing and sales teams, such as shared calendars, task lists, and project management tools. This can be more challenging to achieve manually, and may require more time and effort to coordinate efforts across teams.
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Integration with other marketing tools: ABM software often integrates with other marketing technologies, such as marketing automation platforms, social media management tools, and content management systems. This can help streamline your marketing efforts and reduce the time and effort required to manage your campaigns. Manually-managed ABM campaigns may require more time and effort to coordinate with these other tools.
What are the leading Account Based Marketing Software?
There are several leading ABM software platforms that are widely used by businesses to create and execute targeted marketing campaigns:
Engagio is a standalone ABM platform that offers a range of tools for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
Terminus is a standalone ABM platform that offers a range of tools for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
Demandbase is a standalone ABM platform that offers a range of tools for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
LeanData is an ABM module within the Marketo marketing automation platform that offers tools for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
Pardot is an ABM module within the Salesforce Marketing Cloud that offers tools for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that offers an ABM integration for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns on social media platforms. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
Sprout Social is a social media management tool that offers an ABM integration for targeting, personalizing, and tracking ABM campaigns on social media platforms. It includes features for email marketing, website personalization, lead generation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.