Why ABM Strategies Often Fall Short and How to Fix Them

Introduction

In this episode of the MarTech Podcast, Nadia Davis, VP of Marketing at CaliberMind, shares her expertise on transforming failing Account-Based Marketing (ABM) programs into revenue-generating engines. With 42% of businesses struggling to measure ABM effectiveness according to Gartner Digital Marketing, Davis offers valuable insights on how to overcome data challenges and align sales and marketing efforts to create truly effective ABM strategies that deliver measurable results.

ABM vs. Good Targeting: Understanding the Difference

Davis explains that while good targeting is a tactic facilitated by ABM platforms, true Account-Based Marketing is a comprehensive strategic go-to-market motion. "ABM goes way beyond just the programmatic arm of what you do," Davis emphasizes. "It goes way beyond the divide between marketing and sales, because without the sales counterparts, you ca ot do ABM." Effective ABM requires deep research into target accounts, understanding perso el changes, technology stacks, and business challenges to create truly personalized engagement. This level of personalization ca ot be achieved through targeting technology alone but requires collaborative effort between marketing and sales teams working in concert.

The Multi-Cha el ABM Approach

Successful ABM strategies leverage multiple cha els throughout the buyer's journey. At the top of the fu el, programmatic advertising provides "air cover" to reach target accounts. Mid-fu el activities include relevant content, webinars, and events tailored to specific account needs. The bottom fu el focuses on high-touch personalization through di ers, conference meetings, and one-to-one engagements. Davis shares a practical example from her experience in the govtech space, where they would personalize live webinars for target accounts by mentioning specific counties and introducing the customer success managers covering those regions—creating a perception that the content was specifically designed for them.

Evolving Metrics for ABM Success

Davis outlines how ABM metrics should evolve as programs mature. Initially, focus on reach and engagement metrics like website visits and content consumption. As the program develops (typically in year two), shift to measuring multi-threading within accounts (increasing the number of engaged contacts), deal sizes, and sales cycle length. The key is defining these metrics upfront: "Decide and agree on what you're going to measure early on, set those expectations," Davis advises. This strategic approach prevents teams from getting lost in the abundance of metrics available through ABM platforms and ensures everyone is aligned on what constitutes success.

Aligning Sales and Marketing KPIs

While marketing and sales naturally operate with different metrics, Davis emphasizes the importance of translating marketing engagement metrics into revenue terms for executive reporting. Marketing typically measures engagement and account qualification (MQAs), while sales focuses on opportunity creation, deal size, and revenue. The challenge is creating a unified reporting structure that acknowledges both teams' contributions to the revenue pipeline. Davis recommends starting by building trust with BDRs who can help sell the ABM concept to account executives: "It's such a cliche to say that, but it's so important for you all to be part of the same go-to-market team when it comes to account-based marketing."

Three Steps to Move Beyond the ABM Starting Gates

Davis recommends a measured approach to implementing ABM. First, start with a small pilot program of 10-20 accounts to test effectiveness for your industry and train internal teams on the process. Second, establish clear goals for what you want to achieve with these accounts before scaling. Third, implement proper reporting infrastructure beyond spreadsheets to track multi-cha el, multi-geography activities. "When you're talking about a lot of stuff happening when you're sleeping, multiple geographies, multiple countries, multiple product lines, multiple stakeholders in the buying groups, you can just spend your days living in those spreadsheets," Davis notes. The right tooling creates a holistic view of both online and offline interactions.

Conclusion

Successful ABM requires more than just good targeting technology—it demands alignment between sales and marketing, consistent messaging across cha els, and evolving metrics that tie back to revenue goals. By starting small, building trust between teams, and implementing proper measurement infrastructure, marketers can transform their ABM programs from engagement engines to revenue generators. The key is maintaining clarity about your ultimate goals, whether that's shortening deal cycles or creating more efficient paths to engagement, and ensuring every activity supports those objectives.