Evolving from ABM to account-based CONTENT marketing (ABCM)

Spoiler alert: we are already in a post-ABM world! Many argue the acronym for account-based marketing started in 1993 when the legendary Don Peppers and Martha Rogers published a book called “The One to One Future.” At that time, ABM was a revolutionary prediction of the future of marketing.

Fast forward 30 years, and I would argue that despite marketing technologies and AI, ABM hasn’t really matured. In fact, in some ways, it continues to go backward to simply being lead generation with account filters. I predict we will not see it mature very much because expectations are remarkably low.

For years, I’ve received calls from junior media and demand gen staffers, saying, “My boss is demanding we do some ABM.”

My response is always, “So, how do you define ABM?”

Inevitably, the reply is that the client will give us a key account list of upper-level domains that their targets use in their email addresses. They also proceed to define the title and function selects that they will accept.

My next question is whether they have content targeted to the titles or the personas (we will get to the superficial nature of personas in an upcoming piece.)

The answer to the content question is, “No, we’re using a generic top-of-the-funnel/educational asset.”

This is where the conversation can become challenging from a “philosophy of ABM” perspective.

Because of the acronym, there is the illusion that ABM is mostly about the accounts. While this makes it easier to execute quickly, the reality is that the driver will always be the prescriptive content designed for those in that account’s collaborative buying teams.

History tells us that there may be upward of 10 influences for IT purchases in the typical healthcare enterprise. They range from strategic CIOs, CTOs, CMOs, CISOs, to, most importantly, nurses and clinicians who use the tech on the front lines.

So, there are two options:
1. Use content of the highest common denominator at the very top of the funnel to smoke out these influences.

2. Have a variety of content that will attract the specific needs and emotions (emphasis on the latter) of the disparate influences to confirm their affinity to a vertical content theme.

Or based on the demographics of those who register for the top of the funnel piece, design a follow-up piece specifically for the function and title that responds.

Needless to say, budgets do not always accommodate assets for dozens of unique influences, but as the buying journey evolves, every effort should be made to have middle and bottom of the funnels themes that can be clustered for personas that have similar interests (e.g. finance, patient experience, security, data, etc.).