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How to use account-based marketing to drive customer advocacy

November 17, 2023 | Jimit Mehta

Are you tired of struggling to get your brand recognized in a crowded market? Are you looking for a more targeted approach to marketing that will drive customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals? Account-based marketing (ABM) may be the solution you've been seeking.

ABM is a strategic approach to marketing that focuses on targeting specific accounts, rather than casting a wide net and hoping for the best. By tailoring your marketing efforts to specific accounts, you can create a more personalized and relevant experience for your target customers, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and advocacy.

In this article, we'll delve into the ins and outs of account-based marketing and how it can be used to drive customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing. We'll explore the benefits of ABM and provide tips on how to implement it in your own marketing strategy. Whether you're a small business looking to grow your customer base or a large corporation seeking to deepen relationships with key accounts, ABM has the potential to drive results and drive customer loyalty.

Defining account-based marketing

ABM is a targeted marketing strategy that focuses on specific accounts or customers rather than a broad target market. It involves identifying key accounts, analyzing their needs and buying behavior, and developing personalized marketing campaigns tailored specifically to those accounts. ABM typically involves a combination of targeted advertising, personalization, and account-specific content and messaging.

ABM is often used by B2B companies to target high-value accounts and to build relationships with key decision-makers within those accounts. It can be particularly effective for companies that sell complex products or services that require a longer sales cycle or involve multiple stakeholders.

One key aspect of ABM is the use of data and analytics to identify and target specific accounts. This includes using data about the company's existing customer base as well as third-party data about potential accounts. By using this data to create detailed profiles of key accounts and their needs, marketers can create more targeted and effective campaigns.

Overall, the goal of ABM is to create personalized, relevant, and effective marketing campaigns that drive engagement, conversion, and loyalty among key accounts.

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The benefits of using account-based marketing for customer advocacy

ABM is a targeted, personalized marketing approach that focuses on specific accounts or customers, rather than a broader target audience. When it comes to customer advocacy, ABM can be especially effective because it allows you to build strong, personalized relationships with your most valuable customers. Here are some specific benefits of using ABM for customer advocacy:

  1. Increased loyalty and retention: By focusing on individual accounts and tailoring your marketing efforts to meet their specific needs and preferences, you can foster a sense of loyalty and connection that can help you retain those customers over the long term.

  2. Greater impact and ROI: With ABM, you can allocate your resources more effectively and make sure you're reaching the right people with the right messages. This can lead to a higher ROI and more impactful marketing efforts.

  3. Better targeting: ABM allows you to identify and target key decision makers and influencers within a particular account, which can be especially useful when it comes to building customer advocacy.

  4. Improved collaboration: ABM often involves working closely with sales teams and other stakeholders to identify and target key accounts. This can help improve collaboration and alignment between marketing and sales, which can be beneficial for customer advocacy efforts.

Overall, ABM can be a powerful tool for building strong, personalized relationships with your most valuable customers, which can help drive customer advocacy and loyalty.

Identifying and targeting key accounts

Identifying and targeting key accounts refers to the process of identifying and prioritizing certain accounts or customers as being particularly important to the success of a business. This can involve identifying accounts with the highest potential for revenue or profit, or those that align with the business's strategic goals.

Once key accounts have been identified, the business can then focus its resources and efforts on targeting these accounts, in order to build strong relationships and maximize value for both the business and the customer. This can involve developing targeted marketing campaigns, providing personalized service and support, and regularly monitoring and reviewing the progress of the relationship.

Overall, the goal of identifying and targeting key accounts is to optimize the use of resources and build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with customers that are critical to the success of the business.

Creating personalized marketing campaigns for target accounts

Personalized marketing campaigns are designed to speak directly to individual customers or specific groups of customers in order to increase the likelihood of converting them into paying customers. Target accounts refer to specific companies or organizations that a company is trying to sell its products or services to.

To create personalized marketing campaigns for target accounts, a company would typically gather as much information as possible about the target account and its specific needs and challenges. This could include things like the size of the company, its industry, its location, and its past purchasing history.

Using this information, the company would then create marketing materials that are tailored specifically to the target account, addressing their specific needs and highlighting the benefits of the company's products or services. These marketing materials could include emails, social media posts, advertisements, or direct mail campaigns.

The goal of creating personalized marketing campaigns for target accounts is to make a stronger, more personal connection with potential customers, and to show them how the company's products or services can solve their specific problems or meet their specific needs. By taking the time to understand the unique challenges and needs of each target account, a company can increase the chances of converting them into paying customers and build long-term relationships with them.

Measuring the success of account-based marketing efforts

ABM is a strategy that focuses on targeting specific accounts or organizations with personalized marketing efforts. It aims to build relationships with key decision makers within these accounts and drive revenue by identifying and addressing their needs.

Measuring the success of ABM efforts can help companies understand the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns and make informed decisions about future efforts. Some key metrics to consider when evaluating the success of ABM efforts include:

  1. Pipeline contribution: This measures the impact of ABM on the sales pipeline. It can be calculated by comparing the number of deals in the pipeline before and after the ABM campaign.

  2. Conversion rates: This measures the percentage of target accounts that become customers. It can be calculated by dividing the number of closed deals by the number of target accounts.

  3. Revenue: This measures the total revenue generated from ABM efforts. It can be calculated by adding up the value of all closed deals from target accounts.

  4. Customer lifetime value: This measures the value of a customer over the course of their relationship with the business. It can be calculated by multiplying the average revenue per customer by the average customer lifespan.

  5. Engagement: This measures the level of interaction between the business and target accounts. It can be tracked through metrics such as email open rates, website visits, and social media interactions.

  6. Brand awareness: This measures the recognition and familiarity of the business within the target market. It can be tracked through metrics such as website traffic, social media followers, and media mentions.

By tracking and analyzing these metrics, companies can gain insight into the effectiveness of their ABM efforts and identify areas for improvement.

Using customer advocacy to drive word-of-mouth marketing

Customer advocacy refers to the act of promoting and supporting a company or product through word-of-mouth marketing. This can be done by encouraging customers to share their experiences with friends, family, and on social media, or by creating a customer advocacy program that rewards customers for sharing their experiences with others.

Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool for companies, as it is often seen as more trustworthy and credible than traditional forms of advertising. When a customer advocates for a company or product, it can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers, as the recommendation is coming from a real person who has had a positive experience with the company or product.

To effectively drive word-of-mouth marketing through customer advocacy, it is important to focus on building strong relationships with customers and delivering excellent customer service. This can help to create loyal customers who are more likely to advocate for the company and its products. In addition, companies can encourage customer advocacy by offering incentives or rewards for customers who share their experiences with others, such as discounts or special promotions. By building a community of loyal and engaged customers who are willing to advocate for the company and its products, companies can effectively drive word-of-mouth marketing and drive sales and growth.

Tips for maximizing the impact of account-based marketing on customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing

ABM is a targeted marketing approach that focuses on specific accounts rather than broad target segments. ABM is often used in B2B marketing to identify and engage with key decision makers within target accounts.

There are several ways to maximize the impact of ABM on customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing:

  1. Personalize the marketing experience: ABM allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to specific accounts, so take advantage of this opportunity to personalize the experience for your target accounts. This could include customizing content, messaging, and offers to align with the needs and interests of each account.

  2. Build a strong relationship with key decision makers: ABM allows you to focus your efforts on building relationships with key decision makers within target accounts. By building strong relationships, you can increase the likelihood of customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing.

  3. Foster customer advocacy through exceptional customer service: Providing exceptional customer service can help foster customer advocacy and positive word-of-mouth marketing. Use ABM to identify and prioritize accounts that are most likely to advocate for your brand, and focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience to these accounts.

  4. Leverage social media and online reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to share their positive experiences with your brand on social media and review sites. This can help drive word-of-mouth marketing and increase the reach of your ABM efforts.

  5. Offer incentives for referrals: Consider offering incentives, such as discounts or free products, to encourage customers to refer friends and colleagues to your business. This can help drive word-of-mouth marketing and drive new business to your target accounts.

Summary

ABM is a targeted marketing strategy that focuses on individual accounts rather than a broad audience. It involves creating personalized campaigns for specific accounts with the goal of driving customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing.

To use ABM effectively, it's important to first identify your target accounts and gather as much information about them as possible. This includes understanding their needs, pain points, and challenges, as well as their decision-making process and key influencers.

Once you have a clear understanding of your target accounts, you can create personalized campaigns that speak directly to their needs and challenges. This may include creating personalized content, such as whitepapers or case studies, and using targeted advertising to reach the right people within the account.

Another key element of ABM is building relationships with your target accounts. This involves reaching out to key decision-makers and influencers within the account, as well as engaging with them on social media and other channels. By building strong relationships, you can earn the trust and loyalty of your target accounts, which can lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing.

To drive customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing through ABM, it's also important to focus on delivering a great customer experience. This includes providing top-notch customer service and ensuring that your products or services meet the needs of your target accounts. By consistently delivering a positive experience, you can encourage your target accounts to become advocates for your brand and spread the word about your products or services to others.

In conclusion, ABM is an effective strategy for driving customer advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing by creating personalized campaigns, building relationships, and delivering a great customer experience. By focusing on individual accounts and meeting their specific needs, you can earn the trust and loyalty of your target accounts, which can lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing and ultimately drive business growth.

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