6 actionable tips to align marketing and sales for ABM success

Account-based marketing, when done right, has proven itself to be a leading strategy for driving revenue.

According to the ABM Leadership Alliance, 87% of marketers report higher ROI with ABM than with other marketing approaches.

But here’s the catch: ABM works best when marketing and sales are aligned. Research shows that marketing and sales teams that adopt an ABM strategy together, and invest time in refining their processes, are up to 6% more likely to exceed their revenue goals compared to teams that don’t.

So how can companies ensure their marketing and sales teams work together effectively to make ABM a success?

Here are eight actionable tips to help you better position your teams for improved ABM outcomes.

Tip 1: Involve sales before day one

A successful ABM strategy begins with getting full buy-in from sales well before any campaigns are even planned.

Too often, marketing teams develop strategies in isolation and then hand them off to sales, expecting a seamless transition.

This approach doesn’t work nearly as well.

To succeed, it’s not enough to simply schedule alignment meetings. You first need to sell the vision of ABM and demonstrate why it’s a ‘must-have’, not just a ‘nice-to-have’. Otherwise, even the best strategies can fall flat.

Before you work together to create a joint roadmap for identifying target accounts, consider running dedicated ABM awareness workshops for your sales team. These sessions will set the stage for a successful partnership by:

• Providing an overview of what ABM is and how it differs from traditional marketing
• Explaining the strategic reasons why your business is adopting ABM and the problems this approach is designed to solve
• Highlighting the benefits of the ABM program for sales and how it will help them engage more effectively with high-value accounts and close more deals
• Clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations for both teams
• Naming key internal contacts for all account-based activities, ensuring clear communication and accountability

Tip 2: Set clear processes for communication

A lack of communication outside of scheduled alignment meetings can hinder the success of ABM. This often happens when teams operate in silos, leading to missed opportunities or duplicated efforts.

To avoid this, set clear communication protocols between marketing and sales. Define how frequently teams will communicate, which platforms they’ll use, and who is accountable for specific tasks. A well-structured communication process ensures everyone stays informed and aligned on key activities.

Leverage project management tools such as Trello or Asana to centralize communication and give all team members full visibility into campaign progress, updates, and potential roadblocks.

Tip 3: Identify and empower ABM advocates within your sales team

In many organizations, sales teams are often pressured to deliver on short-term, quarter-by-quarter goals, which can create a disconnect with the longer-term vision of ABM.

That said, there are salespeople who prioritize building lasting relationships over immediate sales numbers. These individuals are invaluable to your ABM strategy, as they can help bridge the gap between marketing and sales while ensuring both teams work toward common goals.

Look for those who are not solely focused on immediate sales but are also invested in nurturing relationships with customers. Work closely with them to align your ABM initiatives with their long-term objectives, providing them with the data, insights, and assets they need to engage effectively with key accounts.

Tip 4: Provide context (not just content)

The sheer volume of product and service information available to B2B customers has never been higher.

According to Gartner, B2B buyers allocate only 17% of their purchasing journey to discussions with potential suppliers, spending the majority of their time conducting independent research on vendors and the broader industry.

While this wealth of easily accessible information is valuable, it has also complicated the buying process, making it difficult for customers to sift through it all effectively.

With the vast amount of data available, simply providing more information is not enough. For this reason, marketers should help sales reps adopt a ‘sensemaking’ approach, encouraging them to act as advisors rather than just sellers.

Provide key context so that sales reps can help prospects organize and interpret the information, guiding them through complex buying decisions. When sharing content with key accounts, they should be ready to offer context that connects the material to what the prospects have already reviewed.

Marketers can also contribute to sales and marketing alignment by creating content that transcends basic data presentation, helping buyers evaluate their options more effectively. This might include resources like checklists, comparison guides, or ROI calculators that outline the benefits of your solution in a structured format.

Tip 6: Centralize your resources

One of the biggest disconnects between sales and marketing is content distribution.

When marketing teams create valuable content, sales teams may not know it exists or they may struggle to find it when they need it. This results in missed opportunities to engage prospects effectively.

To overcome this challenge, create a centralized content hub or library where sales can easily access all ABM-related resources. Marketing should ensure that content is organized by buyer stage, persona, or account need so that sales can easily find the right assets at the right time.

Tip 7: Promote social selling

Social selling is a process where your sales and marketing teams leverage social media to build meaningful relationships.

It’s becoming an increasingly important part of ABM, especially on platforms such as LinkedIn.

Why?

Because sales teams need to build relationships with key decision-makers and influencers within target accounts, and a strong social presence can help facilitate these connections.

Equipping your sales team with the necessary skills will help you maximize the benefits of social selling.

This includes training them on the fundamentals of social selling, like creating an impactful LinkedIn profile, engaging thoughtfully with relevant content, and nurturing relationships through online interactions.

Marketing can also play a supportive role by supplying relevant content that sales reps can share on their social platforms, ensuring that messaging remains consistent and aligned across both teams.

What’s next?

When marketing and sales work together cohesively, they not only drive higher ROI but also build sustainable relationships that lead to long-term business growth.

However, cross-team alignment is only a piece of the ABM puzzle.

Download our ABM playbook to learn about the other critical pieces.