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Account-based marketing (ABM) has moved swiftly up the adoption curve, due in large part to business to business (B2B) marketers using ABM seeing increased revenue.
The survey, conducted by Demandbase and research firm Demand Metric, found 96 percent of businesses surveyed reported that ABM is a key driver of marketing success.
Additional study findings revealed that 71 percent of B2B organizations are using ABM, are interested in adopting the strategy, or are testing it. Of those who have employed ABM for at least a year, 60 percent attribute revenue increases to its use.
The longer ABM is in use, the more its full-funnel impact is experienced– 43 percent of those using ABM for three or more years report that it impacts the entire funnel, compared to just 12 percent for those who have used ABM for two years or less.
In addition, it appears ABM boosts sales and marketing alignment, with 70 percent of ABM users reporting that their sales and marketing organizations are mostly or completely aligned, compared to 51 percent for non-ABM users.
“Those with just a rudimentary understanding of ABM might assume that it has its greatest impact at the top of the funnel, and it does have an impact there,” the report noted. “The greatest impact, however, is felt in the mid or engagement section of the sales funnel – that critical area where accounts choose to interact further with a vendor.”
More marketers are relying on ABM, with 83 percent of ABM testers and 72 percent of ABM users reporting plans to increase their usage of ABM in the coming 12 months; none have plans to decrease ABM usage.
The survey also indicated organizations of all sizes are adopting ABM–though large companies are currently the heaviest users of ABM at 41 percent. Small companies are the most aggressive testers at 23 percent.
When ABM has been in use for at least a year, 60 percent of users reported a revenue increase of at least 10 percent, and 19 percent reported a revenue impact of 30 percent or greater.
“Marketing has historically had responsibility for the top of the sales funnel with a mission to attract leads into it,” the report noted. “ABM is not only helping marketing teams succeed by bringing the right kinds of accounts into the funnel, but by also extending that influence throughout the funnel.”