Getting Started with ABM in the US: Redes | Prime Chase Data

Many B2B companies in the US are increasing marketing budgets without seeing a stronger pipeline. The reason is simple: volume-based lead generation no longer matches how buyers actually purchase. Enterprise deals, in particular, don’t move with “one lead” — they move through multiple stakeholders and multiple stages. In this environment, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has become one of the most effective ways to drive results in the US.

ABM is not a machine for collecting as many leads as possible. It is an operating model that concentrates sales and marketing resources on winnable accounts to increase the odds of conversion for both teams.

This article is for teams launching ABM for the first time in the US market. It walks through the core operating principles and execution steps in this order: account selection → messaging → channels → measurement → operating rhythm. By the end, you will know exactly what to change first.

Why ABM Has Become a Core Strategy in the US

The US B2B landscape is crowded with technology and service providers, while buyers are more conservative. Security, compliance, and procurement processes slow down deals. At the same time, buyers do most of their research online and engage with sales only later in the journey. ABM is powerful in this environment for three main reasons:

The higher the deal value, the more outcomes depend on win rate, not the sheer number of leads.
In a buying-committee structure with multiple decision-makers, a single, generic message breaks down quickly.
The US market is highly specialized by industry; performance hinges on account-specific context such as regulation, tech stack, and org structure.

ABM is often misunderstood as “just switching ad targeting to accounts.” That alone will only deliver marginal gains. ABM is not a targeting tactic; it is an operating system that aligns sales, marketing, data, and content around the same target account list.

The 3 Types of ABM: 1:1, 1:Few, and 1:Many — Which Should You Choose?

In the US, ABM programs typically fall into three models. The key is to pick the level of personalization your organization can realistically sustain.

1:1 (Strategic ABM)

Deep engagement with a very small number of strategic accounts. This can include fully customized proposals, industry-specific ROI models, and executive-to-executive programs. It works best when deal sizes are large, competition is intense, and sales already has a foothold in the account.

1:Few (ABM Lite or Cluster ABM)

Groups of 10–50 accounts that share common traits such as industry, segment, or technology stack. Messages and content are partially personalized at the cluster and account level. For most teams starting ABM, this is the most practical entry point, offering strong performance without overwhelming the organization.

1:Many (Programmatic ABM)

Hundreds to thousands of accounts, with personalization delivered through automated ads, web experiences, email, and retargeting. This requires mature data and operational capabilities. If you move into this too early, you risk ending up with little more than a “better targeted ad campaign.”

If you are starting from scratch, begin with a 1:Few model. Lock in your account selection and messaging framework first. That foundation will keep your strategy stable as you scale toward 1:Many later.

Step 1: Build an Account Selection Logic, Not Just an ICP Statement

In ABM, a strong account list is half the battle. Many teams stop after crafting a polished Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) sentence. For ABM, that is not enough. You need a scoring logic, not a slogan.

A practical approach is to score accounts along three dimensions: Fit, Intent, and Ability.

Fit: Industry, revenue/employee count, region, tech stack, security requirements, use case fit.
Intent: Search and content consumption on your topics, comparison and research behavior, visits to competitor pages, notable changes in job postings.
Ability: Budget, procurement complexity, presence of an internal sponsor, timing of current vendor contract expirations.

Public data can help you operationalize this logic. For example, basic company and industry information for US public companies is available through SEC EDGAR filings. Job postings often reveal tech stack choices and investment priorities.

One more principle is critical: sales must trust the account list. A list created in isolation by marketing will be rejected in the field. Run an account selection workshop with sales leadership, co-design the scoring criteria, and revisit the scoring every quarter.

Step 2: Break Down the Buying Committee and Design Messages by Role

In US enterprises, buying committees are the norm. A single “decision-maker persona” is not enough to persuade the account. Different roles care about different types of value. At a minimum, separate your messaging for these four roles:

Economic buyer (CFO/VP): Total cost, risk, contract structure, vendor stability.
Technical buyer (CTO/IT): Integration complexity, security, operational overhead, performance.
Business users (line of business): Workflow improvements, learning curve, speed and ease of rollout.
Security/Compliance: Certifications, audit readiness, data governance model.

Your message should not read like a feature list. It should read like language that could go directly into an internal decision memo.

For example, instead of telling the technical buyer “implementation in four weeks,” explain exactly how integration will work with existing systems (APIs, SSO, data pipelines) and who will own which tasks (RACI). That is what they need to justify a decision internally.

Security and trust, in particular, often determine whether US deals move forward or stall. Build your trust signals systematically. For example, if you describe your security controls in terms of a recognized standard such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, you can often shorten internal security reviews.

Step 3: Orchestrate Channels Around Awareness, Validation, and Conversion

ABM channel strategy does not need to be flashy. It needs to be tightly aligned to the account journey. In practice, a simple three-stage breakdown works well:

Awareness (Reach): Prove You Understand Their Industry

LinkedIn account-based ads (using job function, industry, and account list targeting).
Industry-specific insight reports and benchmark content.
Co-hosted webinars with ecosystem partners (cloud, security, systems integrators, etc.).

Validation: De-Risk the Decision

Case studies from the same industry, of similar size, and with a similar tech stack.
Security and compliance packages (e.g., SOC 2, DPA, architecture diagrams).
ROI models with clearly stated assumptions and formulas.

Conversion: Make the Next Step Obvious and Attractive

Account-specific 30-minute workshops (current-state assessment, roadmap, expected impact).
Clearly defined technical proof-of-concept (POC) scope and success criteria.
Procurement-ready templates (requirements docs, evaluation scorecards).

Advertising is not the whole of ABM. It is a tool for maintaining frequency and consistency of message. Design your programs so that multiple people within the same account repeatedly see the same claims and supporting evidence. That repetition reduces the effort required for sales to secure meetings.

Many companies consider ABM platforms such as 6sense for account targeting and orchestration. These tools can be powerful, but buying technology first is a common failure pattern. Define your account list, messaging, and measurement framework first, then layer in tools.

Step 4: Measure ABM Content by Usefulness, Not Volume

The goal of ABM content is not page views. The goal is to create documents that move internal conversations forward within the account. The following six asset types consistently influence deals:

One-page industry briefs: Problem framing, regulatory/risk context, recommended approach, and relevant examples.
Technical review packages: Architecture, data flows, permission models, logging and monitoring policies.
ROI calculators: Transparent input variables, formulas, and basic sensitivity analysis.
Buying-committee Q&A: Standard answers to common questions from security, procurement, operations, and change management.
Competitor comparisons: Focused on operational cost, risk, and switching cost—not just a feature checklist.
POC success criteria: Measurable metrics for a 2–4 week evaluation period.

The quality test for ABM content is straightforward: Can sales send this asset directly to a customer as-is? If not, it is brand content, not ABM content.

Step 5: Drop Lead-Based KPIs and Shift to Account Outcomes

ABM often clashes with traditional marketing because of KPIs. Volume metrics like total leads or MQLs undermine ABM. You must move to account-level metrics.

Core Account-Level KPIs

Target account coverage: Number of engaged contacts in key roles (e.g., IT, security, business users, finance) within each account.
Account engagement: Depth and frequency of meaningful interactions across ads, website, email, webinars, events, and sales touches.
Pipeline progression: Stage-to-stage conversion (e.g., Discovery → POC → Procurement → Closed).
Deal velocity: Average sales cycle length and time spent in each stage.
Win rate and ASP: Comparison of ABM accounts vs. non-ABM accounts.

Aligning on a measurement framework is easier if you reference existing B2B standards. For example, Forrester has published ABM maturity models and measurement frameworks that can help create a common language across teams.

You also need to account for data privacy and tracking regulations. US states are tightening privacy rules, and the guiding principles are clear disclosure and data minimization. To ground your approach, it is worth reviewing authoritative resources such as the California CCPA guidance.

Step 6: Lock in a Shared Account Plan and Operating Rhythm

The success of ABM in the US ultimately depends on how you run the organization. Before you obsess over campaigns, establish a predictable operating rhythm. At minimum, put these cadences in place:

Weekly ABM stand-up (30 minutes): Review the latest signals from the top 20 accounts and agree on next actions.
Monthly account review (60 minutes): Identify pipeline bottlenecks by stage and agree on specific fixes.
Quarterly account refresh: Re-score accounts on Fit–Intent–Ability and update the target list.

The most important artifact is the shared account plan. On a single page, document the account’s org chart, key stakeholders, likely objections, risks, and planned next touches. With this in place, marketing can deploy the right content and channels, and sales can keep the message consistent.

Five Common Failure Patterns in ABM Execution

ABM rarely fails on the whiteboard; it fails in day-to-day execution. These five patterns show up repeatedly in US programs:

You target too many accounts. When personalization requirements exceed your team’s capacity, execution stalls.
Your messaging is product-centric. Buying committees are primarily asking, “How does this reduce our risk?”
Sales does not trust the marketing-generated account list. The selection logic must be co-designed.
You judge success by ad metrics like CTR. The goal of ABM is pipeline progression and win rate, not clicks.
You buy tools first. Without clear processes, more tools just create more data and slower decisions.

Where to Start: A Minimum Viable ABM Design You Can Launch in 30 Days

If you wait for a perfect ABM design, you will never launch. Instead, use the next 30 days to get a small but well-structured ABM motion running.

Week 1: Finalize Target Accounts and Joint KPIs

Select 30 target accounts using your Fit–Intent–Ability scoring model.
Set KPIs around account coverage and stage-to-stage pipeline conversion.

Week 2: Create Four Role-Based Messages and Three Core Assets

Develop distinct messages for the economic buyer, technical buyer, end users, and security/compliance.
Produce one case study, one security/compliance package, and one ROI calculator.

Week 3: Launch Channels and Synchronize with Sales Outreach

Kick off LinkedIn account-based awareness campaigns.
Have sales run their first tailored outreach into the top 10 accounts in the same week.

Week 4: Run an Account Review and Design Next Month’s Experiments

Segment accounts into “engaged” and “not engaged” and diagnose why (message, channel, timing).
For the following month, double down on validation assets such as POC criteria and technical review materials.

ABM is not a one-off campaign; it gains power through repetition and refinement. Once your account selection logic and buying-committee messaging are stable, momentum builds. If you are just beginning ABM in the US, you do not need more content—you need a system that focuses fewer accounts, more precisely.

Next quarter, narrow your account list again, sharpen your messaging, and tighten your operating rhythm with sales. That is the fastest path to a stronger, more predictable pipeline.