What should ABM account research look like, how much detail to include, how deep to go, and what should the format be?

ABM research can present challenges for B2B marketers. What should Account research look like, how much detail to include, how deep to go, and what should the format be?

As always, I recommend taking a step back and evaluating the 📢 PURPOSE of the research. Spending time with the Account team and understanding the overall Account objectives helps us deliver better quality research. Examples:

– is the research to assist with existing high-value client that needs to be retained? What does the account team need – extending coverage of the accounts into different Business units? Do they need to research the drivers and KPIs of certain C-level stakeholders?

– is the research to assist with a handful of 1:Few new acquisition accounts? Do we need to deliver insights on their individual strategic objectives, find the relevant stakeholders who will form the decision-making committee and formulate tailored value proposition to get on their radar and engage them in conversations?

One thing to always remember: as ABM-ers, we are aiming to save our Enterprise reps time and effort. Our purpose is helping them to speed up the sales cycle by enabling them to form and nurture relationships faster and at scale.

There are three approaches to delivering Account research:
#1      The “lazy” approach: Simply gather and deliver information. (not recommended!!)

#2     The “relevant insights” approach: experienced ABM-ers sift through the information and gather only relevant insights (on Account as well as Key stakeholder level), that will enrich Account plans, fill gaps, and contribute to a tailored value proposition at an account and key stakeholder level.

#3     The best ABM-ers not only do the above (#2) but also use the insights to connect the dots, becoming a valuable sounding board for the Account owner.

Regarding ✂ FORMAT ✂ , it is best to keep in mind that Enterprise reps are incredibly busy. They prefer short and concise intel that gets to the point.

⭐ Final note ⭐ : Account research isn’t a one-off activity. Businesses are dynamic, with personnel changes and continuous transformations. Revisiting and re-evaluating our insights on a regular basis throughout the sales cycle, to assist your Enterprise reps in adapting is a must.