How to do Account-Based Marketing (ABM) with HubSpot?

What is Account-Based Marketing?

Account-based marketing (ABM) is a targeted approach to marketing and sales that focuses on specific high-value accounts, usually in the B2B sector. Unlike traditional marketing strategies that cast a wide net to attract a large number of leads, ABM is hyper-personalized and seeks to build relationships with a select group of stakeholders who make up a buying committee.

By aligning marketing and sales and being customer-centric, ABM allows brands to become reliable and trusted by their target accounts. ABM requires marketing and sales departments to work together to identify the accounts to be targeted and allocate resources for outreach. It also involves continual revision and a united marketing and sales team. ABM is essential in B2B marketing as it helps businesses achieve their marketing goals by focusing on high-value accounts and creating personalized buying experiences for them.

Best Practices for Implementing ABM with HubSpot

1. Create customer profiles to classify target accounts

• Create customer profiles for ABM implementation with HubSpot
• Include firmographic, demographic, technographic, and psychographic data
• Work with sales and marketing teams to develop a detailed Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
• Identify target accounts using the HubSpot Prospects tool and filter prospects based on criteria
• Prioritize target accounts by segmenting them into tiers
• Use HubSpot’s AI-powered account recommendations to classify and prioritize focus accounts
• Organize profiles in HubSpot using “target accounts” feature and segment them into “tiers”
• Conduct in-depth research on best-fit buyers and plan ABM strategy around them
• Increase chances of attracting target accounts and delivering a customized user experience
• Manage and prioritize target accounts and buyers effectively in HubSpot

2. Create a target account overview to prioritize accounts

To create a target account overview in HubSpot for effective ABM implementation, start by exploring your Target Accounts Home. This will provide you with a snapshot overview of your performance as a whole and performance for specific companies. Within the overview, you can view metrics such as the total number of target accounts, open deals, open deal value, and missing decision makers. You can also apply filters by company owner, ideal customer profile tier, industry, or lifecycle stage.

Next, prioritize accounts based on fit and engagement level. Use HubSpot’s ABM tools to track and analyze engagement data, such as total page views and logged calls within specific time frames, as well as the different internal stakeholders at your organization and current deals associated with the account. This will help you identify key stakeholders and decision-makers within each account and personalize outreach to drive conversions.

When creating ABM playbooks, use the Account-based selling playbook type as a default template and customize it to fit your sales strategy. This will provide guidance for your team members when they speak to prospects or work with a contact or deal record.

Finally, integrate HubSpot with other tools such as Slack to push data and call data right from HubSpot. This includes actions such as sharing notes on Slack on the fly, receiving metrics on a target account with the /hs-report-company Slack command, and creating deals and company-based Slack channels through HubSpot workflows. By using these integrations, you can track and analyze engagement data more effectively and personalize outreach to drive conversions.

To structure your target account information effectively, consider organizing it based on industry, size, and revenue. This will help you identify accounts that are a good fit for your business and prioritize them accordingly. By focusing on accounts with the highest engagement level and key decision-makers, you can increase the likelihood of converting them into customers.

3. Use inbound marketing strategies to reach target accounts

Incorporating inbound marketing strategies into your ABM approach with HubSpot can help you reach your target accounts effectively.

1. Identify your ideal contacts and determine where they currently go to find solutions related to what you offer.
2. Prioritize channels that are most relevant to your target accounts and engage them on social media, produce podcasts or video series with a leader from the account, and create ad campaigns and social ads that target different factors such as location, skill, and job title.
3. Personalize content to your accounts to elevate brand awareness and maximize relevance among audience members.
4. To optimize landing pages, build custom pages tailored to the needs, questions, and concerns of key stakeholders for each account.
5. Use lead magnets such as prizes, swag, and discount codes to encourage engagement and interaction. HubSpot’s tools, such as the LinkedIn integration and landing page builder, can help you communicate through LinkedIn InMail outreach, create custom landing pages, and conduct in-depth research on your best-fit buyers.
6. Remember to segment your messaging for each stakeholder to remove any unwanted audiences and focus solely on those you want to attract.

By following these steps and utilizing HubSpot’s tools, you can create a successful ABM strategy that attracts high-quality accounts.

4. Leverage HubSpot CRM to create, manage, and maintain accounts

• To create and manage accounts in HubSpot for ABM, start by identifying your target accounts and creating your ideal customer profile (ICP). Once you have your target accounts, you can add them to HubSpot by importing them using an integration with a third-party tool or manually adding them.
• To add contacts to the account, go to the account record and click “Add Contacts.” You can also add contacts in bulk by importing a CSV file. To manage and maintain the account, use HubSpot’s account overview panel to track and view account activity across the entire buying committee.
• Utilize workflows to label your ICP tiers and buying roles, and use company lists to group your target accounts and buying committee. Use the campaigns tool to plan and deploy all of the touches and asset iterations for your ABM plays, including social media, ads, landing pages, forms, and emails.
• Leverage smart content and A/B testing on your landing pages to give a personalized experience, and use chatbots to ensure your prospects can find what they need. Use workflows and 3rd party integrations to continuously segment your lists and update an account’s targeting based on engagement and intent.
• Finally, use HubSpot’s reporting and analytics tools to track the account’s progress and adjust your ABM strategies accordingly. Analyze data across the entire buyer’s journey in one place with reports and dashboards, collaborate on changes with the campaign tool, and implement iterations and optimizations into your campaigns all from HubSpot. Use the Slack integration to keep sales in the know about account activity.

Overall, HubSpot’s capabilities make it simple and quick to set up and manage an ABM plan. With its AI-powered target account recommendations, workflows, and integrations with third-party tools, you can streamline your ABM efforts and ensure sales don’t falter.

5. Create account-specific content to reach target accounts

To create effective account-specific content for an ABM strategy using HubSpot, it is important to focus on personalization.

Start by mapping out the target account’s buying journey and understanding their decision-making process, pain points, and motivations. Use HubSpot’s Smart Content features to create personalized website experiences, and develop personalized content for each account or account tier. Additionally, craft account-specific email campaigns using HubSpot’s Email Marketing tools and leverage personalization tokens to customize subject lines, greetings, and content.

To gather insights on target accounts, engage with them on social media, produce a podcast or video series, sponsor a booth at a conference or event, and distribute content such as blog articles across relevant channels. You can also build custom landing pages tailored to the needs, questions, and concerns of accounts, offer gifts for engagement and interaction, and create ad campaigns and social ads to target different factors.

Successful account-specific content includes tailored sales presentations, case studies, and proposals for your target accounts. Use HubSpot’s Sales Content tools to organize and share these resources with your sales team.

Additionally, automate follow-up efforts and ensure timely engagement with target accounts using HubSpot’s Sales Sequences. Customizing sequences based on the account tier and individual contact roles within the target organization can also be beneficial.

Finally, monitor account engagement using HubSpot’s Activity Feed, Workflows, and Sales Notifications to track interactions with your target accounts, helping your sales team.

By following these steps and utilizing HubSpot’s tools, you can create effective account-specific content that resonates with your target accounts and drives success in your ABM strategy.

6. Integrate your marketing platform with HubSpot

Integrating your marketing platform with HubSpot for effective ABM implementation can be achieved by following these steps:

1. Identify the ABM tools that you want to integrate with HubSpot, such as sales enablement tools, CRM systems, and marketing automation platforms.
2. Configure your ABM tools to integrate with HubSpot by following the instructions provided by each tool.
3. Synchronize data between HubSpot and your ABM tools to ensure that both marketing and sales teams have access to the most up-to-date information on target accounts.
4. Use HubSpot’s ABM tools to create targeted campaigns that reach key decision-makers within your target accounts.
5. Incorporate the Sales or Service Hubs into your strategy to achieve total HubSpot integration across all departments.
6. Use Marketing Automation like workflows to automate the process for communicating and following up with contacts, but don’t forget the importance of interpersonal interaction and engagement.
7. Monitor your results and adjust your strategy as necessary to achieve the best possible outcomes.

To achieve success with ABM using HubSpot, it’s important to keep your writing concise and use short paragraphs and bullet points where necessary. By following these steps and best practices, you can create a seamless and cohesive ABM strategy that delivers better results for your business

7. Use HubSpot’s ABM tools to target, engage, and analyze target accounts

To get started, activate the ABM tools in Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, or Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise.

1. Activate the ABM tools in Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, or Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise.
2. Define your ABM strategy by identifying your ideal customer profile tiers and adding target accounts to your Target Accounts Home.
3. Use HubSpot’s AI-powered account recommendations to prioritize which target accounts to focus on and segment them based on factors like industry, company size, or location.
4. Use custom fields to store and track account-specific information and create more targeted marketing messages.
5. Test and optimize your ABM campaigns using HubSpot’s analytics and reporting tools.
6. Integrate with other ABM tools and technologies to create a seamless and cohesive ABM strategy.
7. Deploy your ABM campaigns across multiple channels like social media, targeted ads, direct mail, and account-based webinars and events to maximize reach and engagement.

Remember, personalization is key in ABM. Use HubSpot’s ABM tools to tailor your marketing communication and sales outreach for each target account, and watch your engagement and conversion rates soar.

8. Use In-App Sales for target account outreach

To effectively use In-App Sales for target account outreach in HubSpot ABM, follow these steps:

1. Create a list of your target accounts in HubSpot.
2. Navigate to the In-App Sales section in HubSpot and click on the “Create a message” button.
3. Choose the target accounts you want to send the message to and personalize the message with their name and any relevant information.
4. Use the In-App Sales tool to schedule the message to be sent at the appropriate time during the sales process, such as after a demo or trial.
5. Track the performance of your In-App messages by monitoring open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use this data to improve your messaging and overall ABM strategy.
6. Integrate In-App message performance data into your overall ABM strategy by using it to inform your targeting and messaging efforts across all channels.

9. Use HubSpot’s contact enrichment features to expand your database

To leverage HubSpot’s contact enrichment features for successful ABM implementation, follow these steps:

1. Create an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) to identify your target accounts based on criteria such as company size, revenue, and engagement.
2. Use HubSpot’s AI-based tool to expand your contact list by finding new accounts similar to your targets based on attributes like company size, revenue, and engagement.
3. Use the HubSpot lists tool to filter your contacts based on job role (i.e. decision-maker) and tailor your content to meet their needs.
4. Use HubSpot’s Sales or Service Hubs to achieve total HubSpot integration across all departments and be aware of every email and call that has been logged, and know the status of every deal.
5. Use Marketing Automation like workflows to automate the process for communicating and following up with contacts. But be careful, don’t automate everything – for ABM, you also need interpersonal interaction and engagement.
6. Avoid uploading cold contacts into your CRM as HubSpot can suspend your account if your emails are consistently getting a high hard bounce rate and/or are being flagged as spam.
7. Ensure your contact records represent individuals who have a relationship with your company and have consented to or “opted-in” to receiving emails from your business. Consent could be given when a contact submits a form on your website or when registering for a trade show where your company is exhibiting.
8. Keep your database up-to-date by regularly reviewing and updating contact information, including job titles, company size, and industry. Use HubSpot’s account tracking feature to monitor changes within key accounts and adjust your strategy accordingly.

10. Track and measure ABM campaign results with HubSpot

When it comes to ABM campaigns, tracking and measuring results is crucial for understanding what’s working and what’s not. That’s where HubSpot comes in. Here’s a concise guide to effectively tracking and measuring the results of your ABM campaigns using HubSpot:

1. Set clear goals and KPIs: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for your ABM campaign is important for measuring success. Examples of KPIs include engagement rates, pipeline generated, and deal velocity.
2. Use HubSpot’s reporting tools: HubSpot provides a range of built-in analytics tools and custom reporting features to track the performance of your ABM campaigns. These include the ABM dashboard, Target Accounts dashboard library, and Target Accounts reports library.
3. Monitor performance in real-time: Use HubSpot’s ABM Dashboard and custom reporting features to track your campaign’s progress and performance against your KPIs. This will help you to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement.
4. Analyze and learn from your data: Dive deep into your data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Use HubSpot’s Reporting tools to create custom reports and visualize your findings.
5. Utilize social media: Use HubSpot’s Social Media tools to create targeted social media campaigns for your target accounts. Monitor engagement and track the performance of your social effort.

How to Do Account-Based Marketing (ABM) with HubSpot

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the specifics of implementing an ABM strategy in HubSpot.

Step 1: Identifying Target Accounts

The first step to any successful ABM strategy is identifying your target accounts. HubSpot’s account-based marketing tools make this a breeze.

Step 2: Personalizing Content

The next step is to craft personalized content for your target accounts. HubSpot’s Content Strategy tool can help you create bespoke content for your ABM campaigns.

Step 3: Engaging Target Accounts

Once you’ve created personalized content, the next step is to engage your target accounts. This involves reaching out to them through personalized emails, ads, and social media engagement.

Step 4: Measuring Success

The final step is measuring the success of your ABM campaign. HubSpot’s analytics tools provide insightful data to help you track your ABM efforts and refine your strategies.

The Pros and Cons of HubSpot ABM

Like everything in life, HubSpot’s ABM has its own set of pros and cons.

Advantages of HubSpot ABM

• Ease of use: HubSpot’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and use.
• Integration capabilities: HubSpot integrates with numerous third-party tools, enhancing its functionality for ABM.
• Comprehensive analytics: HubSpot’s robust analytics tools allow you to measure the success of your ABM campaigns with precision.

Disadvantages of HubSpot ABM

• Cost: While HubSpot offers a comprehensive suite of tools, it can be a bit pricey for small businesses.
• Learning curve: Although user-friendly, HubSpot does require some time to master all of its features.

Conclusion

Implementing account-based marketing (ABM) with HubSpot can revolutionize your marketing strategy and drive remarkable business growth. The comprehensive HubSpot ABM guide provided in this blog equips you with the knowledge and tools necessary to execute successful ABM campaigns. However, to truly maximize the potential of ABM and leverage HubSpot’s capabilities to their fullest, partner with Ubique Digital Solutions. Our team of ABM experts will work closely with you to develop a tailored ABM strategy, implement it seamlessly within HubSpot, and guide you through the entire process. Don’t miss the opportunity to boost your business to success. Contact Ubique Digital Solutions today and embark on a transformative ABM journey with HubSpot!

FAQs

How can I identify target accounts in HubSpot?

You can analyze customer data and use third-party integrations to identify ideal target accounts.

What are the key steps to implement ABM with HubSpot?

Segment accounts, create personalized content, use email marketing, nurture leads, utilize the CRM, and measure campaign performance.

Can HubSpot integrate with other ABM tools?

Yes, HubSpot integrates with ABM solutions like Terminus, Demandbase, Engagio, and RollWorks.