Ep. 126: How to Optimize the Customer Experience for ABM

How to Optimize the Customer Experience for ABM

It’s a topic that is discussed quite intensively by B2B marketers: account-based marketing, or ABM. When done the right way, it will help both sales and marketers to ensure that targeted accounts are engaging and that the pipeline continues to grow, resulting in more revenue.

Join us as we chat with B2B marketing expert Cristina Daroca (Head of Americas Marketing, Riverbed Technology) about how to optimize the experience for customers and prospects for ABM. During our discussion, Cristina talked about why ABM is not going anywhere anytime soon, the importance of conducting customer research, and what pitfalls to avoid. She also provides actionable tips that B2B marketers can take and what key metrics they should focus on in ABM.

https://youtu.be/7P6RDyVcY5U

Topics discussed in episode

• Cristina explains why she believes that ABM is not going away [2:54] and why some people believe that ABM is becoming obsolete [4:07]
• Why ABM is not something you can scale to every single account [6:04]
• Some common pitfalls to avoid [7:23]
• How to deal with internal pushback regarding ABM [10:43]
• The importance of market research to improve all ABM-related activities [14:25]
• Cristina’s perspective on using AI for ABM [18:39]
• The key components that will help improve the experience for customers and prospects in ABM: [23:50]
  • Start with research
  • Align with your sales team
  • Identify the target audience (accounts) and their needs
  • Building the campaign – select the right channels, content, human elements
  • Document everything
• Actionable tips: [27:21]
  • Don’t overcomplicate ABM
  • Think about the things that you can do to impact the experience that your customers are having with you
  • Consider in-person activities: get your audience to speak with their peers, listen to them and understand them better.
• ABM metrics: [32:01]
  • Engagement
  • Pipeline
  • Revenue
  • Ideally, have a control group when measuring the results

Companies and links mentioned

• Cristina Daroca on LinkedIn
• Riverbed

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Cristina Daroca, Christian Klepp

Christian Klepp 00:03

Welcome to B2B Marketers on a Mission, a podcast for changemakers where we question the conventional, debunk marketing myths, provide actionable tips, think differently, disrupt industries, and take your marketing to a new level, from improving your campaigns to making you a better marketer. These are the inspirational stories that will help us change the way we think and approach B2B marketing, one conversation at a time. This podcast is brought to you by EINBLICK Consulting, helping you to stand out in the market and drive revenue to your B2B business. And now your host, Christian Klepp.

Okay, welcome, everyone to this episode of B2B Marketers on a Mission. This is the show where we help you to question the conventional, think differently, disrupt your industry and take your marketing to new heights. This is your host Christian Klepp. And today I’m joined by someone on a mission to build and develop winning marketing teams. So coming to us from Boston, Massachusetts, señora Cristina Rocca, buenas tardes y bienvenidos!

Cristina Daroca 01:11

Muchas gracias. Hi, everyone, thanks for having me.

Christian Klepp 01:14

It’s definitely, probably one of my New Year’s resolutions, improve your Spanish. Cristina, it’s great to have you on the show. And you have the honor of being my last interview for 2023. Let’s get started. Because wow this is going to be, I’m sure it’s gonna be an exciting conversation. You have quite a diverse background. I think that’s the understatement of the year. Right? In the field of marketing. You’re also... I recently noticed this that you are one of LinkedIn’s top B2B marketing strategy voices. So congrats by the way. One of the disciplines that you’re undoubtedly passionate about, and why I say undoubtedly is because you write about it a lot on LinkedIn. It’s on the topic of Account Based Marketing or ABM. So for this conversation, let’s focus on a topic that has clearly become a part of your professional vision. Right. So B2B Marketers on a Mission. So if this is your mission, how to optim...