Account Based Marketing (ABM) vs. Account Based Experience (ABX): Understanding the Differences and Synergies

In recent years, two marketing terms have gained traction: Account-based marketing (ABM) and Account-based experience (ABX). While ABM focuses on targeting specific accounts with highly personalized campaigns, ABX takes a broader approach and aims to create a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints for targeted accounts. While they are different, ABM and ABX can work together to deliver a comprehensive and effective approach to B2B marketing.

What is Account Based Marketing?

Account Based Marketing is a highly targeted approach to B2B marketing that focuses on specific accounts. It involves identifying high-value accounts, creating highly personalized campaigns and experiences, and nurturing relationships with key decision-makers within those accounts. According to a survey by ITSMA, 87% of marketers using ABM reported that it delivers a higher ROI than other marketing activities.

What is Account Based Experience?

Account Based Experience is a broader approach that encompasses all aspects of the customer experience, from awareness to advocacy. It involves creating a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints, including marketing, sales, and customer service. By delivering a personalized and cohesive experience, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers and increase customer loyalty. According to research by Forrester, companies that deliver an excellent customer experience can achieve a 4-8% higher revenue growth than their competitors.

How are ABM and ABX different?

The main difference between ABM and ABX is their scope. ABM is a highly targeted approach that focuses on specific accounts, while ABX takes a broader approach that encompasses all touchpoints in the customer journey. ABM is focused on creating highly personalized campaigns and experiences for individual accounts, while ABX aims to deliver a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints.

How are ABM and ABX complementary?

While ABM and ABX are different, they can work together to deliver a comprehensive and effective approach to B2B marketing. ABM can provide the foundation for a successful ABX strategy by identifying high-value accounts and creating highly personalized campaigns and experiences. By targeting specific accounts with relevant content and messaging, businesses can increase engagement and conversion rates.

At the same time, ABX can enhance ABM by delivering a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints. By creating a cohesive experience across marketing, sales, and customer service, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers and increase customer loyalty. By tracking engagement and conversion rates across all touchpoints, businesses can also gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns and optimize their approach over time.

Some examples of ABM and ABX in action:

Adobe’s “Target the Runway” campaign, which targeted specific accounts in the fashion industry with highly personalized campaigns. Adobe used account-based targeting to identify high-value accounts and created customized landing pages and ad experiences tailored to the needs and interests of each account. As a result, Adobe was able to increase engagement and conversion rates and generate significant revenue growth.

Salesforce’s “Trailhead” program, which delivers a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints for its customers. Trailhead is a learning platform that provides a range of resources and tools to help customers learn about Salesforce products and services. By delivering a cohesive and engaging experience across marketing, sales, and customer service, Salesforce has been able to build stronger relationships with its customers and increase customer loyalty.

In conclusion, ABM and ABX are different but complementary approaches to B2B marketing. While ABM focuses on highly targeted campaigns and experiences for specific accounts, ABX aims to deliver a consistent and engaging experience across all touchpoints. By working together, businesses can create a comprehensive and effective approach to B2B marketing that delivers higher engagement, conversion rates, and customer loyalty.

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