Account-based marketing (ABM) has become one of the hottest buzzwords in B2B marketing and sales over the last decade. On the surface, it represents a revolutionary new approach to coordinated, targeted marketing and sales efforts. However, examining the origins and evolution of ABM shows it is as much a resurfacing of old concepts as it is a new paradigm.
While ABM has been a buzzword for the past decade, Signal-Based Selling is emerging as the next frontier in strategic, targeted outreach.
What is signal-based selling?
Signal-based selling, also known as trigger-based selling, revolves around identifying and responding to specific signals or triggers that indicate a prospect’s readiness to buy.
Some example signals include:
- Product usage
- Job change data
- Old deals that should be resurrected
- Detection of new or relevant technologies
- Website visitors who didn’t fill out a form
- Engagement with thought leadership on social media
- Previous customers or champions joining a target account
- Co-selling opportunities with partners
- Engagement with marketing materials
What is ABM?
ABM has its roots in key account management (KAM) programs that have existed for decades as a strategy for focused sales and service on major accounts. It builds upon one-to-one marketing principles of personalized, tailored customer experiences and messaging. In this sense, ABM is essentially putting a new label on age-old principles of selling and marketing to your most valuable accounts.
Differences between Signal-based selling and ABM
The key difference between ABM and signal based selling is that ABM focuses on identifying the right fit of the account based on factors like the right person, vertical, company size, and segmentation, while signal based selling is about analyzing the signals that good fit accounts send to determine the optimal time to invest resources such as advertising dollars, sales and SDR human capital for acquiring pipeline.
Why Signal-Based Selling Matters
Signal-Based Selling revolutionizes the way companies invest in sales and marketing by enabling them to be more strategic and data-driven in their approach. Instead of blindly reaching out to potential customers, companies can now analyze signals from good-fit accounts to determine the best time to invest resources. This allows for more efficient and targeted efforts, resulting in a higher return on investment.
Signal-based selling can be seen as the next evolution beyond traditional ABM methods. While ABM focuses on identifying the right fit of the account, signal-based selling takes it a step further by analyzing signals from good fit accounts to optimize the timing of resource investments. Both approaches have their strengths and can be effective depending on the company’s goals and target market. It’s not necessarily a matter of one being better than the other, but rather a progression in the evolution of sales and marketing strategies.
Signal-based selling revolutionizes the way companies invest in sales and marketing by enabling them to be more strategic and data-driven in their approach. Instead of blindly reaching out to potential customers, companies can now analyze signals from good fit accounts to determine the best time to invest resources such as advertising dollars, sales and SDR human capital. This allows companies to be more efficient and targeted in their efforts, resulting in a higher return on investment.
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