abm-account-plan
Use this skill when you run account-based marketing or sales on a short list of named accounts: "build an ABM plan", "account plan for our top 20", "how do we break into this enterprise account", "1:1 ABM program". Picks the accounts and the ABM tier (1:1, 1:few, 1:many), maps the buying group, writes the account insight and value hypothesis, plans coordinated sales and marketing plays by stage, and sets the metrics (engagement, meetings, pipeline) that show it is working.Use this when a small number of accounts are worth a coordinated effort. ABM works when sales and marketing run one plan per account (or cluster) with the same message, not when marketing runs ads at a list.
Inputs
- Target accounts and why each matters.
- Research per account (or run an account research brief).
- Budget, team and timeline.
The play
1. Tier the program
| Tier | Accounts | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | 5-15 | Custom insight, content and plays per account |
| 1:few | 20-100 in clusters of 5-15 | Content per industry or shared problem |
| 1:many | 100-1,000 | Segment-level messaging, targeted ads and outbound |
2. Map the buying group
Per account: economic buyer, champion candidates, evaluators, users, blockers. Five to ten names for 1:1 accounts.
3. Write the account insight
What is happening at the account that makes your value urgent: strategy, triggers, pains, initiatives. Then the value hypothesis: "Because , could by , worth about ." Read references/abm-plan-template.md for the full one-page plan.
4. Plan plays by stage
| Stage | Goal | Plays |
|---|---|---|
| Unaware | Get known by the buying group | Targeted ads to the group, executive content, events, insight-led outreach |
| Engaged | Start conversations | Personalised outreach to 3+ people, custom insight piece, invite to a roundtable |
| Opportunity | Win the evaluation | Business case built with the champion, executive sponsor, peer references |
| Customer | Expand | Value review, new-team plays |
Sales and marketing actions for each stage share one calendar.
5. Measure what matters
Engaged contacts per account, meetings with the buying group, opportunities created, pipeline and win rate versus non-ABM accounts. Impressions and clicks are inputs, not results.
What good looks like
- Each Tier 1 account has a specific insight a rep could open a conversation with.
- Three or more people per account engaged before an opportunity is opened.
- Sales and marketing review accounts together every two weeks.
- The common mistake is "ABM" that is just ads to a target list, with no account insight and no sales follow-through.
Rules
- MUST write an account-specific insight for every 1:1 account.
- MUST coordinate sales and marketing touches on one calendar.
- NEVER use personal data about individuals beyond their professional role and public work.
Example prompts
- "Build a 1:1 ABM plan for our 10 enterprise targets in logistics."
- "Cluster these 60 accounts for a 1:few program and write the message per cluster."
- "How do we measure whether our ABM program is working?"