Looking to supercharge your sales and marketing game? Well, ever heard of the LinkedIn account-based marketing strategy? If not, you’re in for a treat.
Imagine being able to turn more leads into actual customers without breaking a sweat or adding extra hours to your day. But here’s the kicker: you need to switch up your lead generation game.
You know that feeling when your sales team spends ages talking to leads that are basically never gonna convert? Yeah, we’ve all been there. Those are what we call unqualified leads – basically the polar opposite of potential customers.
So, guess what? This blog is your ticket to mastering the art of using account-based marketing on LinkedIn. And trust me, this approach is a game-changer. It’s like flipping the script on traditional marketing and making it work hand in hand with sales.
Stick around as we dive into how account-based marketing can transform your LinkedIn outreach into a lead-converting machine. Ready to level up? Let’s roll!
LinkedIn account-based marketing is a strategy where the leads are predetermined using the Ideal Customer Persona (ICP) and a customized marketing strategy is planned around them to convert them into clients. In traditional marketing strategies, marketing material is used to attract target audiences.
But the process is flipped in LinkedIn account-based marketing. Here, first the target audience is identified, and then the marketers create strategies to entice the predetermined audiences.
LinkedIn Account-Based Marketing V/s Traditional Marketing
After knowing about account-based marketing, let’s understand the difference between the two marketing approaches. Knowing the difference between account-based marketing and traditional marketing will help give you a better understanding of LinkedIn Account-Based marketing.
Focus Audiences:
Traditional marketing focuses on casting a wider net, which results in a broader pool of target audiences. whereas LinkedIn’s account-based marketing strategy focuses on specific target accounts.
Level of Personalization:
Due to the availability of a larger pool of audiences in traditional marketing strategies, the target audiences are broadly segmented. This is not the case with LinkedIn account-based marketing. In LinkedIn account-based marketing, the messages are hyper-personalized due to the small and high-value client pool.
Lead Generation:
In traditional marketing, there is a focus on generating a high volume of the target audience and then nurturing them through the sales funnel. The process is totally flipped in account-based marketing. First, they identify high-quality customers that fit the ideal customer persona, then focus on building relationships with the key decision-maker in the account to convert them into paying clients.
LinkedIn Account-Based Marketing and Inbound Marketing
Think of LinkedIn account-based marketing and inbound marketing like the dynamic duo of the business world – they’re a match made in heaven. These two strategies team up and play off each other’s strengths in the best possible way.
Now, let’s break down inbound marketing for a sec. It’s all about creating awesome content and rocking that SEO game to snag those leads. Basically, you’re diving into what your potential customers need and the problems they’re facing. The end goal? To serve up info that guides them right to the solutions they’re looking for.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Let’s see how these two strategies join forces to bring in those top-notch leads.
First off, your sales and marketing squads pinpoint their dream audience using an ideal customer profile. Once those high-quality leads are locked and loaded, it’s time to kick into action. And guess what method they use? Yep, you got it – inbound marketing.
The marketing whizzes create some seriously valuable content tailored specifically for these top-tier leads. This content isn’t just any old blog post; it’s like a magnet, drawing these leads right into the sales pipeline. And that’s where the magic happens – the perfect combo of inbound methodology and LinkedIn account-based marketing working hand in hand to reel in those high-value clients.
See? Teamwork does make the dream work!
Using LinkedIn Account-Based Marketing to Find Leads
Prior to starting account-based marketing on LinkedIn, it’s essential that you have purchased a LinkedIn Sales Navigator Licence. And another factor to keep in mind is that your sales and marketing teams are aligned to work in sync with each other.
Align Sales and Marketing Teams
It’s essential to recognise that account-based marketing may take longer to show results. So if you are someone who is looking for a quick fix technique to convert leads, then the ABM marketing strategy is not for you. ABM strategy needs team coordination and time to show results.
Subscribe for a LinkedIn Sales Navigator License
The LinkedIn outreach techniques and the LinkedIn ad techniques that we will discuss further require a LinkedIn Sales Navigator subscription.
You might be wondering why I am focusing too much on the subscription to the LinkedIn Sales Navigator because doing so will enable you to:
- Search accounts
- Building an account list
- Finding decision-makers
- Build super-targeted LinkedIn ads.
Using a sales navigator for outreach enables you to have access to the full power of the LinkedIn Database.
Apply Account-Based Marketing Strategy for LinkedIn Outreach
Step 1- Identify Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
The ideal customer profile defines the characteristics and behaviors of the accounts that have a higher possibility of converting into paying customers. The ideal customer profile can be developed using two types of data:
- Static Signals: These signals are fixed or do not change rapidly over time. These charters are:
- Industry and sectors
- Company size
- Geographic location
- Budgeting, sending, and more
- Dynamic Signals: Dynamic signals refer to data or characteristics that change with time. These characteristics are:
- Website behavior
- Engagement with the content
- Event attendance and more
Another way you can find these accounts is by getting the data from the front-line employees who work directly with the prospects and customers. This can be done if you already have an existing client base.
After you have identified the accounts that fit the ideal customer profile, the next step is to segment those accounts and prioritize them accordingly.
Let’s see how that can be done.
Step 2- Segment the Account with the ABM Tiers System
Segmenting the account entails research and identifying the accounts that are:
- High probability of conversion
- Ready to purchase an account
Now, according to the criteria that are mentioned, you can put the accounts into three categories:
1st Tire Accounts: Highest Priority Accounts
Reaching out to these accounts requires expertise, as you will not get another chance with them. It’s important to remember that you cannot contact businesses. It all boils down to targeting individuals within the context of these accounts. So, keep the approach as personalized as possible.
Approach: Hyper-personalized approach, preferring personal connection with the prospects.
2nd Tire Accounts: Potential Revenue Generating Accounts
These accounts generate revenue and are easy to convert. As these accounts generate potential revenue, you should scale by closing more of them.
Approach: These accounts can be handled by your sales reps and marketers using different marketing efforts to get meetings.
3rd Tire Accounts: Lowest Conversion Probability Accounts
These are the low-priority accounts; therefore, there is no need to waste a lot of time on them, as that would not have a big impact on conversion. So you can fully automate outreach with these accounts.
Approach: Use automation tools to run the outreach campaigns, and if you get a positive response, then upgrade those accounts to 2nd Tyre.
You have a better understanding of how you can identify and segment these blogs. Let’s explore how you can find these accounts on LinkedIn’s sales navigator
Step 3- Find Accounts on Sales Navigator
Start by going to the LinkedIn sales navigators and searching for an account in the account search. You can narrow down your search results by adding filters to your accounts. LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers you filters like:
- Custom list
- Company
- Industry
- Company headcount
- Function
- Title and more
With the help of these filters, you can get a list of qualified accounts within a few minutes. When you get the accounts that are suitable for your outreach, add these accounts to an account list.
How can you add search accounts to your account list?
- Select the checkbox.
- Click on “Save to list.”
- Then click on +.”
After creating a list of the accounts, you can name the list that you have created. This will display that list in the Account List tab. To make your search more relevant, you also have the option to add notes.
There, you can see:
- Account Details
- Account Maps
- Dynamic Filters (Funding, Recent Management Changes)
By following the above section, you can create the account lists for the 2nd and 3rd tiers. This will give you a list of accounts for all three levels.
Step 4- Search for the Decisions Makers with the Leads Search
Now that you have the segmented accounts list, use Lead search to find the individual prospect that you want to connect with. Let’s see how you can do that:
After you have built the Account list, you can use job title filters to find the target persona in your account list. This will help you get to the decision-maker or concerned person for your outreach.
Doing this, you will get the list of the person that matches that job title from your account list. Just remember that the job designation may differ with the changing size of the company.
Step 5: Convert Your Search Result into a CSV File
Following the above steps, you have a list of the key decision-makers. You can use the Chrome extension tool LeadCRM to export the list of leads into CSV files.
The chrome extension, like LeadCRM, will:
- Automatically export your data into the LinkedIn Automation tool. This will help you run linked-in campaigns.
- You can also import your lead data into the CRM of your choice.
Are you confused about how you can automate LinkedIn outreach?
Continue reading to find out more about scaling up your LinkedIn Outreach campaigns.
Step 6- Running an Outreach Campaigns
As mentioned above, when it comes to reaching out to the first tyre account, it’s best to approach them one-on-one..
The first tyre account is smaller in number and a high-value deal that requires expertise. But for the second and third tyre accounts, integrating the LinkedIn automation tool will help you generate consistent revenue. These tools help you scale up your LinkedIn outreach.
In this way, you can approach LinkedIn account-based marketing. With other tools, you can now run account-based campaigns with ease.
Do you also wish to automate your account list building process to make your LinkedIn outreach a revenue-generating machine?
How Can You Get the Target List for Abm with Saved Search?
If you want to maintain a sustained lead flow into your sales pipeline then it’s best that you get fresh leads to your sales pipeline. This will ensure that your business grabs new opportunities.
So, how can you add new leads to your account based marketing?
Starting with using Saved Search will enable you to detect if new companies or leads match your search. After you save your search, LinkedIn will automatically determine whether any new businesses per day match your search criteria.
Each week, they will provide you an update with any new findings.
That’s a fantastic method to put the generation of ABM leads on autopilot.Even the research work need not be done twice.You will receive new qualifying accounts each week.
You will see all the new accounts that fit your search criteria if you click the green number.
You just created new possibilities without doing anything.One of the numerous superpowers you will discover in this session is that one.
You must now carry out the procedure we just described:
After making a fresh account list, use the lead search to locate the new decision-makers you should get in touch with.
Now that this procedure has been completed, you can repeat it each week to add fresh chances to your sales funnel.I think we covered a lot.There is, however, a tonne more to see!
Considering that you have mastered LinkedIn ABM targeting.
We’ll crown you the master of ABM outreach.
Conclusion:
In the above blog we have discussed ways in which you can use account based marketing. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. To know more account based marketing strategy you can contact our sales and marketing team.