Playbooks

Account-Based Sales

Run ABM plays with multi-threaded outreach for high-value accounts.

Phase 1: Account Selection

Tiering Your Accounts

Tier 1: Strategic Accounts (10-25)

Highest value, custom everything, 5-10 touches per contact

Examples: Enterprise logos, dream customers, big revenue potential

Tier 2: Target Accounts (50-100)

High value, personalised templates, 3-5 touches per contact

Examples: Mid-market with strong fit, competitive wins

Tier 3: Opportunistic (100+)

Good fit, scaled personalisation, standard sequences

Examples: ICP matches without trigger events

Account Qualification Criteria

Score accounts on:

  • Fit: How well they match your ICP (industry, size, tech stack)
  • Intent: Are they showing buying signals? (job posts, content consumption)
  • Engagement: Have they interacted with your brand?
  • Accessibility: Can you reach decision makers?
  • Value: Potential deal size and strategic importance

Phase 2: Account Research

Deep Research Checklist

For Tier 1 accounts, research:

  • Company: Recent news, funding, acquisitions, product launches
  • Leadership: New executives, board changes, strategic priorities
  • Tech stack: Tools they use (BuiltWith, Wappalyzer)
  • Competitors: Who they compete with and how
  • Challenges: Industry trends affecting them
  • People: Org chart, LinkedIn activity, content they've published

Building the Buying Committee Map

Identify and map stakeholders:

  • Champion: Who will sell internally for you?
  • Decision Maker: Who signs the contract?
  • Influencers: Who has the DM's ear?
  • End Users: Who will use the product daily?
  • Blockers: Who might resist the change?

Goal: Have at least 3 contacts per account engaged

Phase 3: Multi-Threaded Outreach

Sequencing Strategy

Tier 1 Account Play (3 weeks):

Week 1: Touch Champion + 1 Influencer

  • Day 1: Personalised email to Champion
  • Day 2: LinkedIn connection to Influencer
  • Day 3: Phone call to Champion
  • Day 4: Email to Influencer
  • Day 5: LinkedIn message to Champion

Week 2: Add Decision Maker + Continue touches

  • Day 8: Email to Decision Maker referencing others
  • Day 9: Follow-up to Champion with value add
  • Day 10: Phone call to Influencer
  • Day 11: LinkedIn to Decision Maker
  • Day 12: Direct mail or gift to Champion (optional)

Week 3: Full committee engagement

  • Coordinate touchpoints across all contacts
  • Reference conversations with other stakeholders
  • Push for meeting with multiple attendees

Channel Mix

Use multiple channels strategically:

  • Email: Primary for initial outreach and follow-ups
  • Phone: Best for senior stakeholders and urgent follow-ups
  • LinkedIn: Relationship building, content sharing, warm touches
  • Direct mail: For Tier 1 accounts—books, gifts, handwritten notes
  • Events: Invite to webinars, dinners, conferences

Phase 4: Personalisation at Scale

Personalisation Framework

Tier 1: Hyper-Personalised

Custom first paragraph, specific research, tailored value prop, custom video or asset

Tier 2: Personalised Templates

Personalised first line, industry-specific messaging, company-specific proof points

Tier 3: Scaled Personalisation

Dynamic fields (name, company, industry), segment-specific templates

Phase 5: Orchestration & Tracking

Account Engagement Scoring

Track engagement across the buying committee:

  • Email opens: +1 point
  • Email replies: +5 points
  • LinkedIn acceptance: +3 points
  • Website visit: +2 points
  • Content download: +5 points
  • Meeting booked: +20 points

Hot account threshold: 15+ points = prioritise immediately

Coordination Cadence

  • Daily: Check engagement signals, prioritise hot accounts
  • Weekly: Review account progress, adjust strategies, share learnings
  • Monthly: Evaluate account tier changes, refresh target list

ABM Success Metrics

  • Account penetration: % of target accounts with 3+ contacts engaged
  • Meeting rate: % of target accounts with meetings booked
  • Multi-thread rate: % of deals with 3+ stakeholders involved
  • Pipeline generated: Total pipeline from ABM accounts
  • Win rate: ABM accounts vs. non-ABM accounts
  • Deal size: Average deal size for ABM vs. non-ABM
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