Overview
Account-Based Selling (ABS) flips the traditional funnel. Instead of casting a wide net, you identify a small number of high-value accounts and pursue them with coordinated, personalized campaigns. This playbook walks you through the process.
Step 1: Select Target Accounts
Selection Criteria
Score accounts on:
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Potential | 30% | Estimated deal size and expansion potential |
| Strategic Fit | 25% | Alignment with your ICP and use cases |
| Likelihood to Buy | 25% | Intent signals, timing, competitive situation |
| Relationship Strength | 20% | Existing connections, past interactions |
Account Selection Process
- Start with your TAM (Total Addressable Market) list
- Apply firmographic filters (size, industry, geography)
- Layer in intent data if available
- Score remaining accounts
- Select top 20-50 accounts for Tier 1 treatment
Deliverables
- Scored account list
- Tier 1, 2, 3 assignments
- Account ownership assigned
Step 2: Build Account Intelligence
Research Framework
For each Tier 1 account, document:
Company Intelligence
- Business model and revenue streams
- Recent news, earnings, press releases
- Strategic initiatives and priorities
- Technology stack
- Competitive landscape
Stakeholder Mapping
- Economic Buyer (final decision authority)
- Champions (internal advocates)
- Influencers (shape requirements)
- Users (day-to-day users)
- Blockers (potential obstacles)
Pain & Priority Hypothesis
- Top 3 business challenges they likely face
- How your solution addresses each
- Quantified impact if you can estimate
Deliverables
- Account dossier for each Tier 1 account
- Stakeholder map with 5+ contacts per account
- Hypothesis document for each account
Step 3: Develop Account-Specific Messaging
The Personalization Pyramid
Level 1: Industry
- Industry-specific language
- Relevant competitors mentioned
- Industry benchmarks and stats
Level 2: Company
- Company name and context
- Reference to their specific situation
- Mentions of their initiatives
Level 3: Individual
- Persona-specific pain points
- Reference to their role/responsibilities
- Connection to their goals
Message Templates
Executive Email
Subject: [Company]'s [initiative] + [your solution]
Hi [Name],
Noticed [Company] is focused on [initiative] this year—congrats on [recent achievement].
We recently helped [similar company] [specific result], and I believe there's a parallel opportunity for [Company].
Worth a 15-minute call to explore?
[Your name]Champion Email
Subject: Idea for [specific challenge]
Hi [Name],
As the [title] at [Company], you're probably dealing with [specific pain point] on a daily basis.
We've helped [role] at companies like [reference customers] reduce [metric] by [X%] through [approach].
Would it be helpful to see how they did it?
[Your name]Deliverables
- Custom messaging for each Tier 1 account
- 3+ email variations per stakeholder type
- Call scripts tailored to each persona
Step 4: Orchestrate Multi-Channel Outreach
The Surround Strategy
For each Tier 1 account, coordinate touches across:
-
Direct Outreach (Sales)
- Personalized emails
- Phone calls
- LinkedIn engagement
-
Marketing Air Cover
- Targeted ads (LinkedIn, display)
- Direct mail
- Custom content
-
Executive Engagement
- Peer-to-peer outreach
- Executive events
- Board connections
Sample 30-Day Orchestration
| Day | Sales | Marketing | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Email to Champion | Launch targeted ads | - |
| 3 | Call Champion | - | - |
| 5 | LinkedIn to Buyer | Direct mail piece ships | - |
| 7 | Email to Buyer | - | - |
| 10 | Call Buyer | Ad retargeting live | Peer email draft |
| 14 | Follow-up email | Custom content share | - |
| 17 | LinkedIn engage | - | Peer email sent |
| 21 | Value email | Executive event invite | - |
| 25 | Call sequence | - | - |
| 30 | Breakup / re-engage | Campaign refresh | Follow-up |
Deliverables
- 30-day orchestration plan per account
- Marketing assets aligned
- Executive engagement scheduled
Step 5: Multi-Thread the Account
Why Multi-Threading Matters
- Single-threaded deals have 30% lower win rates
- Average B2B buying committee: 6-10 people
- If your champion leaves, you lose the deal
Multi-Threading Tactics
Ask for introductions
“Who else on your team should be involved in evaluating this?”
Go wide on LinkedIn
Connect with 5+ people at each target account
Reference the team
“I’d love to understand [colleague]‘s perspective as well”
Create events
Host workshops or dinners that bring multiple stakeholders together
Engagement Tracking
Track for each account:
- Total contacts identified
- Contacts engaged (replied, met, connected)
- Contacts qualified (right role, interested)
- Depth of engagement (1-5 scale)
Deliverables
- Multi-threading tracker per account
- 5+ contacts engaged per Tier 1 account
- Relationship map showing engagement depth
Step 6: Measure Account Progress
Account Scoring Model
Score accounts 0-100 based on:
| Factor | Points | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement | 0-30 | # of interactions, response rates |
| Access | 0-25 | Level of stakeholders engaged |
| Interest | 0-25 | Expressed need, timeline, budget |
| Champion | 0-20 | Active internal advocate identified |
Account Stage Definitions
| Stage | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Target | 0-20 | Researched, no engagement yet |
| Engaged | 21-40 | Meaningful interactions occurring |
| Qualified | 41-60 | Need, timing, budget confirmed |
| Opportunity | 61-80 | Active deal in pipeline |
| Committed | 81-100 | Verbal or contract in progress |
Weekly Account Review
Every week, review:
- Account scores and stage changes
- Key activities completed
- Blockers and next steps
- Resource needs (marketing, executive)
Deliverables
- Account scoring dashboard
- Weekly review cadence established
- Executive readout template
Success Criteria
Your ABS program is working when:
- 50%+ of Tier 1 accounts are “Engaged” or higher
- 3+ stakeholders engaged per active account
- Deal velocity faster than non-ABS deals
- Win rates 20%+ higher on ABS accounts
- Average deal size larger than non-ABS