Expediting Your ABM Career

Do You Specialize in Growth ABM or Enterprise ABM?

Although both are critical roles in an Account-Based GTM motion…

The skills that you’ll be refining while practicing either of the two ABM models are different.

Growth ABMer

Leads a program for scaled coverage through account Tiers (50, 100s, 1000s of accounts).
Typically tasked with generating net-new revenue.
Strongest sales partnership can often be seen with the BDR(s).
Depth of GTM personalization and investment per account is dependent across which Tier each account falls under.
Campaigns tend to have a “sprint” motion.

Enterprise ABMer

Leads a pure 1:1 or 1:Few program (example: they might cover 6 accounts total who are part of a 1:1 motion).
Typically applied to accounts who are existing customers in an expansion play.
Strongest sales partnership is with the AE(s).
Depth of GTM personalization is extreme, where everything is personalized for each specific account - scaling is not the top priority. High investment per account.
Campaigns tend to have an “outlook” of 9-18 months, with various plays - yet are adaptable to account and market pressures.
This ABM skillset is rare; the Enterprise ABM model is usually only applied in larger organizations with massive deals (think +$500k), justifying the intense investment.

Which Is Better To Focus On For Your Career?

If you’re a Growth ABM or Enterprise ABM practitioner.

You’re probably wondering… “is that other ABM model better for my career?”

NO.

They are both extremely important roles.

💡 Insight: In 2024, we’re seeing ABM leaders at larger orgs, who started with an Enterprise ABM motion, now being tasked with standing up a Growth ABM motion.

As we transition into the era of Account-Based GTM, the top CMOs will be forced to have a deep understanding of Growth ABM. This will be applied across more organizations (replacing lead gen / demand gen) as it allows for scaled coverage.

For CMOs of large organizations who have a massive ACV, understanding the nuances of a pure 1:1 or 1:Few motion will be essential. Especially having insights into the sales process of exponential enterprise deals - you’ll see BILLION dollar deals in some of these programs… yes, with a “B”.

5 Attributes That Make A Great ABM Practitioner

Relentlessly Data-driven: They are able to collect, interpret and act on both qualitative and quantitative datasets to make strategic decisions. It’s not a ‘nice to have’, but part of their DNA.
Highly Curious: ABM usually allows for a higher degree of autonomy and leeway to test more experiments. This is where they thrive, pushing the boundaries of innovation and leading the org forward.
Master of None: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often better than a master of one”. They are a swiss-army knife, a strategic and tactical GTM ninja. At a base-level, they understand how each GTM function operates and can articulate best practices.
Strong Communicator: From the newly graduated BDR to deeply experienced C-suite executives, they can code-switch and are able to enable and lead. Possessing the ability to manage up, across cross-functional teams and within their own program.
Contagiously Proactive: The scale of processes, people and overall project management is significant. They have a proactive mindset vs. reactive, and elevate their teammates to hold this as well.