In 2025, account-based marketing (ABM) is no longer a buzzword. It’s the strategic foundation behind many of the fastest-growing B2B companies worldwide. But as ABM has moved from novelty to necessity, simply “doing ABM” isn’t enough. The question now is: what separates the top performers from the rest?
The answer lies in refinement. Leading B2B brands aren’t just running ABM campaigns – they’re evolving their approach to be more precise, more integrated, and more outcome-driven than ever before. This article explores the tactics and tools these brands are using to stay ahead.
1. Precision targeting: quality over quantity
High-growth companies are getting even more selective about the accounts they target. Rather than creating large lists of ideal customers, they’re doubling down on fewer, better-fit accounts that align with both short-term revenue goals and long-term customer value.
This refinement is powered by better data. Successful brands are layering intent data, technographic data, and predictive analytics to build multidimensional views of their target accounts. They’re identifying not just who to target, but when and how.
Key tactic: Using intent platforms like Bombora or 6sense to identify accounts actively researching relevant solutions, allowing marketers to time outreach for maximum impact.
2. Deep personalisation at scale
It’s no longer enough to insert a company name into a subject line and call it personalisation. The most effective ABM programmes now deliver customised experiences tailored to specific pain points, industry challenges, and stakeholder goals.
High-performing marketers are building dynamic landing pages, custom content hubs, and role-specific nurture tracks. With the help of AI and modular content systems, they can scale this personalisation across hundreds of accounts without losing relevance.
Key tactic: Creating modular content assets that can be recombined based on persona, industry, and buying stage to build tailored experiences.
3. Multi-threaded engagement
In 2025, ABM isn’t just about targeting accounts- it’s about engaging the entire buying committee. Top B2B brands are moving beyond single-threaded contact with one decision-maker. Instead, they’re running orchestrated campaigns that connect with multiple stakeholders simultaneously.
This requires tight sales and marketing collaboration, often enabled by shared playbooks, unified messaging, and account-specific engagement plans.
Key tactic: Mapping the buying committee for each target account and developing targeted messages and content for each member, coordinated across email, LinkedIn, webinars, and sales outreach.
4. Sales and marketing as one team
High-growth B2B brands are fully aligning sales and marketing functions within their ABM programmes. This goes beyond regular syncs or shared KPIs. It means co-owning the account strategy, campaign planning, and pipeline metrics.
Marketing is increasingly embedded in sales teams, supporting them with content, insights, and automated workflows that make outreach smarter and faster. In return, sales shares on-the-ground feedback that sharpens marketing efforts.
Key tactic: Embedding a dedicated ABM marketer within enterprise sales pods to act as a strategic partner, not just a lead provider.
5. Real-time measurement and iteration
Top performers in ABM don’t wait until quarter-end to evaluate performance. They monitor account engagement and campaign metrics in real time and adjust accordingly.
Dashboards track everything from buying committee engagement to web activity by account segment. This allows marketing and sales teams to pivot strategies when accounts stall or new opportunities arise.
Key tactic: Using platforms like Demandbase and RollWorks to monitor engagement by account and trigger automated actions when activity hits (or misses) key thresholds.
6. Expanding beyond acquisition
ABM’s initial value lay in winning new logos, but high-growth companies now use it across the customer lifecycle. That includes onboarding, upselling, renewal campaigns, and reactivation of dormant accounts.
Lifecycle ABM ensures that customer experience is continuous and consistent. It also builds stronger relationships that reduce churn and drive expansion revenue.
Key tactic: Running ABM campaigns post-sale, using success milestones to trigger upsell messaging or customer advocacy programmes.
7. Investing in enablement and training
Even the best ABM strategy falls flat without the right people behind it. Leading B2B brands are investing heavily in upskilling their marketing and sales teams in ABM best practices, technology use, and data interpretation.
This includes onboarding new hires with ABM playbooks, offering ongoing training, and fostering a culture of experimentation and feedback.
Key tactic: Creating an internal ABM centre of excellence that drives consistency, learning, and innovation across teams.
The takeaway: ABM maturity is the new differentiator
What sets high-growth B2B brands apart in 2025 isn’t that they use ABM – it’s how well they execute it.
They treat ABM as a core business strategy, not a marketing campaign. They invest in systems that support precision, personalisation, and partnership. And they constantly refine their tactics to meet the evolving demands of modern buyers.
In the race for relevance, refinement is the ultimate competitive advantage.
If your ABM programme hasn’t evolved since 2021, it’s time to take a closer look. The bar has been raised – and the brands that continue to grow are the ones that keep raising it themselves.
Want the latest B2B marketing news straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
Interested in sales, marketing or business skills courses and training? Check out our training partner, Learning Room.
Whether you want to learn how to use LinkedIn, X or Facebook for marketing, or need to brush up on business skills like leadership, presentation skills or managing meetings, you will find something to enhance your professional skills with these on-demand courses.