Even Covid Couldn’t Stop B2B Marketers. Their Secret Weapon? ABX.

A version of this piece was originally published in ABM in Action on May 08 2020 by Patricia Pouncey, now Head of Marketing Operations at R-Zero.

A look back at 2020

Doesn’t it feel like we lived through a science-fiction novel? Staying indoors and working from home, trying to make sense of what was happening around us. Although times felt dark and chaotic, reaching pipeline goals and quotas was and is always top of mind for us B2B marketers. Trying to drive growth in the “New Normal” seemed impossible, but there was always one saving grace: having in-depth knowledge of account-based marketing (ABM). I can speak from personal experience, that being ABM certified has empowered me to help organizations grow revenue in any economic environment.

Understanding business value

I can remember the first time I heard about ABM vividly. The company I was working for at the time (Graph Database) was eager to develop and roll out an ABM strategy. As we prepared to get the ball rolling with our approach, we had to get early buy-in from our sales and marketing leaders. Helping them to understand the business value of ABM gave them confidence, including how the strategy would increase revenue for our organization. It also streamlined our sales and marketing efforts to reach the right audiences, which was enormously helpful in moving forward with developing our approach.

Getting our ABM strategy off the ground, after getting executive approval, took time and careful coordination. The marketing and sales teams, as well as executive leaders, partnered together to identify target accounts and begin rolling out the ABM strategy across our joint digital and outbound programs. It took time, commitment and effort, but once we rolled out the plan, we were able to drive impressive results. From that point on, I recognized that ABM is not a fad but a critical business strategy. That’s when I decided to find out how to become a certified ABM expert.

Learning from the experts

Demandbase’s certification program (enhanced now to ABX, or account-based experience) came at the right time for me. When the program first launched, I took certification seriously to expand my knowledge so I could deploy a successful ABM strategy. As I dove into the course, it became clear that this was no ordinary certification program.

The Demandbase Certification program is a very serious program that required me to devote time and effort to it — not a course where attendees can expect to pass effortlessly. In terms of the “user experience,” I found the course to be straightforward, insightful and easy to navigate. Finishing the course, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and knew that becoming ABM certified would have a profound positive impact on my career. Once I posted the Demandbase ABM Certification badge on my LinkedIn profile, it didn’t take long for people to view me as an evangelist and thought leader on ABM, reaching out with questions and asking me to share my insights and guidance.

Making the most of your certification experience

If I can offer a few pieces of advice to my fellow B2B marketers who are thinking about taking the Demandbase Certification course, it would be this:

• Becoming ABM certified is a marathon, not a sprint. The program takes time, so make sure you are committed to completing the program before you jump in.
• Make sure you have the experience of deploying an ABM program. Once completed, you’ll be ready to dive into Demandbase’s Certification course.
• Be diligent and stick to it. If you do that, you’ll come out of the program more enlightened on all things ABM.

Although the uncertainty of 2020 is behind us, there’s nothing more constant than change. Take advantage of Certification programs like the ABX certification course by Demandbase (free for just two more weeks!) to invest in your professional development and to gain key insights into bringing your ABM or ABX strategy to the next level.