Why Sales Teams Should Be Obsessed With ABM in 2025

As 2024 comes to a close, we at Found&Chosen recently wrapped up our final LinkedIn Live session of the year. It was an insightful conversation featuring an all-star squad of leaders: Lindsey Light, Paola Piccinno, and Bryant, as we explored the critical question: Why should sales teams be demanding ABM in 2025?

From Argy-Bargy to Alignment

Too often, sales and marketing teams find themselves stuck in what I call "argy-bargy land". Misalignment creates inefficiency and missed opportunities. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) changes the game. When executed well, ABM delivers a seamless prospect-to-customer experience while aligning both teams on the same priorities.

The magic of ABM lies in focus and collaboration. But here’s the catch: sales teams must not only embrace ABM—they should be demanding it.

Sales Without ABM: The Old Way

Lindsey, who has sat in the seat of an account executive, perfectly illustrated the difference between working with and without ABM.

Without ABM, it’s a numbers game—casting the widest net possible. Sales teams chase quantity instead of quality, working through hundreds of touchpoints and hoping something sticks. In Lindsey’s words, it often feels like you’re "spinning your wheels."

For sales professionals focused solely on hitting KPIs, the approach might seem productive. But in reality, it leads to burnout and minimal results.

Sales With ABM: Smarter, Not Harder

ABM flips the script. Rather than chasing every potential lead, ABM uses data-driven insights to pinpoint the accounts that matter most. Salespeople can:

• Focus their efforts on high-potential prospects.
• Speak the right language by understanding what moves the needle for each account.
• Align tightly with marketing to deliver the right message at the right time.

The result? Fewer touchpoints but far better outcomes. Lindsey shared a striking contrast: with ABM, you’re no longer making 200 touchpoints to secure 2 meetings. Instead, you’re making focused outreach and booking 5-10 meetings.

Getting Skeptical Sales Teams On Board

Paola shared her experience working with sales teams across global organizations. While some salespeople are early adopters of ABM, others remain skeptical. But here’s the key insight: once even the most resistant sales teams see the results, they become ABM’s biggest advocates.

One real-world example stood out: after a successful ABM program in Singapore, word spread quickly within the organization. Suddenly, teams in the Middle East and Japan were demanding the same program. Paola summed it up best: “Those are the problems I want you to have!” Sales teams that once resisted ABM often become its loudest champions—asking for more programs, more regions, and more targeted campaigns.

Breaking Old Habits

A key challenge, as I pointed out, is that many sales teams today have been trained in the lead-focused, spray-and-pray era of the last 12-15 years. ABM requires a different muscle—one that emphasizes precision and partnership. While ABM makes prioritization easier (and far more effective), sales teams still need to do the work. ABM shows you where to fish, but you still need to cast the line.

For sales teams used to leads flooding in, the transition to account-focused selling can feel like a culture shock. But the rewards are worth it: higher-quality opportunities, stronger alignment, and more closed deals.

Final Thoughts: Demand ABM in 2025

As Bryant shared, ABM isn’t just about better marketing—it’s about better business. With ABM, sales teams are no longer relying on luck or sheer volume. Instead, they’re leveraging technology, data, and personalization to engage the right accounts at the right time.

For sales teams looking to thrive in 2025, ABM isn’t optional—it’s essential. As Lindsey reminded us, “Work smarter, not harder” was probably born from ABM.

To sales teams and leaders everywhere: make 2025 the year you demand ABM. The results will speak for themselves.

Wishing you all a fantastic holiday season and a successful new year. Let’s roll up our sleeves, align our teams, and go execute in 2025!