Operationalizing ABM in 2025: A Framework for Success

The first Found & Chosen LinkedIn Live of 2025 tackled one of the most crucial topics for B2B go-to-market teams: Operationalizing Account-Based Marketing (ABM). As we navigate the evolving B2B landscape, ABM continues to emerge as a cornerstone strategy for companies looking to achieve scalable growth while maintaining personalization and humanization at its core. Here's a breakdown of the key takeaways from our live discussion.

1. ABM as a Framework, Not a Campaign

One of the primary challenges companies face is treating ABM as just another marketing tactic or campaign. As Paola, one of our squad leaders, emphasized, “It’s a whole strategy and program that involves the entire organization—at the very least, sales and marketing.”

Key Actions for Teams:

• Start with Objectives: Align sales and marketing on why you want to implement ABM. What are the goals? Are you ready for it?
• Assess ABM Readiness: Before launching an ABM program, ensure foundational elements like data cleanliness, CRM setup, and account intelligence are in place.
• Define the Type of ABM: Decide whether you’re focusing on a one-to-one, one-to-few, or one-to-many approach based on your objectives and resources.

2. The Crawl-Walk-Run Approach

Operationalizing ABM requires a phased approach, as Lindsey highlighted with her “room-to-room” analogy. Each phase of the buyer’s journey—from non-aware to aware, engaged, and retained—needs a structured plan to guide prospects through the process seamlessly.

Crawl: Begin with foundational activities such as cleaning data, aligning teams, and identifying target accounts.
Walk: Introduce account-level engagement strategies like personalized content, tactical outreach, and cross-team collaboration.
Run: Scale your ABM efforts with advanced sales enablement, retention strategies, and expansion programs.

3. The Role of Humanization in ABM

In 2025, B2B buyers are increasingly seeking humanized experiences. While automation and technology play a significant role in scaling ABM, the human element cannot be ignored. As Emma pointed out, “Nose-to-nose events, tactile marketing, and in-office pitches are outperforming webinars and purely digital outreach.”

Tips for Humanized ABM:

• Leverage In-Person Engagement: Host in-office pitches or client-focused workshops to build deeper relationships.
• Personalized Outreach: Send tailored, tactile marketing pieces (e.g., handwritten notes or custom swag) to key stakeholders.
• Train Teams on Buyer Behavior: Recognize that many buying committees consist of individuals navigating the process for the first time. Walk them through the journey collaboratively.

4. Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales

Activation—moving from engaged prospects to sales-qualified opportunities—is a critical phase that requires seamless collaboration between marketing and sales. As Bryant noted, “At the activation moment, trust is built. This is what prospects will measure their future retention and expansion decisions against.”

Strategies for Activation:

• Define what a Marketing Qualified Account (MQA) looks like in your ABM framework.
• Equip sales teams with context and insights from the marketing journey, ensuring they know what has been communicated and what’s expected next.
• Treat the handoff from marketing to sales as a partnership, not a transaction.

5. Scalability and Precision

For companies surpassing $5M ARR, scalability becomes a non-negotiable factor. Emma underscored that while humanized tactics are essential, they must also be operationalized to avoid chaos as your ABM program scales.

Scalable ABM Practices:

• Use technology to enable personalization at scale, such as account-based advertising and automated email cadences with custom touches.
• Build modular frameworks for ABM campaigns that can be adapted to different account tiers.
• Measure and iterate regularly, ensuring you’re balancing personalization with efficiency.

6. The Future of ABM

The discussion wrapped with a reflection on how ABM strategies must evolve alongside B2B buyer behavior. As Paola succinctly put it, “The B2B buyer of 2025 is not the same as a couple of years ago. If we don’t adapt, we’ll miss the mark.”

Emerging trends like hyper-targeted account lists, AI-driven insights, and cross-functional team collaboration will shape the way ABM is executed. Companies must stay agile, embracing both the art of human connection and the science of data-driven decision-making.

Final Thoughts

Operationalizing ABM in 2025 requires more than aligning teams and deploying campaigns. It’s about building a repeatable framework that integrates humanization, scalability, and collaboration.

At Found & Chosen, we’re passionate about helping go-to-market teams navigate this journey. If you’re ready to operationalize ABM and transform your go-to-market strategy, let’s connect and make it happen.

Giddy up, let’s execute!