6 Strategies to Build High-Quality Target Account Lists

B2B Growth Strategies

6 Strategies to Build High-Quality Target Account Lists

Tired of chasing leads that never convert? Discover how to build laser-focused target account lists that connect you with the right prospects. From refining your Ideal Customer Profile to leveraging intent data and smart outreach, learn the strategies that truly drive results.

5 mins
November 14, 2024
In the picture, from left to right (not expecting you to mention them unless you want to):  James Spalding, Dublin, Ireland Svea Schüler, Hamburg, Germany (Me) Niall O'Gorman, Dublin, Ireland Razvan Vierasu, Ploieşti, Romania Yash Mulik, Dublin, Ireland
Svea Schüler
Strategic Initiatives Coordinator

Imagine this: You’ve spent months investing in lead generation, only to realise that most of your prospects are either uninterested or unqualified. Sound familiar? It's a common challenge for B2B companies, but the solution is simpler than you think. By building a laser-focused target account list, you can stop chasing the wrong leads and start engaging the accounts that are most likely to convert.

But what does it take to build a truly effective list? It’s not just about collecting company names or industry data—it’s about leveraging AI-powered tools, intent signals, and strategic alignment between your sales and marketing teams to turn prospects into loyal customers. In this guide, we’ll reveal proven strategies to help you identify, segment, and engage high-value accounts, transforming your pipeline into a revenue-driving machine.

8 Strategies to build high-quality target account lists  

Ready to optimise your approach and unlock the full potential of your sales efforts? Let’s dive in and explore how to build target account lists that deliver real results.

Strategy #1: Start with a Crystal-Clear Ideal-Customer Profile (ICP)  

Building a high-quality target account list begins with defining a crystal-clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). A well-crafted ICP serves as a blueprint for identifying which companies are the best fit for your products or services. It ensures your sales and marketing teams focus their efforts on accounts that are more likely to convert, ultimately increasing efficiency and return on investment (ROI).

What is an Ideal Customer Profile?

An Ideal Customer Profile is a detailed description of a company that would benefit the most from your offering. Unlike buyer personas, which focus on individual decision-makers, an ICP zeroes in on the ideal organization to target. It includes attributes that make a company an ideal match, such as industry, company size, revenue, location, technology stack, and pain points that align with your solution.

By using an ICP, your teams can filter out accounts that are less likely to convert, reducing wasted resources and focusing efforts on high-value prospects. This is crucial for businesses engaged in Account-Based Marketing (ABM), where a targeted, strategic approach is essential.

Key Elements of a Successful ICP  

To build a high-quality ICP, it's essential to include several critical factors that define your ideal accounts. Here’s a breakdown of the main components:

Firmographics
  • Industry: What industries are most likely to benefit from your product or service? For instance, a SaaS company offering project management tools may find success targeting tech, marketing, or consulting firms.
  • Company Size and Revenue: Determine the ideal size of your target accounts by considering the number of employees, annual revenue, or market capitalisation. For example, if your solution is designed for large enterprises, focusing on SMBs may not yield high-value results.
  • Technology Stack: Identify which tools and software your ideal accounts are already using. For instance, if your product integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, targeting companies that use it could increase conversion rates.
Behavioural Indicators

Behavioural data is a powerful predictor of intent and can help refine your ICP. Look for signals that indicate a strong likelihood to buy, such as:

  • Past purchases or contracts with similar solutions.
  • Engagement with your content, like whitepapers, webinars, or product demos.
  • Recent hiring activity in relevant departments, indicating potential growth or expansion needs.
  • Pro Tip: Use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or LinkedIn Sales Navigator to capture and analyze these behavioral signals.
Geography
  • Defining the geographic scope of your ICP is crucial to avoid diluting your efforts. The target region should neither be too broad (like "APAC") nor too narrow (like a single ZIP code).
  • Consider factors such as language, regulatory environments, and cultural nuances. For instance, a cybersecurity firm may prioritize countries with stringent data protection laws like the EU or Canada.
Target Job Roles

Understand who makes the buying decisions within your target accounts. This may vary depending on the industry and the size of the company.
Focus on key decision-makers such as:

  • Chief Information Officers (CIOs) for tech solutions.
  • Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) for marketing software.
  • Directors of Procurement or Heads of Finance for cost-related solutions.

How to Build an ICP in Practice 

Developing a clear and actionable ICP requires a structured approach. Here are some steps to guide the process:

  1. Analyse Your Best Customers
  • Start by examining your existing customer base to identify the characteristics of your most successful accounts. This includes factors like industry, company size, technology use, and purchasing behaviour.
  • Use your CRM data to analyse patterns. For example, if most of your top clients are mid-market tech firms, your ICP should reflect this.
  1. Conduct Customer Interviews

Speak directly with existing customers to gain insights into why they chose your solution and the specific pain points it addresses. This qualitative data can reveal trends that quantitative data might miss. Ask questions such as:

  • What was the trigger event that led you to seek a solution like ours?
  • What specific problems were you trying to solve?
  • What criteria did you use to evaluate your options?
  1. Leverage External Data Sources
  • Utilize external databases like ZoomInfo, Crunchbase, or LinkedIn to gather data on prospective companies that match your ICP criteria.
  • Combine these insights with your internal CRM data to create a holistic view of your ideal customers.
  1. Refine and Validate Your ICP
  • Regularly review and refine your ICP based on feedback from sales teams and performance data. If you notice that certain types of accounts are not converting as expected, adjust your ICP criteria accordingly.
  • Continuously validate your ICP by comparing new leads against it to ensure that they align with your defined profile.
 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Defining Your ICP   
  • Being Too Vague: An overly broad ICP leads to targeting irrelevant accounts, which wastes time and resources. Be as specific as possible.
  • Overlooking Behavioral Indicators: While firmographics are essential, behavioural indicators provide crucial insights into a company’s readiness to buy. Don’t rely solely on demographics.
  • Failing to Update Your ICP Regularly: Market conditions, customer needs, and your offerings change over time. Regularly revisit and update your ICP to keep it relevant.

Strategy #2: Leverage Intent Data for Identifying Prospective Accounts  

Once you’ve established a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), the next crucial strategy for building a high-quality target account list is leveraging intent data. In today’s competitive landscape, knowing when to reach out to a prospective account can be just as important as knowing who to reach out to. This is where intent data comes into play—it helps your sales and marketing teams identify which accounts are actively seeking solutions similar to what you offer, allowing you to prioritise high-intent prospects.

What is Intent Data?   

Intent data is information collected about a company’s online behaviour that indicates a potential interest in your products or services. It captures both explicit and implicit signals to help you gauge an account’s readiness to buy.

Explicit Signals: These are direct actions that demonstrate a clear intent to purchase. Examples include:

  • Filling out a demo request form on your website.
  • Downloading case studies, whitepapers, or e-books.
  • Attending your webinars or virtual events.

Implicit Signals: These are indirect actions that imply interest but aren’t as overt. Examples include:

  • Frequent visits to your pricing page or product pages.
  • Searching for specific keywords related to your offerings.
  • Engagement on social media, such as liking or sharing your content.
  • Spending increased time on your website or interacting with your emails.

By analysing these signals, you can identify which companies are in the consideration stage of the buying journey and ready for outreach. This allows you to focus your sales efforts on accounts with the highest potential for conversion.

Why Timing is Critical in Sales   

In B2B sales, reaching out to a prospective account at the right moment can be a game-changer. Even if you have the perfect solution for a company, contacting them when they aren't actively looking or ready to buy can result in missed opportunities. Intent data ensures that you’re engaging with prospects at the right time, which increases the likelihood of capturing their interest.

A study by Forrester found that 74% of B2B buyers conduct more than half of their research online before making a purchase decision. By the time they reach out to a vendor, they are already well-informed. Leveraging intent data allows your sales team to get ahead by engaging with these prospects before they officially raise their hands.

How to Gather and Leverage Intent Data Effectively   

Here’s a breakdown of how you can gather and utilise intent data to identify high-quality accounts:

  1. Track Website Behaviour
  • Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hotjar to monitor which pages prospects visit on your website and how long they stay. If multiple visitors from the same company are spending time on your product pages or blog content, that’s a strong signal of interest.
  • Look for patterns like multiple visits to pricing pages, product comparison charts, or demo sign-up pages. These behaviours suggest an account is actively considering solutions in your niche.
  1. Monitor Search Engine Activity
  • Leverage platforms like Bombora or 6sense, which specialize in capturing intent data from search engines and external websites. These tools can show you which companies are searching for terms related to your products.
  • By identifying accounts searching for specific industry keywords, you can reach out to them with tailored messaging that addresses their current challenges.
  1. Analyse Engagement on Content and Social Media
  • Track interactions with your content across various channels. For instance:
  • Email Click-Through Rates (CTR): High engagement with your email content, such as clicking on links or downloading resources, signals strong interest.
  • Social Media Activity: Monitor LinkedIn or Twitter for companies engaging with your posts. Accounts that frequently interact with your content are often exploring solutions.
  1. Leverage Third-Party Data Providers
  • Platforms like ZoomInfo, Demandbase, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator can provide insights into intent data beyond your website. These tools aggregate signals from multiple sources to highlight accounts showing strong buying intent.
  • Pro Tip: Integrate these tools with your CRM to automate the process of identifying high-intent accounts and triggering alerts for your sales team.

Using Intent Data to Prioritise Accounts

Once you’ve gathered intent data, the next step is to prioritise which accounts to target. Not all signals are created equal—some are stronger indicators of purchase intent than others. Here’s how to prioritise:

  1. Score Accounts Based on Intent Signals
  • Assign a score to different intent activities (e.g., visiting a pricing page might be worth more points than downloading a blog post).
  • Use tools like HubSpot’s lead scoring feature to automate the process. Accounts with the highest scores should be your top priority.
  1. Segment Accounts by Stage of Interest

Not all accounts will be ready to buy immediately. Segment them based on where they are in the buying journey:

  • High Intent: Accounts that have explicitly requested demos or pricing information.
  • Moderate Intent: Accounts engaging with educational content like webinars or case studies.
  • Low Intent: Accounts browsing blog posts or social media content.
  1. Create Tailored Outreach Campaigns
  • Use the intent signals you’ve collected to craft personalised outreach messages. For instance:
  • If an account has been researching a specific feature, emphasise that capability in your emails.
  • For accounts that attended a recent webinar, follow up with related content or a case study.

Strategy #3: Utilise Advanced Sales Intelligence Tools  

After defining a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and leveraging intent data, the next strategy to enhance your target account list is utilising advanced sales intelligence tools. These tools provide invaluable insights into your target accounts, allowing your sales and marketing teams to engage with prospects more effectively. In today’s data-driven world, having access to the latest, most accurate information is crucial to gaining a competitive edge.

What Are Sales Intelligence Tools?   

Sales intelligence tools are platforms that gather, analyse, and provide insights about companies and their buying behaviour. These tools go beyond basic contact information, helping businesses understand their prospects' pain points, current solutions, and buying readiness. By leveraging real-time data, you can refine your target account lists, identify opportunities, and prioritise outreach based on actionable insights.

These tools can provide a wide range of data, such as:

  • Company firmographics: Size, industry, revenue, and location.
  • Technographic data: Information about the software and tools a company uses.
  • Account activity: Monitoring the bhaviour or of target accounts across different channels.
  • Competitive intelligence: Insights into an account’s engagement with competitors, including contract renewals, active subscriptions, and churn data.

Key Features to Look for in Sales Intelligence Tools   

When selecting sales intelligence tools, focus on platforms that offer the following features to enhance your targeting efforts:

  1. Real-Time Data and Alerts
  • Tools like MarketSizer, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and Demandbase provide real-time updates on target accounts. This includes data on funding rounds, company expansions, leadership changes, or new product launches.
  • Set up alerts to notify your sales team when key accounts show buying signals, such as hiring relevant roles or increasing marketing spend.
  1. Technographic Analysis
  • Understanding the technology stack used by a target account can reveal pain points and potential gaps your product can fill. For instance, if your solution integrates with Salesforce, prioritise accounts already using that platform.
  • Tools like MarketSizer, BuiltWith or Datanyze can provide insights into the tools and software that a company relies on, helping tailor your outreach.
  1. Competitor Engagement and Churn Analysis
  • Sales intelligence platforms can reveal whether a target account is using a competitor's solution, when their contract might be up for renewal, or if they have recently churned from a competitor’s product.
  • This data allows your team to time outreach perfectly, reaching out to accounts when they are most likely considering alternative solutions.
  1. Behavioural Tracking and Account Maturity

Sales intelligence tools can classify target accounts based on their engagement with your brand over time. For instance:

  • New Accounts: Accounts that recently engaged with your brand and are in the early stages of the buying journey.
  • Developing Accounts: Prospects that have shown sustained interest over time but haven't yet converted.
  • Loyal Accounts: Existing customers that may be ripe for upselling or cross-selling.

Best Practices for Utilising Sales Intelligence Tools   

  1. Integrate Sales Intelligence Tools with Your CRM
  • Ensure that your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot) is integrated with your sales intelligence tools to streamline data flow. This allows your sales team to access account insights directly within their workflow.
  • Automated alerts and reports can be set up to notify your team of changes in target accounts, ensuring timely follow-ups.
  1. Regularly Clean and Update Your Data
  • Sales intelligence data is only as good as its accuracy. Make it a practice to regularly clean your CRM of outdated information and update account details based on the latest intelligence.
  1. Train Your Team to Leverage Insights
  • Provide training to your sales and marketing teams on how to interpret sales intelligence data and incorporate it into their strategies. This ensures they can fully utilise the tools at their disposal and adjust their approach based on real-time insights.

Strategy #4: Perfect your Target Account Segmentation for Better Outreach  

Once you've developed a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and identified high-intent accounts, the next step is to segment your target account list. Segmentation is critical because it allows your sales and marketing teams to focus their efforts on specific groups of accounts with tailored strategies, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Why Account Segmentation Matters   

Rather than treating all prospects the same, segmentation helps you:

  • Personalise outreach for different groups, increasing the relevance of your messaging.
  • Prioritise resources toward high-value accounts, optimising the efforts of your sales team.
  • Boost engagement rates by targeting prospects based on their unique needs and behaviours.

Key Strategies for Effective Account Segmentation   

Here’s how you can segment your accounts to maximise the effectiveness of your outreach:

  1. Firmographic Segmentation
  • Focus on core characteristics like industry, company size, revenue, and geography. Tailor your messaging based on these elements to resonate better with each segment.
  • For example, highlight regulatory compliance for financial firms or emphasize scalability for tech companies.
  1. Technographic Segmentation
  • Analyse the technology stack used by accounts to identify opportunities where your product fits best. Tools like MarketSizer or BuiltWith can help pinpoint which platforms your target accounts use.
  • Example: If your product integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics, focus your efforts on companies already using it.
  1. Behavioural Segmentation
  • Group accounts based on their engagement with your brand, such as website visits, content downloads, or social media interactions.
  • Prioritise accounts showing strong buying signals (e.g., frequent visits to your pricing page) to increase conversion rates.
  1. Intent-Based Segmentation

Use intent data to identify accounts that are actively searching for solutions similar to yours. Segment them into tiers based on their readiness to buy. Here are some example tiers:

  • High Intent: Accounts requesting demos or engaging with product content.
  • Moderate Intent: Accounts attending webinars or downloading whitepapers.
  • Low Intent: Accounts that fit your ICP but haven’t shown strong engagement yet.

 Implementing Segmentation in Your CRM   

To streamline your efforts, make sure your CRM system is optimised for segmentation:

  • Tag and filter accounts based on your chosen criteria (e.g., industry, technology stack).
  • Automate workflows to assign accounts to the right segments based on their behaviour or and engagement levels.

Best Practices for Successful Segmentation   

  1. Start Simple and Scale: Begin with broad categories like industry or company size, then refine further as you gather more data.
  2. Collaborate Across Teams: Ensure both sales and marketing teams are aligned on segmentation criteria to avoid miscommunication.
  3. Regularly Update Segments: Markets and customer needs change; regularly review and adjust your segments to stay relevant.

Strategy #5: Align Marketing and Sales Teams for Maximum Impact  

Once you have segmented your target accounts, the next essential step is ensuring alignment between your marketing and sales teams. Without this collaboration, even the most precise targeting efforts can fall short. Studies show that misalignment between sales and marketing can cost companies up to 10% of their revenue.

However, when these teams work together seamlessly, it can drive significant growth by improving engagement and closing high-value deals faster.

Why Alignment is Key for Target Account Success   

Sales and marketing alignment is more than just generating leads or running campaigns. It’s about creating a cohesive strategy that ensures both teams are working toward the same objectives:

  • Increased Conversion Rates: Targeted accounts receive consistent, personalised messaging, resulting in better engagement.
  • Faster Sales Cycles: A unified approach helps sales teams act on qualified leads faster, reducing the time to close.
  • Efficient Use of Resources: Collaboration ensures that both teams are focusing on accounts with the highest potential value.

5 Ways to Align Sales and Marketing

Check out our guide on LinkedIn for 5 strategies to align your sales and marketing teams!

Special Tip: Use Account-Based Marketing (ABM) to Align Teams Effectively   

One of the most powerful ways to align your sales and marketing teams is by adopting an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) approach. ABM focuses both teams on a pre-defined list of high-value accounts, ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most. Here’s how it can help:

  • Unified Strategy: With ABM, both teams collaborate from the start to develop a comprehensive plan for engaging key accounts, including shared messaging, personalised content, and coordinated touchpoints.
  • Clear Ownership and Accountability: By agreeing upfront on which accounts to prioritise, marketing can drive awareness while sales focuses on closing deals, ensuring that each team knows their role in the process.
  • Measurable Results: ABM allows you to track joint performance metrics like account engagement and revenue impact, making it easier to demonstrate the value of alignment efforts to stakeholders.

How to start: To kickstart your ABM strategy, co-create target account plans with both sales and marketing teams, identifying specific pain points and crafting personalised outreach campaigns tailored to each account. This joint effort will foster collaboration and accelerate conversions.

Strategy #6: Implementing a Multi-Touch Outreach Strategy 

With your sales and marketing teams aligned and a segmented target account list in place, the next crucial step is executing a multi-touch outreach strategy. This approach involves reaching out to your target accounts through multiple channels and touchpoints to maximize engagement. A single email or phone call is no longer enough to break through the noise—today's decision-makers require a more persistent, yet personalised, approach to capture their attention.

What is a Multi-Touch Outreach Strategy?   

A multi-touch strategy is the practice of using a combination of channels—like email, LinkedIn, phone calls, and targeted ads—to connect with prospects at various stages of their buyer journey. It’s not just about quantity but strategically orchestrating these touchpoints to create meaningful interactions that move prospects closer to making a purchase.

The key is to balance persistence with personalisation. You want to stay top of mind without coming across as pushy or impersonal.

Why Multi-Touch Outreach is Effective   

Modern B2B buyers are inundated with outreach from countless vendors. According to industry research, it can take 8 to 12 touchpoints to effectively engage a prospect and initiate meaningful conversations. Here’s why a multi-touch approach is critical:

  • Increased Visibility: Engaging prospects across different platforms helps ensure your message isn’t missed.
  • Enhanced Personalisation: Using various channels allows you to tailor your messaging to the context of each interaction, making your outreach more relevant.
  • Building Trust Over Time: Consistent, well-timed touchpoints help build credibility, especially when your outreach offers value through helpful content or insights.

Key Components of a Successful Multi-Touch Outreach Strategy   

  1. Leverage Multiple Channels

Use a mix of channels to engage your target accounts. Here’s a breakdown of effective options:

  • Email: Ideal for sharing resources like case studies, whitepapers, or product updates. Keep emails concise and personalised to the recipient’s interests.
  • LinkedIn: A great platform for connecting with decision-makers, sharing relevant content, and engaging in conversations. Focus on building relationships rather than going straight for the pitch.
  • Phone Calls: Useful for follow-ups and adding a personal touch. A well-timed call can be effective after a prospect has engaged with your content or shown interest.
  • Targeted Ads: Use platforms like LinkedIn Ads or Google Display Network to keep your brand top of mind for high-value accounts.

Pro Tip: Tailor your approach based on the preferred communication channel of your target accounts. For example, some industries may respond better to LinkedIn outreach, while others may prefer phone calls.

  1. Craft Personalised Touchpoints Based on Engagement Data

Use the insights gathered from your CRM and intent data to inform your outreach strategy. For instance:

  • If an account has downloaded a specific whitepaper, follow up with an email offering a related case study.
  • If a prospect frequently visits your pricing page, it may be a good time for a direct outreach call or a personalised demo invite.
  • Leverage automation tools like Outreach.io or Salesloft to streamline multi-touch campaigns while still allowing for personalisation.
  1. Create Sequences and Cadences

Design structured sequences for different segments of your target accounts. For example:

  • Top-tier accounts may receive a high-touch sequence that includes personalised emails, phone calls, and LinkedIn connections over a month-long period.
  • Lower-priority accounts might go through an automated sequence of emails and targeted ads to gauge their interest before investing more personalised effort.

Cadence Example:

  • Day 1: Send a personalised email introducing your solution.
  • Day 3: Connect on LinkedIn and share a relevant article or case study.
  • Day 5: Follow up with a phone call to discuss challenges the prospect may be facing.
  • Day 10: Send a targeted email based on their specific interests or behaviours.
  1. Offer Value at Every Touchpoint
  • Each interaction should be meaningful and provide value to the prospect. This could be in the form of industry insights, solutions to common challenges, or exclusive invitations to webinars and events.
  • Avoid hard sells in early touchpoints. Instead, focus on building trust by demonstrating your expertise and understanding of the prospect’s pain points.
  1. Track, Measure, and Optimise

Continuously track the performance of your multi-touch outreach efforts using analytics tools. Key metrics to monitor include:

  • Open and response rates for emails.
  • Engagement metrics on LinkedIn and other social channels.
  • Call-to-meeting conversion rates for phone outreach.
  • Use A/B testing to refine your messaging and determine which channels are most effective for different segments.

Best Practices for Multi-Touch Outreach   

  1. Be Consistent but Flexible
  • While consistency is crucial, be prepared to adjust your cadence based on the prospect’s engagement. If an account responds positively to an initial touchpoint, shift your approach to more personalised follow-ups.
  1. Leverage Automation Without Losing the Human Touch
  • Tools like HubSpot, Outreach.io, or Pardot can help automate your outreach while still allowing for personalisation. Automate the routine parts of your outreach but always include personalised elements to stand out.
  1. Test and Iterate
  • Regularly review the performance of your outreach sequences and adjust based on what’s working. Experiment with different touchpoint intervals, channels, and messaging to find the optimal mix for your audience.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid   

  • Overwhelming Prospects: Too many touchpoints in a short period can feel spammy and drive prospects away. Focus on quality over quantity.
  • Using Generic Messaging: Avoid sending the same message to all prospects. Tailor your outreach to the unique needs and pain points of each account.
  • Neglecting Data: Not leveraging engagement data to adjust your approach can result in missed opportunities. Continuously analyse data to refine your strategy.

Measuring the Success of Your Target Account Strategy

A successful target account strategy requires more than just generating leads. It’s about consistently engaging the right accounts, converting them into customers, and maximising their lifetime value. By measuring the impact of your strategy, you can:

  • Optimise your approach based on real data rather than assumptions.
  • Identify bottlenecks in your outreach process and address them promptly.
  • Ensure alignment between sales and marketing teams to achieve shared goals.
  • Prove the ROI of your account-based marketing (ABM) initiatives to stakeholders.

Key Metrics to Track for Success   

To measure your target account strategy effectively, focus on a mix of quantitative and qualitative metrics. Here are some of the most critical metrics to monitor:

  1. Account Engagement Score
  • This metric tracks how actively a target account is engaging with your brand across channels (emails, social media, website, etc.). High engagement scores indicate strong interest, while low scores may require adjustments in your outreach strategy.
  • Tools like HubSpot, Terminus, and Demandbase can help you monitor engagement scores and identify which accounts are showing the most interest.
  1. Conversion Rates by Account Segment
  • Track how many of your target accounts are converting at each stage of the sales funnel, from initial engagement to closed deals. Segment conversion rates by industry, company size, or other ICP attributes to understand which segments are performing best.
  • If conversion rates are low in a specific segment, consider adjusting your messaging or outreach tactics.
  1. Pipeline Velocity
  • Measure how quickly accounts move through your sales pipeline. Faster pipeline velocity indicates that your outreach is effectively engaging the right prospects and pushing them toward a purchase decision.
  • Regularly review the average time it takes to convert accounts and look for stages where deals are stalling.
  1. Return on Investment (ROI) for ABM Campaigns
  • Calculate the ROI of your account-based marketing efforts to ensure that your resources are being used effectively. This involves comparing the revenue generated from targeted accounts against the costs of your marketing and sales efforts.
  • ROI can be improved by continuously refining your ICP, optimising touchpoints, and reducing customer acquisition costs.
  1. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
  • CLV measures the total revenue you expect to generate from a customer over the course of their relationship with your company. A successful target account strategy should not only focus on converting accounts but also on retaining them for long-term value.
  • Focus on accounts with high CLV potential, as these will deliver the greatest ROI.
  1. Win Rate and Deal Size
  • The win rate (percentage of closed deals compared to opportunities) and average deal size are key indicators of how effective your strategy is. An increase in these metrics suggests that your targeting efforts are attracting high-quality accounts.
  • Analyse which segments or industries have the highest win rates to refine your ICP and prioritise similar accounts.

Continuous Monitoring and Optimisation of Your Account List   

While tracking metrics is essential, it’s equally important to regularly review and optimize your account lists. The market is always evolving, and your strategies should be too. Here’s how to keep your account list fresh and effective:

  1. Review and Update Your ICP

As you gather data on account performance, refine your Ideal Customer Profile to better reflect the characteristics of your highest-value accounts. Adjust your targeting criteria to focus on segments with the highest conversion rates and CLV.

  1. Leverage Feedback from Sales Teams
  • Your sales team interacts with prospects daily and can provide valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not. Use their feedback to adjust your outreach strategies, messaging, and touchpoints.
  • Schedule regular debriefs with sales reps to discuss account performance and identify areas for improvement.
  1. Use Intent Data to Reassess Priorities
  • Continuously monitor intent data to identify changes in your target accounts’ behaviour. Accounts that were previously unengaged may show renewed interest, while others may drop off your radar.
  • Re-prioritise your target list based on the latest data to focus on accounts that are actively showing buying signals.
  1. Automate Reporting for Real-Time Insights
  • Use automation tools to generate reports on key metrics and account performance. This enables you to quickly identify trends, adjust your strategy, and act on new opportunities.
  • Tools like Salesforce, Marketo, or LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help automate the collection and reporting of data, saving your team time and effort.  

Common Pitfalls to Avoid   

  • Relying Solely on Top-of-Funnel Metrics: Don’t just focus on engagement rates. Track metrics that cover the entire customer journey, from initial contact to closed deals and beyond.
  • Ignoring the Feedback Loop: Failing to incorporate insights from sales into your strategy can lead to missed opportunities. Always keep the lines of communication open between departments.
  • Not Updating Your Strategy Regularly: The business landscape changes quickly. Failing to update your ICP, account lists, or outreach tactics can leave you targeting outdated or irrelevant accounts.

What's Next? 

In today's competitive B2B landscape, success hinges on precision and focus. By implementing the strategies we’ve outlined—starting with a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), leveraging intent data, using advanced sales intelligence tools, segmenting your target accounts, aligning your sales and marketing teams, and executing a multi-touch outreach strategy—you can transform your approach to customer acquisition.

Building high-quality target account lists is not just about gathering names and contact information; it’s about targeting the right accounts at the right time with the right message. With data-driven insights and a well-coordinated strategy, you can drive better engagement, increase conversion rates, and maximise your return on investment.

However, the journey doesn’t stop here. To stay ahead, it’s crucial to continuously measure, optimise, and refine your approach based on real-time data and evolving market conditions. By using powerful tools like MarketSizer and integrating the best practices covered in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to build stronger relationships with your target accounts and drive sustainable growth.

Now is the perfect time to take your account targeting strategy to the next level! Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimise your existing approach, don’t let your efforts go to waste. Start implementing these strategies today and watch your sales pipeline fill with high-quality, engaged prospects.

👉 Ready to supercharge your account-based marketing efforts? Leverage MarketSizer’s Insights to identify, target, and convert the accounts that matter most.

Tag
Customer Acquisition
ABM
ICP
Sales Intelligence