Council Post: Why Brand Is Your Secret Weapon In Your ABM Efforts (2024)

Carol Howley is CMO at Exclaimer, an email signature platform. She's a senior leader with over 15 years’ experience in the technology space.

Scaling demand and navigating account-based marketing (ABM) in 2024 seems more like a tightrope act than an exact science. Businesses are testing strategies to find the sweet spot between being heard and being intrusive.

But the importance of a strong brand in your demand generation and ABM strategies is more critical than ever. As B2B marketers, there’s a disconnect between what we’re saying versus what we’re doing. Although almost 80% of marketers said that their budget for brand awareness is set to increase in 2024, "15% have no brand guidelines," resulting in a lack of consistency in their branding efforts.

This article unpacks the reasons your ABM efforts will have little impact if you don’t invest in your brand.

The Case For Demand And Brand

The debate over "brand versus demand" is outdated. Your brand isn't a separate component to your demand generation engine—it's the ecosystem from which all demand springs. When the economy slows, the knee-jerk reaction, especially in B2B, is to slash "nonessential" budget items like marketing and, particularly, brand development. But this idea ignores the fact that a brand's influence is long-lasting, reaching far beyond the immediate fiscal year.

Customers engage with your brand long before considering a purchase. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to create a connection. A cohesive brand strategy ensures that each interaction is infused with your brand's character, creating a consistent and memorable customer experience.

The image your brand projects directly influences a buyer's inclination to choose your product over the competition's. A well-recognized brand has sway in the market that undercuts pricing, functionality and even convenience.

In the ABM context, where the stakes are high and relationships are pivotal, trust and connection with your brand can determine the success of strategic accounts. Your brand's reputation for quality, reliability and understanding customer needs is a platform for nurturing profitable, long-term relationships.

The Brand Is The Backbone Of A Resilient Business

It's vital to understand that a brand's resilience is directly related to its sustained investment. Companies with strong brands are more robust against market fluctuations and have a quicker recovery in post-recessionary periods. They become the go-to sources for consumers—and the standards their competitors aspire to.

Efficiency in scaling demand isn't solely a question of how loudly you can broadcast your message. It's about how powerfully your brand can draw customers and prospects to you. Building a brand allows for scaling to be achieved through a "pull" effect rather than purely through a costly "push."

At difficult times, the immediate results from sales activation are often tempting, but the results are short-lived. A robust brand strategy nurtures sustainable and organic growth, with impacts that resonate generations down the business's lineage.

Consistency Is King

Ensuring your digital channels are "on-brand" not only magnifies your visibility but also streamlines the customer's perception of your company. Every email, every message and every ad speak volumes about your brand promises.

Consistency breeds recognition, and recognition breeds trust. Aligning your sales team with your brand strategy ensures that every touchpoint—even the most personalized—maintains the resonance and integrity of your brand.

Brand investment isn't just about ad spend. Create and update content that reinforces and informs your brand identity. Streamline the customer experience with the latest technology, involving your tech stack with your brand strategy.

Scaling Personalization And Trust

In a world of digitized interactions, your customers long for genuine, human engagement. Your brand's human face—powered by a tech infrastructure—allows you to create personalized, real connections that drive more loyalty and action. This is where ABM and a strong brand become a powerful force.

In ABM campaigns, personalization is paramount but so is maintaining your brand's unique voice. Each personalized touch should echo the values of your brand champions, reflective of the broader narrative you've crafted.

A strong and authentic brand will cut through the clutter of sales pitches and corporate jargon, resonating with your target accounts. When your brand's authenticity shines, so does the trust that lays the groundwork for solid, sales-based relationships. Scaling personalization can be a daunting prospect, but when each ABM campaign adheres to your brand's guiding principles, the payoffs can be huge.

Keeping Your Brand Fresh

A brand that's relevant is a brand that retains demand. Regular brand audits keep your brand fresh, resonant and competitive. Gut feel has its place, but in brand decisions, data should reign. Using the power of insights helps ensure that your brand strategy evolves in step with the market shifts and customer nuances.

A rebrand isn't just a facelift—it's a strategic response to changing consumer tides and business objectives. When done with clear goals and meticulous planning, a rebrand can revitalize your demand like nothing else.

When Others Cut Brand Spend, It’s Time To Double Down

Doubling down on your brand might seem at odds with cutting-edge demand generation. However, your brand isn't in competition with your demand—it's the catalyst that propels demand. The companies that recognize this will emerge from the economic fog not just surviving but thriving.

The path is clear—choose your brand investments wisely, integrate them into every fiber of your marketing efforts and watch as your brand becomes the secret weapon in your demand generation and ABM playbook.

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