Keyplay reposted this
Imagine a CMO who is anti MQL, anti spray and pray. I met one last week. He's working at an exciting series C company. They’re doing north of $50M, growing. He said their next phase of growth is about focus. The opposite of spray and pray. He said that success would come from creating a “surround sound effect” with their top tier target accounts and segments. What did he mean? 1.) Nailing their ICP model. -- Not just a PowerPoint, making it actionable for sales and marketing (where Keyplay helps). 2.) Getting smarter about segments & verticals. -- Where do they double down? What new segments do they explore? 3.) Narrowing targeting. -- Instead of spending a little across a lot of accounts, spend a lot for a smaller number. Be everywhere for your top tier. 4.) Tailoring content for those top accounts and segments. -- Not just ABM ads - thought leadership, events, etc. The smart b2b marketing leaders seem to be going this direction in 2024. I love the “surround sound” idea. Some might call it ABM, but that term kinda got ruined by overpriced “intent” platforms. I call it ICP Marketing. Whatever you call it, the road to GTM Excellence is about focus. Anti spray and pray is the way. #b2b #marketing #ICP
‘Not just ABM ads’ - that entire concept is what is killing ABM 🤦🏻♀️. While I agree with all of this, I see a lot of ppl doing #2 thru 4, thinking they nailed #1 but didn’t - and then wonder why ABM (or whatever the heck you want to call it) is failing and not producing results. To nail ICP it requires a shift in how we think about developing ICP and the role that data, modeling, and AI can play in maturing that approach. Otherwise you run the risk of putting all of your eggs (resources and $) in a few baskets that were the wrong baskets, yielding you sub par results.
I simply call that SMART marketing. We're taking a similar approach with at least three of our customers right now. Even going as far as using the term Buyer Qualified Lead [BQL]
Who is this CMO you speak of? And more importantly how were they able to make the shift culturally within the company? 🦄
Sounds exciting. Reminds me a little bit about what the future of SEO is likely to look like - niche subject matter expertise and hyper relevance (especially when it comes to relevance in AI platforms search).
Adam Schoenfeld Sell your TAM to investors, market to your ICP.
THIS is the strategy.
Absolutely spot on! Sydney Andersen is driving growth with the same focus and precision. The 'surround sound' approach is key to not only cutting through the noise but also building a more efficient and stable growth path. By narrowing down on the ICP and delivering tailored content, we’re not just marketing—we’re creating meaningful relationships that last. In 2024 and 2025, it’s all about quality over quantity, and Sydney's strategy ensures we're investing where it counts most.
ICP Marketing in "surround sound" is absolutely the way forward. With all the tech and the data at our fingertips, why spray and pray anymore?
Marketing Strategist | Learner | Storyteller | Puzzle Solver | GTM Strategist | Humorist | Futurist | Copy Creator | Not a Bot (Yet)
2moIt always seemed to me B2B marketing, esp for higher ACV companies, should be targeted by ideal account type. If you have success with 10 customers that are alike, it's an easy/easier sell to the next 10. If you don't have 10 customers that are alike, which I've seen happen, esp in early-stage SaaS, you don't really have product-market fit. Setting a foundation by both targeting and selecting the right customers is the best way to lock in a scalable model for long-term growth. I've nearly cried watching budgets depleted to increase various marketing metrics that are meaningless (including, but not limited to, the MQL). Every business is different, but so rarely does this archaic model work. Because it never actually worked. It just costed a lot of $$$$ and then at some point couldn't scale.