The document outlines guiding principles for aligning sales and marketing through account-based marketing (ABM). It recommends avoiding surprises between sales and marketing, understanding each other's roles through job shadowing, aligning expectations on metrics and processes, integrating systems, and setting shared goals. The document then details WP Engine's ABM process of identifying target accounts and individuals within them to execute a targeted outreach cadence. It finds this approach doubled outreach response rates and led to more internal connections and prospects, with larger accounts and impression-based advertising being most effective, though not seeing immediate revenue.

1. Account Based
SMarketing
CHRISTOPHER LONG & MIKE SANCHEZ

2. Introductions
Christopher Long
Director,
Marketing Operations
@calong
Mike Sanchez
Sr. Director,
Acquisition Sales
@mikeasanchez @wpengine

3. What We Are Covering
• 5 Guiding Principles for Smarketing Alignment
• ABM Tactics & Strategy @ WP Engine

4. No Surprises

5. No Surprises
• Avoid the meeting gut
punch
• Was I supposed to call
those leads?
• Take the high road (No
blame, No problem)

6. Get In The Weeds

7. Get in the Weeds
• A day in the life
• Get in the sales experience
• Get in the marketing experience

8. Align Expectations

9. Align Expectations
• Bridging the gap on funnel definitions
• Transparent lead scoring attributes
• Setting SLA’s
• Establish reporting & accountability cadence

10. People + Processes + Tech

11. People + Processes + Tech
• Sales ops + marketing ops = The perfect marriage
• Build your tech stack together
• Host cross-departmental interviews

12. Shared Success

13. Shared Success
• Revenue goals across sales and marketing
• Marketing signs up for quota attainment plan
• Win as a team, lose as a team

14. How We Do ABM

15. How We Do ABM
1. Identify key verticals and technologies
2. Develop key buyer and influencer personas within the vertical
3. Identify accounts via Datanyze
4. Identify 2-3 individuals per account via LinkedIn & Datanyze
5. Target accounts by vertical via Terminus display advertising
6. Execute SDR cadence via SalesLoft, LinkedIn, & Velocify

16. Key Findings of ABM Tactics
1. Doubled cold outreach response rates
2. Led to more internal intros within the prospects company
3. Clicks not necessarily needed. Impressions matter.
4. The larger the account target, the more effective the tactic
5. Don’t expect immediate revenue. Long term investment.

17. Q&A
Christopher Long
Director,
Marketing Operations
@calong
Mike Sanchez
Sr. Director,
Acquisition Sales
@mikeasanchez @wpengine