If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you’ve probably heard the buzz about account based engagement (ABE). And you’ve probably wondered: Does this really work, or is it just more work? If you’re using Qualified and want a realistic, step-by-step way to use its ABE features—without drowning in setup or hype—you’re in the right place.
This guide is for anyone who wants to see real results from account-based engagement, not just tick a box for the boss. We’ll cut through the noise, focus on what actually matters, and help you avoid the traps that waste time and budget.
What is Account Based Engagement (and Why Bother)?
Let’s get clear: Account based engagement is about focusing your energy on the companies (accounts) that matter most—usually the ones most likely to buy. Instead of blasting the same message to thousands of nobodies, you put serious attention on a shortlist of real prospects.
Does it work? If you pick the right accounts, personalize your approach, and don’t get lost in the weeds, yes. But if you overcomplicate it or try to automate every nuance, you’ll just annoy your own team (and maybe your prospects).
If you want to use Qualified to do ABE well, you need to:
- Know who your target accounts are (and why)
- Set up workflows that actually make sense
- Keep it simple enough to use, but smart enough to matter
Let’s break it down, step by step.
Step 1: Get Your Target Account List Right
Too many folks rush into tool setup before they’re clear on who to target. Don’t. If you feed junk in, you’ll get junk out—no matter how slick the tech.
What you need: - A clear, manageable list of target companies. (Start small. 50-200 is plenty for most teams.) - Agreement on what makes an account “target-worthy” (industry, company size, tech stack, etc.) - Ideally, your list lives in Salesforce or your CRM—Qualified plays nicely with Salesforce, but you can also upload lists.
Pro Tip:
Don’t let sales pick accounts alone. Get input from marketing and customer success. The best target lists are practical, not wishful thinking.
Step 2: Connect Qualified to Your CRM and Data Sources
Qualified is built to work with Salesforce, but it can pull data from other places too. The better your connections, the more effective your workflows.
Here’s what matters:
- Salesforce Integration: Connect Qualified to your Salesforce instance. This lets you sync account data, track engagement, and trigger workflows when a target account visits.
- Other Data Sources: If you use Clearbit, 6sense, or similar, integrate those too. Just don’t overload your system—more data isn’t always better.
- Test Everything: After setup, test with a sample account. Make sure data is syncing, fields are mapping, and nothing’s getting lost in translation.
What to ignore:
Don’t connect every random data source “just because.” If you’re not going to use the info, don’t clutter your setup.
Step 3: Define Segments and Routing Rules
This is where a lot of teams overcomplicate things. Qualified lets you segment visitors based on account data, behavior, or both. That’s powerful—but too many segments = a headache.
Start with: - Segment 1: Target accounts (the ones you really care about) - Segment 2: Known contacts (maybe not target accounts, but in your CRM) - Segment 3: Everyone else (the rest)
You can get fancy later, but 80% of your value comes from these basic buckets.
Routing rules:
Decide what happens when someone from a target account hits your site. For example:
- Immediate alert to the right sales rep via Slack or Qualified’s app
- Route to a custom chat experience (see next step)
- Optionally, fast-track to a meeting booking
Pro Tip:
Map routing rules to your actual sales process. If your reps aren’t going to jump on live chat, don’t pretend they will. Make rules that fit how your team really works.
Step 4: Build Personalized Chat Experiences
This is where ABE in Qualified can shine—if you don’t get carried away.
For target accounts: - Create custom chat prompts that reference their company by name (“Hi, Acme Inc! Looking for help with…?”) - Assign your best reps (the ones who know their stuff) to these chats - Offer tailored meeting links or content relevant to their industry
For others: - Use a more generic chat or chatbot experience - Route them to self-serve resources or regular SDRs
What works: - Personalization by company and industry—done tastefully - Fast access to a real human (if you can deliver on it) - Short, direct chat flows (nobody wants to click through 8 bot questions)
What doesn’t: - Overly scripted or robotic intros (“We see you’re from the Financial Services sector. How can we leverage synergies?” Please, no.) - Promising live help if you’re not actually online
Pro Tip:
Test your chat flows on real people (not just your team). If it feels awkward, it IS awkward. Edit ruthlessly.
Step 5: Set Up Alerts, Notifications, and Follow-Up
The best workflow is useless if nobody acts on it. Alerts and notifications are how you make sure your ABE efforts actually get noticed and followed up.
What to set up: - Slack or Email Alerts: When a target account visits, alert the assigned rep right away. Use Qualified’s native Slack integration or email. - Daily Summaries: For teams that can’t be on 24/7, send a daily digest of target account activity. - CRM Tasks: Automatically create follow-up tasks in Salesforce for important engagement (like a chat started, demo requested, etc.)
What to avoid:
Don’t spam your team with every minor activity. Focus on real buying signals—site visits, high-value page views, or chat engagement.
Pro Tip:
Ask your reps how they want to be notified. If alerts are ignored, tweak your setup. The goal is action, not noise.
Step 6: Measure What Matters (And Ignore Vanity Metrics)
It’s easy to get lost in dashboards. Focus on metrics that reflect real progress:
Useful metrics: - Number of target account visits - Chats started by target accounts - Meetings booked with target accounts - Pipeline or revenue influenced by ABE activity
Ignore: - Total chat volume (if it’s mostly non-targets) - Super-detailed time-on-site stats - “Engagement scores” that don’t tie to outcomes
Pro Tip:
Share results with your team, but keep it simple. “We booked 8 meetings with target accounts this month”—that’s what matters.
Step 7: Iterate, Don’t Overhaul
ABE workflows aren’t “set it and forget it.” You’ll need to tweak as you go.
How to keep it practical: - Review your target account list quarterly—drop the duds, add new ones - Update chat flows based on real conversations - Ask sales and marketing what’s working (and what’s not) - Don’t chase shiny new features unless there’s a clear reason
What to skip:
Don’t rebuild everything every month. Small tweaks > massive overhauls.
Real Talk: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Tight integration with CRM and clear, simple segments - Personalized, quick chat experiences for key accounts - Fast, actionable notifications to reps
Doesn’t: - Over-complicated workflows with too many rules or segments - “Set it and forget it” mentality - Blindly trusting automation—humans still matter
Ignore the hype:
You don’t need to automate everything or create a dozen playbooks. Start with what you can actually support, then build from there.
Keep It Simple, Then Improve
Qualified can help you run effective account based engagement—but only if you stay focused. Start with a clear target list, set up basic workflows, and make sure your team’s actually acting on the signals. Don’t get lost in tech for tech’s sake. Make it easy, measure what matters, and improve as you go.
ABE isn’t magic. But done right, it’s a practical way to focus your energy where it counts. Good luck—and remember, simple beats clever, every time.