If you’re running account-based marketing (ABM) and drowning in spreadsheets, half-baked CRM exports, or just plain messy lists, you’re not alone. Building good ABM lists is tricky—especially when you want quality over quantity. If you’re using Icypeas or thinking about it, this guide is for you. No buzzwords, just real talk about what works, what doesn’t, and how to get it done without losing your mind.
Why Account-Based Marketing Lists Matter (and Where Most Go Wrong)
Let’s get one thing out of the way: most ABM lists are junk. People pull a list of company names, throw in every logo they’ve ever heard of, and call it a day. Then marketing wonders why sales ignores the campaigns.
ABM works when your list is tight, focused, and actually reflects your real targets—not just big brand names. Icypeas can help, but only if you set it up right.
Step 1: Get Clear About Your Ideal Accounts
Before you even touch Icypeas, you need to know who you’re targeting. This sounds basic, but most teams skip it. Here’s what you need:
- Firmographics: Industry, company size, revenue, location. Don’t get too granular—just enough to filter out the obvious mismatches.
- Intent signals: Are they hiring? Expanding? Using tech you integrate with? This is more useful than “Fortune 500” vanity targets.
- Realistic expectations: Don’t chase logos your sales team has zero chance of landing. Focus on accounts where you have a story.
Pro Tip: Sit down with sales and get their buy-in on your account criteria. If they roll their eyes, you’re doing something wrong.
Step 2: Setting Up Your List in Icypeas
Once you know who you want, it’s time to get your hands dirty in Icypeas. Here’s how to do it right:
- Log in and head to the Lists section.
- If this is your first time, take a few minutes to click around—Icypeas is pretty intuitive, but there’s always a learning curve.
- Start a new list.
- Give it a clear name. “Q3 Target Accounts - SaaS, North America” beats “Main List.”
- Import accounts.
- You can upload a CSV, paste a list, or sync from your CRM. Each has pros and cons:
- CSV upload: Fast, but double-check for formatting errors.
- CRM sync: Keeps things fresh, but only as good as your CRM hygiene.
- Manual add: Painful at scale; skip unless you’re working with a tiny pilot.
Things to Ignore: Icypeas sometimes pushes their “Suggested Accounts” feature hard. It’s fine for brainstorming, but don’t trust it blindly—scrub every suggested company before adding.
Step 3: Clean and Enrich Your List
A raw list isn’t an ABM list. Here’s where most people get lazy. Don’t.
- De-duplicate: Icypeas tries to catch duplicates, but it’s not perfect. Merge or remove as needed.
- Enrich data: Use Icypeas’ enrichment tools to add missing info like company size, tech stack, or key contacts. Don’t obsess over filling every field—focus on what your sales team actually needs.
- Tag and segment: Add simple tags (like “High Priority” or “Expansion Opportunity”). Don’t overcomplicate with 20 tags—three or four is plenty.
What doesn’t work: Uploading a bloated list and thinking enrichment will magically fix junk data. Garbage in, garbage out.
Step 4: Prioritize and Score Accounts
Not every account deserves equal attention. Icypeas lets you score and prioritize—just don’t let “AI” do all the thinking.
- Create scoring rules: Use the filters to bump up accounts that match your best customers (industry, size, activity, etc.).
- Flag low-fit accounts: No matter how much you want that big logo, if they never buy, move them down the list.
- Review with sales: Reality check your top 10-20 accounts with the team. If nobody wants to call them, something’s off.
Pro Tip: Don’t obsess over perfect scoring. A simple “A-B-C” rating beats a 37-point scoring system nobody understands.
Step 5: Assign Ownership and Collaborate
One big reason ABM lists fail: nobody owns them. Here’s how to avoid that in Icypeas:
- Assign owners: Each account should have a clear owner—sales, SDR, or marketing lead.
- Leave notes: Use the comments field for context (“Reached out last quarter, lukewarm interest”).
- Set reminders: Icypeas lets you set follow-up tasks. Use them sparingly—don’t make it a to-do list graveyard.
What to ignore: Over-automating. There’s no substitute for real conversations between marketing and sales.
Step 6: Update and Maintain Your List (Yes, Regularly)
Lists get stale fast. People change jobs, companies get acquired, and priorities shift. Icypeas makes it a bit easier, but you still need to:
- Review quarterly: Block time every quarter to clean house. Archive dead accounts, add new ones, refresh tags.
- Sync with CRM: Keep your CRM and Icypeas lists aligned. Mismatched data kills trust.
- Track engagement: Use activity data to spot accounts that are warming up—or getting cold.
Pro Tip: Don’t chase “perfect” data. Good enough is good enough if it keeps your team moving.
Step 7: Use Your List (Don’t Just Admire It)
The fanciest ABM list is useless if nobody does anything with it. Here’s what actually helps:
- Launch targeted campaigns: Use Icypeas to launch email, ad, or outbound sequences directly to your list.
- Measure what matters: Don’t drown in vanity metrics. Track meetings booked, deals opened, and actual engagement.
- Iterate fast: If a segment flops, change it. Don’t wait six months to fix obvious problems.
What doesn’t work: Building a “strategic” list and then spamming everyone with generic content. Personalization wins, even if it’s just a custom intro line.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Check In Often
Building and managing ABM lists in Icypeas isn’t rocket science, but it does take discipline. Don’t get sucked into chasing “AI-driven insights” or endless data enrichment. Start with a clear target, keep the list clean and focused, and make sure sales and marketing are actually using it.
You’ll screw up your first list. That’s normal. The key is to keep it simple, check in often, and tweak as you go. That’s how you get past the hype and actually see results.