If you’re running B2B campaigns and tired of your ads disappearing into the void, you’ve probably heard about account-based marketing (ABM) and tools that let you target actual people, not just “job titles.” This guide is for B2B marketers, demand gen folks, and sales teams who want to run sharp, multichannel campaigns—without lighting money on fire.
We’re diving into how to get real value from Influ2, a platform that promises “person-based advertising” across multiple channels. There’s some genuine power here, but also a fair amount of fluff in the hype. Here’s how to cut through it and actually make this thing work.
Step 1: Get Your Target List Right (Don’t Wing It)
Everything falls apart if you’re not super clear about who you want to reach. Influ2’s big selling point is precise, person-level targeting, so don’t settle for a vague ICP or a list you pulled from LinkedIn last quarter.
What works: - Build a list of real people with verified emails, job titles, and company details. - Prioritize by buying intent or fit. If you have intent data or know which accounts matter most, use it. - Segment into real-world buckets—e.g., “CFOs at SaaS companies, 200-1000 employees, US-only.” The more focused, the better.
What doesn’t: - Uploading a random list of C-levels and hoping for magic. - Relying only on generic firmographics. You’ll waste money.
Pro tip: Quality > quantity. A small, clean list always outperforms a bloated one.
Step 2: Map Out Your Channels (Don’t Try Everything at Once)
Influ2 lets you run ads on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and display networks. The catch? Just because you can be everywhere doesn’t mean you should.
Pick 2-3 channels to start. Here’s a quick rundown:
- LinkedIn: Best for B2B, but expensive. Use for your highest-value targets.
- Facebook: Good for retargeting or softer messaging. Cheap, but not always “professional.”
- Google Display: Broad reach, but banner blindness is real. Use for brand reinforcement, not lead gen.
- Other Display Networks: Only if you have the budget and creative bandwidth.
What works: - Starting with LinkedIn + one other channel. - Matching your message to the channel (don’t use the same creative everywhere). - Retargeting visitors across channels.
What doesn’t: - Spreading your budget thin across 5+ networks. - Assuming your audience actually uses every channel.
Step 3: Create Messaging That Actually Resonates
Person-based ads only work if they feel, well, personal. The “spray and pray” style won’t cut it.
For each segment, craft: - A clear offer or ask. What should this person do? - Short, specific copy. Avoid jargon and anything that sounds like it was written by ChatGPT. - Visuals that make sense for your audience. No stock photos of handshakes.
Examples: - For CFOs: “See how your peers reduced SaaS spend by 20%.” - For CTOs: “Get the technical deep dive—no sales fluff.”
What works: - Calling out the role or company in the ad (“For CFOs at SaaS companies…”). - Rotating creative every 2-3 weeks to avoid fatigue. - Direct CTAs (“Book a demo,” “Download benchmarking report”).
What doesn’t: - Vague promises (“Transform your business!”). - Recycled content from other campaigns.
Step 4: Set Up Tracking—Without Getting Creepy
Influ2 pushes “person-based” engagement tracking. This means you’ll know when John Smith at Acme Corp clicked your ad, visited your site, or filled out a form. It’s powerful, but don’t abuse it.
How to do it right: - Set up tracking pixels on key landing pages. - Use UTM parameters for each channel and segment. - Integrate with your CRM/marketing automation so sales can see engagement—but don’t auto-enroll everyone who clicks in a 10-step nurture sequence.
What works: - Notifying sales when someone hits a key page (like pricing or a demo request), not just any click. - Using engagement data to prioritize outreach, not spam people.
What doesn’t: - Creepy outreach (“Hey John, saw you looked at our pricing page at 9:12 a.m.”). - Overcomplicating your flows. Keep it simple.
Step 5: Launch Small, Monitor, and Adjust (Don’t “Set and Forget”)
Here’s where most campaigns go sideways: teams launch a big multichannel campaign, get busy, and forget to check in. It’s a recipe for wasted spend.
Start with a pilot: - Pick your top 2-3 segments, 2 channels, and 1-2 key offers. - Run for 2-4 weeks with a modest budget. - Check performance twice a week: look at reach, clicks, site visits, and actual downstream impact (like meetings booked or sales replies).
What works: - Pausing ads or channels that aren’t working (no shame in cutting losers fast). - Tweaking creative and offers based on early data. - Calling sales and asking, “Did you notice a change in response rates?”
What doesn’t: - Letting campaigns run on autopilot for months. - Obsessing over vanity metrics (impressions, generic CTR). Track what moves pipeline.
Step 6: Align With Sales—Seriously
Influ2 works best when marketing and sales actually talk. This isn’t just a “best practice”—it’s necessary.
How to do it: - Share lists of engaged contacts/accounts with sales weekly. - Give sales context: what channel, what offer, what page they visited. - Agree on a simple follow-up playbook (“If X visits a demo page, do Y”).
What works: - Sales using engagement data for timely, relevant outreach. - Marketing getting feedback on lead quality—then adjusting targeting.
What doesn’t: - Flooding sales with every click or site visit. Only flag meaningful activity. - Assuming sales will notice engagement on their own.
Step 7: Scale What Works (But Don’t Get Lazy)
Once you see traction, then you can think about scaling up—more channels, broader segments, higher budgets.
But only scale what’s proven. - Expand to new channels if you see strong results and have the creative bandwidth. - Test new segments, but keep a close eye on lead quality. - Keep creative fresh. Rotate offers, images, and copy.
What works: - Doubling down on winning segments and channels. - Regular check-ins between marketing, sales, and (if you’re lucky) RevOps.
What doesn’t: - Assuming something that worked for one segment will work everywhere. - Letting campaign management turn into a giant spreadsheet no one looks at.
Pro Tips, Pitfalls, and What to Ignore
- Don’t chase every new feature. Influ2 rolls out a lot of bells and whistles—stay focused on your core motion.
- Don’t rely on “AI” to do your job. Use AI for ideas, not for writing all your ads or building your segments.
- Measure actual outcomes. If your sales team isn’t seeing more conversations, your campaign probably isn’t working—no matter what the dashboard says.
- Compliance matters. Double-check your privacy and opt-out processes, especially if you’re targeting Europe.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Believe the Hype
Multichannel, person-based campaigns sound sexy, but the basics still matter most: a good list, a clear message, and tight feedback with sales. Influ2 can help you do this at scale, but it won’t fix a bad offer or a broken handoff.
Start simple. Test. Adjust. If something feels complicated or pointless, you can probably skip it—at least for now. Keep your campaigns focused, and you’ll get more out of every dollar (and every minute) you put in.