Account-based marketing (ABM) sounds great on paper—target your best-fit companies, treat them like VIPs, and win bigger deals. But most teams drown in spreadsheets, random tools, and wishful thinking. If you’re tired of the chaos and want a real-world, step-by-step how—not just why—for running ABM campaigns with Endgame, you’re in the right place.
This guide is for marketers, growth folks, and sales teams who actually want to run ABM, not just talk about it. No buzzwords, no magic promises. Just a grounded walkthrough that skips the fluff and shows you what actually works (and what doesn’t).
Step 1: Get Clear on Why You’re Doing ABM
Before you open any tool, ask: Why ABM? It’s not for everyone. Here’s when ABM makes sense: - You sell to mid-market or enterprise, not to everyone with a credit card. - Your deals involve multiple decision-makers—think committees, not just a single buyer. - Landing a few big accounts matters more than hundreds of small ones.
If that’s not you, ABM will probably waste your time. If it is, let’s move on.
Step 2: Build a Realistic Target Account List
The foundation of ABM is your account list. If you pick the wrong accounts, everything else falls apart. Don’t just dump a bunch of logos in a spreadsheet and call it a day. Here’s how to do it right:
- Start with your best customers: Who’s already getting value from your product and not churning? Look for patterns in industry, company size, and use case.
- Use data, not hunches: Pull from your CRM or product analytics. Guesswork leads to wishful thinking.
- Narrow it down: Most teams go way too broad. Focus on 50–200 accounts. If you’re just starting, less is more.
- Get buy-in: Sales and marketing need to agree on the list. Skip this, and you’ll end up blaming each other later.
Pro tip: Don’t include accounts just because someone on the exec team “wants that logo.” If they don’t fit, they’ll suck time and energy.
Step 3: Set Up Endgame for ABM
Now you’re ready to use Endgame. Endgame is built for product-led sales and ABM—think of it as a smarter way to track, prioritize, and act on your target accounts. Here’s how to get set up:
Connect Your Data
- CRM Integration: Connect Salesforce or HubSpot. This keeps your account info and contacts in sync.
- Product Data: Plug in your product analytics (like Segment or RudderStack). This is crucial—otherwise, you’re flying blind.
- Enrichment: Use tools like Clearbit or ZoomInfo (if you have them) to fill in missing firmographics.
Import Your Target Account List
- Upload the cleaned, agreed-upon list you built earlier.
- Tag or segment these as your “ABM Priority” accounts in Endgame.
Set Up Alerts and Views
- Create custom views for your ABM accounts—sort by product usage, last engagement, or deal stage.
- Set up alerts for key signals: new signups from target accounts, sudden spike in usage, or if someone goes dark.
What to skip: Don’t get lost in endless custom fields or overbuilding dashboards. Focus on what helps your team act.
Step 4: Map Stakeholders and Buying Committees
ABM isn’t about blasting generic messages. It’s about getting to the right people at each account. Endgame makes this (somewhat) easier, but you’ll still need to do some digging.
- Identify key contacts: Endgame will surface some based on usage and CRM data, but double-check against LinkedIn.
- Tag roles: Who’s the decision maker, who’s the influencer, who actually uses the product? Label them in Endgame.
- Enrich where possible: If you’re missing emails or titles, use enrichment tools—don’t just guess.
Warning: It’s easy to get stuck here. Don’t chase every possible contact. Get the basics, then move forward.
Step 5: Build Account Plans That Don’t Suck
Most “account plans” end up as pretty slides that no one ever looks at. Here’s how to make plans that actually help:
- Write one-paragraph goals for each account: What’s the main use case? What problem can you solve for them?
- Document key signals: Is this account trialing a premium feature? Did they just hire a new VP?
- Actionable next steps: For each contact, what’s the next touchpoint—call, email, invite to a webinar?
- Keep it all in Endgame: Don’t scatter notes across Google Docs and Slack. Use Endgame’s account notes and tasks so everyone sees the same info.
What to ignore: “Comprehensive” 20-page plans. No one reads them and you’ll never keep them updated.
Step 6: Launch Hyper-Personalized Campaigns
This is where most ABM efforts fall apart—teams either go too generic (“Hey Acme Corp!”) or try to personalize every single word (and never launch anything). Here’s a better approach:
- Segment by tier: Not all accounts get the same treatment. Give your top 20 accounts white-glove attention, the next 50 get semi-personalized, the rest get light touches.
- Use real product data: Endgame shows you what features each account uses (or ignores). Reference this in your outreach—“Noticed your team is using X, but haven’t tried Y…”
- Mix your channels: Don’t just email. Use LinkedIn, in-app messages, and the occasional phone call.
- Automate the basics: Use templates, but customize the first line or two. Speed matters, too.
Pro tip: Personalization is about relevance, not flattery. Don’t pretend you love their latest press release unless you actually read it.
Step 7: Align with Sales (or Whoever Owns the Deal)
ABM falls apart if sales and marketing aren’t talking. Endgame helps, but only if you use it together.
- Daily or weekly standups: Review which accounts are heating up, who needs a nudge, and where things are stuck.
- Shared notes and tasks: Everything in Endgame should be visible to both teams. No hidden docs.
- Clear ownership: For each account, who’s responsible for follow-up? No “I thought you had it” confusion.
What to ignore: Endless meetings or alignment decks. Short, focused syncs work best.
Step 8: Measure What Matters (and Ignore Vanity Metrics)
Endgame will show you all kinds of stats. Most don’t matter. Here’s what to actually track:
- Account engagement: Are more people from your target accounts logging in or using the product?
- Progression through pipeline: Are ABM accounts moving from “interested” to “in deal” to “closed” faster or more often?
- Actual revenue: Did ABM accounts close at a higher rate or larger deal size than non-ABM accounts?
- Campaign-level signals: Which messages or tactics got replies, meetings, or product adoption?
What to ignore: Open rates, “likes,” or any metric that doesn’t tie to real action. ABM is about quality, not quantity.
Step 9: Iterate Quickly—Don’t Wait for Perfection
ABM is never “done.” The best teams run quick experiments, learn, and adjust. Here’s how to avoid analysis paralysis:
- Review wins and losses: Every month, look at which accounts moved forward—and which didn’t. Why?
- Kill what’s not working: If a campaign or message flops, drop it. Don’t keep pushing for sunk cost reasons.
- Update your account list: If you land a big one or lose an account, update your target list. Don’t let it get stale.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Ship Fast
Account-based marketing with Endgame isn’t magic—it’s about focus, coordination, and acting on real signals. Most teams overcomplicate things and burn out before they see results. Keep your lists tight, your plans actionable, and your campaigns relevant. Iterate fast, ignore the fluff, and use Endgame to make your life easier—not harder.
If you’re ever stuck, go back to basics: Are you targeting the right accounts? Are you acting on real data? Are you talking to your sales team? That’s 80% of the game. The rest is just noise.