If you run account based marketing (ABM), you know the drill: scattered data, endless busywork, and a nagging sense that you’re missing something obvious. This guide is for marketers, sales ops folks, and anyone who’s tired of duct-taping ABM workflows together with spreadsheets and wishful thinking. We’ll dig into how Fiber can actually help—without pretending it’s magic fairy dust.
Why ABM Workflows Break (and What Fiber Actually Does)
Before we jump into setup, let’s get real about what goes wrong with ABM:
- Manual data entry eats your day.
- Accounts slip through the cracks.
- Handoffs between teams are clunky (or nonexistent).
- You’re forced to use seven tools for one job.
Fiber isn’t going to fix bad strategy, but it can help you:
- Pull together messy data from different sources.
- Automate repetitive tasks and follow-ups.
- Give everyone a single view of each account.
- Cut the number of tabs you need open.
That’s helpful, but only if you set things up the right way. Here’s how to get Fiber working for you, not the other way around.
Step 1: Map Your Real ABM Workflow
Don’t just copy a template or use Fiber’s defaults. Take an hour and sketch out your actual ABM process. Seriously—whiteboard, notebook, napkin, whatever.
Questions to ask: - Where does account data come from? (CRM, LinkedIn, CSV files, etc.) - Who’s responsible for each step? (Sales, SDRs, Marketing) - Where do things get stuck, lost, or duplicated? - What do you have to do manually today?
Pro tip:
Don’t overcomplicate it. The goal is to see where you waste time or lose clarity. Fiber shines when you automate the stuff you already do, not the stuff you wish you did.
Step 2: Connect the Data Sources You Actually Use
Fiber’s whole thing is pulling data from multiple places so you don’t have to copy-paste all day. But here’s the catch: only connect the sources you really use. More isn’t always better.
Set up: - Start with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, whatever). - Add marketing automation platforms if you use them (Marketo, Pardot). - Connect spreadsheets or databases only if you rely on them for missing info. - Skip “nice to have” integrations unless you know why you want them.
Honest take:
Fiber’s integrations work well for standard platforms. If you have homegrown tools or weird edge cases, be ready for a bit of manual cleanup or API wrangling. Don’t expect Fiber to magically reconcile messy, duplicate, or incomplete data.
Step 3: Build (or Clean Up) Your Account Lists
This is where most ABM workflows go sideways. Garbage in, garbage out.
How to do it: - Use Fiber to pull in your current list of target accounts. - De-duplicate and merge records (Fiber helps, but check for weird edge cases manually). - Tag or group accounts by priority, industry, or whatever matters to your team.
Skip:
Don’t try to tag everything under the sun. Two or three useful segments are better than a dozen you’ll ignore.
Pro tip:
If you keep finding missing or stale data, set up simple rules in Fiber to flag accounts that need attention—don’t just hope you’ll remember.
Step 4: Automate the Messy Bits—But Stay Sane
Automation is Fiber’s big selling point. But too much, too fast, and you’ll just create different problems.
Start with: - Assigning accounts to owners automatically. - Setting reminders for follow-ups (but don’t overdo it—nobody likes “reminder fatigue”). - Triggering alerts for key account activity (e.g., visits your site, opens an email).
What to avoid: - Don’t try to automate every possible outreach or sequence on day one. - Skip fancy scoring models unless you know they’ll change your actions.
Honest take:
Fiber’s workflow builder is powerful, but it’s not always intuitive. Budget some time to experiment, and don’t be afraid to keep things basic at first.
Step 5: Give Sales and Marketing a Shared View (for Real)
Fiber lets you create custom dashboards and shared workspaces for accounts. Use them—otherwise, you’re back to Slack threads and email chains.
What works: - Build one board per target account or segment. - Make it dead simple to see recent activity, owner, next steps, and open issues. - Let both sales and marketing edit notes, update statuses, and tag in help.
What to ignore: - Don’t waste hours making dashboards “pixel perfect.” If people aren’t using them after a week, figure out why (usually: too busy, too complicated, or not what they need).
Pro tip:
Set a recurring meeting to review these boards together. Not another status update—just a quick gut check: are we using this, or did we build it for the sake of building it?
Step 6: Measure What Matters, Not What’s Easiest
Fiber gives you analytics and reporting, but don’t fall into the trap of tracking everything because you can. Pick a few metrics that actually move the needle for your ABM efforts.
Focus on: - Number of real conversations with target accounts - How fast you move accounts through each stage - Accounts that stall (and why)
Skip: - Vanity metrics (impressions, email opens with no follow-up, etc.) - Reports nobody reads
Honest take:
If your numbers aren’t changing, the problem probably isn’t Fiber—it’s your process, your list, or your messaging. Use the data to make changes, not just to fill a slide deck.
Step 7: Keep It Simple and Iterate
The real trick to getting value from Fiber isn’t fancy automation or endless integrations. It’s being brutally honest about what you actually do, then making it a little bit faster or less painful.
Here’s what works: - Start small. Nail one or two processes before automating more. - Get feedback from the people using Fiber, not just the people buying it. - Don’t be afraid to ditch a setup that isn’t working—Fiber’s flexible enough to adapt fast.
What to ignore: - “Best practices” that don’t fit your company or your team. - Shiny new features you don’t have time to use.
Final Thoughts: Less is More
Fiber isn’t going to turn your ABM program into a rocket ship overnight. But if you’re tired of kludging together workflows, it can absolutely save you time and headaches—if you keep it simple, focus on real problems, and resist the urge to automate everything at once.
Start with the basics. Build what you’ll actually use. Iterate as you go. That’s how you’ll get real value out of Fiber—and maybe even start enjoying ABM again.