Why ABM Still Matters in a B2B World Shaped by AI

ABM has been a cornerstone of B2B go-to-market strategies for years. But with new acronyms and approaches emerging—like BGM (Buyer Group Marketing)—and AI transforming how buyers engage with content, is ABM still the right playbook? In a recent session with Robert Norum, ABM and Demand Strategy Expert at the B2B Marketing Propolis Community, we dug into this question and explored the evolving role of ABM.

From One-to-One to the ABM Ecosystem

ABM had a long journey since it first emerged. What began as one-to-one programs for enterprise accounts evolved into scaled one-to-many approaches, often focused on new business acquisition. Today, the pendulum is swinging back toward balance—growing existing customers while acquiring new ones.

ABM is no longer just a tactic, but an ecosystem. It spans account-based engagement (new customer acquisition), account-based experience (customer growth), deal-based marketing (supporting major RFPs), and even account-based branding—positioning your company before buyers enter the market. ABM is not being replaced by new trending acronyms (like BGM – Buyer Group Marketing) but absorbing them into a holistic, account-centric strategy.

Building Trust with the Buying Group

Trust emerged as a central theme of this account-centric approach. While demand signals often focus on active buyers, research shows that passive buyers—those who aren’t directly in the buying process—often hold disproportionate power to veto deals.

ABM is about establishing credibility across the entire buying group, often spanning 10–20 stakeholders. This requires account-based branding efforts that build recognition and trust even before accounts are in-market. In practice, this means creating contextual content for diverse personas and focusing on quality of connection rather than quantity of leads.

Proving ROI in an Era of Noise and AI

A recurring challenge in ABM is justifying investment to CFOs and leadership. We should reframe ABM not as an added cost, but as a rationalization of resources—aligning brand, demand, industry, and field marketing under a unified, account-focused strategy. With AI and LLMs accelerating buyer research in the dark funnel, companies must ensure they’re part of the conversation early. Creating high-value, role-specific content that LLMs can surface—and personalizing it for key accounts—is essential. Leading indicators of success include account-level engagement, participation in events, and cumulative touchpoints across the buying journey, long before revenue is booked.

👉 watch the full session here: