Keys for leveraging intent data to identify and engage your ideal customers, personalize your content and messaging, and measure your ABM results.
What is Intent Data, and Why is it Important for ABM?
Intent data is the digital footprint or triggers that B2B buyers leave behind as they progress through the journey of purchasing new products and services. It can reveal their interests, pain points, preferences, and propensity to buy B2B software, technology, and services. Intent data can come from various sources, such as website visits, white paper consumption, case study consumption, comparison reports, peer review, social media engagement, email clicks, webinars, and more.
Intent data is crucial for ABM because it can help you identify and prioritize the accounts that have the highest propensity to purchase. ABM is a strategic approach to B2B marketing that focuses on delivering personalized and relevant experiences to a select group of high-value accounts. By using intent data, you can align your marketing and sales efforts, tailor your content and messaging, and increase your conversion rates and revenue.
How to Use Intent Data in ABM Strategy?
There are four main ways to use intent data in your ABM strategy: account selection, account engagement, account personalization, and account measurement.
- Account selection: Intent data can help you identify the accounts that are actively looking for solutions like yours and rank them based on their purchase intent and fit. You can use intent data to segment your accounts into different tiers, such as high, medium, and low priority, and allocate your resources accordingly. You can also use intent data to expand your account list by finding new prospects that match your ideal customer profile and show interest in your industry or category.
- Account engagement: Intent data can help you engage your accounts with the right content and channels at the right time. You can use intent data to monitor the topics and keywords that your accounts are searching for and create content that addresses their needs and challenges. You can also use intent data to trigger timely and relevant outreach, such as email, social media, or phone calls, based on your accounts' actions and signals.
- Account personalization: Intent data can help you personalize your content and messaging to resonate with your accounts and influence their decision-making process. You can use intent data to understand the roles and personas of the decision-makers and influencers within your accounts and craft messages that appeal to their goals and pain points. You can also use intent data to customize your offers and incentives, such as discounts, free trials, or demos, based on the stage and urgency of your accounts.
- Account measurement: Intent data can help you measure the effectiveness and impact of your ABM campaigns and activities. You can use intent data to track the engagement and behavior of your accounts across the buyer's journey and evaluate the quality and quantity of your leads, opportunities, and deals. You can also use intent data to optimize your ABM strategy and tactics by testing and refining your content, channels, and messages and identifying the best practices and areas for improvement.
How to Choose the Right Intent Data Provider?
Not all intent data providers are created equal. There are different types and sources of intent data, each with its strengths and limitations. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right intent data provider for your ABM strategy:
- Data Quality and Reach: Many providers rely on only one or two sources of data, which cast too wide of a net. Not being able to understand which prospects are looking to learn/research or which prospects are looking to purchase. The size of the account universe your provider has matched data points on also has a major impact, with higher match rates driving the most optimal results.
- Data reach and relevance: You want to choose a provider that offers intent data that matches your target market, industry, and category. You should look for a provider that tracks the topics and keywords that are relevant to your products or services and segments the data by account, industry, location, and persona. Your provider should also have a vast
- Data activation: You want to choose a provider that allows for flexibility in activation options. Does your provider require a platform or subscription? Does your provider offer turn-key services and solutions to generate demand and pipeline? Intent data does not require a platform or software to be successful.
- Avoid Intent Overlap: Many providers of Intent Data use the same data sources, which leads to overprospecting target accounts. Ask your provider about the sources of their data. Are they proprietary, or are other vendors using them as well? Intent vendors with first-party data can identify unique audiences to extend your ABM reach.
Conclusion
Intent data is a powerful tool for B2B marketers who want to implement a successful ABM strategy. By using intent data, you can identify and prioritize the accounts that are most likely to buy from you, engage them with the right content and channels, personalize your content and messaging, and measure your ABM results. To get the most out of intent data, you need to choose the right intent data provider that offers high-quality data, reach and relevance, and activation options while avoiding intent overlap. Prioritizing resources for optimal results is paramount in tougher economic times; adding intent signals into your ABM mix can generate big wins.
