How to Implement ABM Orchestration Platforms

# How to Implement ABM Orchestration Platforms

In the competitive Australian B2B landscape, treating every lead the same is a recipe for wasted budget. ABM orchestration platforms allow you to coordinate complex, multi-channel marketing campaigns aimed at specific high-value accounts, ensuring your sales and marketing teams are perfectly aligned to close bigger deals.

Implementing these platforms (like 6sense, Demandbase, or Terminus) isn't just about technical integration; it’s about shifting your entire business strategy from a 'wide net' approach to a 'spear-fishing' precision model.

Prerequisites: What You’ll Need Before Starting

Before you dive into the software, ensure you have the following ready:

• A Clean CRM: Your HubSpot or Salesforce data needs to be accurate. Garbage in equals garbage out.
• An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): A clear definition of the Australian businesses you want to target (e.g., Enterprise SaaS companies with 50+ employees and an ABN).
• Sales Buy-in: ABM fails without a 'unified front' between marketing and sales.
• Content Assets: At least 3-5 pieces of high-quality content tailored to different stages of the buying journey.

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Step 1: Define Your Technical Architecture

Before signing a contract, map out how the orchestration platform will sit within your existing 'MarTech' stack. Most Australian businesses use a combination of a CRM (like Salesforce) and a Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) like Marketo or HubSpot.

Step 2: Establish Your Target Account List (TAL)

An orchestration platform is useless without a list of accounts to 'orchestrate.' Use your historical data to identify your best customers.

• Pro Tip: Don't just look at revenue. Look at 'Lifetime Value' and 'Ease of Acquisition.'
• Action: Upload your CSV or sync your CRM view of 'Target Accounts' into the platform.

Step 3: Integrate Your Data Sources

Navigate to the 'Integrations' or 'Settings' panel. You will need to connect your CRM, MAP, and any intent data providers. This usually involves authenticating via OAuth (logging in) or installing a tracking pixel on your website.

Step 4: Map Your Buyer Personas and 'Buying Groups'

In B2B, one person rarely makes a decision alone. Use the platform to group contacts within a single company. For an Australian enterprise deal, this might include the CFO (Economic Buyer), the IT Manager (Technical Buyer), and the Marketing Director (User).

Step 5: Configure Intent Data Signals

This is where the magic happens. Set up 'Intent Keywords.' These are terms your target accounts are searching for across the web. For example, if you sell cybersecurity, you want to know when a target account in Sydney is searching for "ISO 27001 compliance Brisbane."

Step 6: Create Your 'Engagement Tiers'

Not all accounts deserve the same level of investment. Categorise your TAL into:

• Tier 1 (1-to-1): High-touch, bespoke content (The 'Top 20' accounts).
• Tier 2 (1-to-Few): Industry-specific messaging (e.g., 'Solutions for WA Mining Firms').
• Tier 3 (1-to-Many): Programmatic advertising and automated email flows.

Step 7: Build Your Multi-Channel Playbooks

In the orchestration builder, create a 'Play.' A play is a sequence of events.

• Example: IF an account from Tier 1 visits the pricing page, THEN trigger a LinkedIn Ad to the CFO AND alert the Sales rep via Slack.

Step 8: Set Up Website Personalisation

Most orchestration platforms allow you to change the content on your website based on who is visiting. If a visitor from 'Commonwealth Bank' lands on your site, you can change the hero banner to say "Tailored Solutions for Financial Institutions."

Step 9: Launch Your First 'Warm-Up' Campaign

Start with a brand awareness play. Run display ads to your target accounts for 2-4 weeks before Sales reaches out. This 'warms up' the account, so your brand isn't a stranger when the phone rings.

Step 10: Establish the Sales Alerting Workflow

Configure 'Hot Account' alerts. When an account shows high intent (multiple visits, keyword searches), the platform should automatically notify the relevant account executive.

Step 11: Implement 'Measurement That Matters'

Stop looking at 'clicks' and start looking at 'Account Reach' and 'Pipeline Velocity.'

• Metric to track: What percentage of our Target Account List is actually engaging with us?
• Metric to track: Is the time it takes to close a deal (Sales Cycle) getting shorter?

Step 12: Review and Optimise

ABM is not 'set and forget.' Every month, review your Target Account List. If an account hasn't engaged in 90 days, move them to a 'Nurture' list and bring in a fresh account from your backlog.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• The 'Spray and Pray' Trap: Using an ABM platform to send generic messages to 5,000 companies. That’s just traditional marketing with an expensive tool.

• Bad Data Quality: If your CRM has three different entries for 'Telstra,' the orchestration platform will get confused. Clean your data first!

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Data not syncing: Check your API permissions in your CRM. Ensure the user who connected the platform has 'System Administrator' rights.
• Low Match Rates: If your ads aren't showing to your target accounts, your list might be too small. Most platforms require at least 100-500 identified individuals to run a LinkedIn or Display campaign due to privacy regulations.
• Alerts not firing: Check your 'Intent Threshold' settings. If it's set to 'Extreme,' you might never trigger an alert. Lower it to 'High' or 'Medium' to test the flow.

Next Steps

Once your platform is live, your next task is to refine your creative messaging. A platform is only as good as the story you tell through it.

Need help selecting the right ABM platform for the Australian market or cleaning up your CRM data to get started? Our team at Local Marketing Group can help you navigate the technical setup and strategy.