Why your 15-page account briefs are being ignored (do this instead)

Hey [Name],

True story:

Marketing spent 2 weeks building a beautiful account brief with:

• Org charts
• Tech stack analysis
• Strategic initiatives
• SWOT analysis
• 15 pages of "insights"

Sales took one look: "Cool. But who do I call and what do I say?"

Then ignored it completely.

Sound familiar?

Here's the truth: Most account research is academic masturbation. Makes us feel smart but doesn't book meetings.

The 3 Things That Actually Matter

After hundreds of ABM campaigns, here's what moves the needle:

1. The Human Trigger (5 min)

What's happening RIGHT NOW that makes your solution relevant?

Not "digital transformation." Real stuff:

• CMO just got fired for missing pipeline targets
• They acquired a company with duplicate systems
• New regulation hits in 6 months
• Biggest competitor ate their lunch

Where to find:

• LinkedIn company updates
• Press releases
• Industry news
• Careers page (rapid hiring = growing pains)

One trigger > 100 data points.

2. The Power Map (10 min)

Forget complex org charts. You need THREE people:

The Signer - Who approves budget?

• Usually VP+
• Been there 1+ years
• Keywords: "budget," "strategy"

The Champion - Who fights for you?

• Usually Director/Sr Manager
• Posts on LinkedIn
• Has your problem in their title

The Blocker - Who could kill the deal?

• Often IT/Legal/Procurement
• The "we've always done it this way" person

That's it. Three names. Find on LinkedIn.

3. The Why Now Story (5 min)

Template:
"I noticed [trigger]. Other [similar companies] found [problem] costs [impact]. We help [fix it] before [bad thing happens]."

Example:
"I noticed you hired a new VP Sales from Datadog. When companies bring in enterprise sales leaders, they usually need to revamp their tech stack within 90 days. We help make sure your new VP hits their Q1 number instead of fighting with tools."

Specific = Meetings.

My 15-Minute Research Process

Minutes 1-5: News Scan

• Google "[Company] news" (past 3 months)
• Check LinkedIn company page
• Find ONE meaningful change

No recent news? They're probably not buying anything. Next account.

Minutes 6-12: People Hunt

• LinkedIn: "[Company] [buyer title]"
• Find the 3 people
• Check if champion posts about your problem
• Verify tenure (job hoppers can't buy)

Minutes 13-15: Hook Creation

• Combine trigger + people + solution
• One sentence why they should care
• One proof point

Done. Start outreach.

What Sales Actually Uses:

I surveyed 50 reps. They use:
✓ Economic buyer name/title
✓ Recent trigger event
✓ Quick conversation starter
✓ Current solution (if any)

They never use:
✗ Mission statements
✗ Core values
✗ Market positioning
✗ SWOT analysis

Plan accordingly.

The One-Page Account Brief

[ACCOUNT] Quick Brief

Why Now: [One sentence trigger]

Key People:
- Economic Buyer: [Name, Title, LinkedIn]
- Champion: [Name, Title, one interesting fact]
- Blocker: [Name, Title, concern]

Hook: [Specific conversation starter]

Proof: "[Similar company] saw [result]"

Next Step: [Specific outreach rec]

Avoid: [One thing not to mention]

That's it. Fits on phone screen.

When to Stop Researching:

You're overdoing it if:

• You know their coffee order
• You've mapped the entire org
• You're on page 3 of Google

You have enough when:

• You know why they might care
• You know who to reach
• You have one specific hook

Goal isn't knowing everything. It's starting a conversation.

Your homework:

1. Pick one account from yesterday's list
2. Set timer for 15 minutes
3. Find: Trigger, 3 people, hook
4. Write one-page brief

Tomorrow: Stakeholder mapping for people with real jobs.