Your ABM is "failing" (but that might actually be success)

Hey [Name],

Everyone thinks ABM success looks like:

• 50% response rates
• Meetings with every account
• Deals closing everywhere
• Sales singing your praises

Here's what success ACTUALLY looks like:

Week 4: "We got one response. They said 'not now but maybe Q3.'"

Week 8: "Had a good call with Account #3. Interested but no budget until next year."

Week 12: "Account #7 asked for proposal. Only $30k but they mentioned bigger project next year."

That's success. Messier than you'd like, but real.

Signs that matter:

• Any response > silence
• Future interest > immediate rejection
• Small deals > no deals
• Learning what resonates > guessing

Getting any of these? Keep going.

The Pivot Hierarchy (Try in Order)

Campaign not working? Here's what to change:

Pivot 1: Message (Easiest)

Symptom: Low response
Fix: Change hook, not strategy
Timeline: 1 week

Instead of: "We help transform sales"
Try: "We help sales teams stop losing deals to spreadsheet errors"

Pivot 2: Channel (Easy)

Symptom: Opens but no responses
Fix: Try LinkedIn or phone
Timeline: 1 week

Pivot 3: Timing (Medium)

Symptom: "Not right now"
Fix: Create urgency or wait for triggers
Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Pivot 4: Accounts (Medium)

Symptom: Wrong fit responses
Fix: Adjust targeting
Timeline: 2 weeks

Pivot 5: Offer (Hard)

Symptom: Interest but no meetings
Fix: Change what you're offering
Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Pivot 6: Solution (Nuclear)

Symptom: Meetings but no fit
Fix: You're selling wrong thing
Timeline: Stop and reassess

Don't Overcomplicate Success

You booked 3 meetings from 10 accounts. Success! Now what?

What most do:

• Add 50 more accounts
• Launch 5 new channels
• Create 10x content
• Hire agency
• Buy expensive tools

What you should do:

• Add 10 more SIMILAR accounts
• Do EXACTLY what worked
• Maybe test ONE new thing
• Document the process
• Keep it simple

#1 killer of successful ABM? Premature scaling.

The "Good Enough to Scale" Checklist

Process Ready:
□ Can explain what worked in one sentence
□ Sales actually following up
□ Templates that convert
□ Response rate >5%
□ Meeting rate >20%

Resource Ready:
□ Time for 2x accounts
□ Budget for current cost/meeting
□ Sales capacity for meetings
□ Clear handoff process
□ Tracking takes <15 min

Market Ready:
□ More similar accounts exist
□ Message resonates consistently
□ Timing isn't fluke
□ Competition isn't awakened
□ Channel isn't saturated

Missing boxes? Fix before scaling.

When ABM Actually Fails

It's not working if:

• 50+ touches, zero responses
• All responses are "remove me"
• Meetings reveal product mismatch
• Cost/meeting exceeds 50% of deal size
• Sales actively avoids your leads

Real reasons ABM fails:

1. Wrong foundation - Product doesn't solve burning problem
2. Wrong market - ICP doesn't exist
3. Wrong message - Saying what you want, not what they need
4. Wrong timing - Market not ready
5. Wrong expectations - Expecting immediate results

What to do:

1. Interview lost prospects (pay if needed)
2. Survey best customers (why did they REALLY buy?)
3. Check if sales follows your process
4. Validate core assumptions
5. Consider if ABM is right for you

Not every company needs ABM. That's okay.

Your 30-Day Sprint

Week 1: Setup

• Monday: Pick 10 accounts
• Tuesday: Research 3 people each
• Wednesday: Write 3 email templates
• Thursday: Create LinkedIn templates
• Friday: Brief sales

Week 2-3: Execute

• Send first emails
• LinkedIn connections
• Follow-ups
• Track everything

Week 4: Evaluate

• Count responses
• Count meetings
• Calculate costs
• Decide: scale, pivot, stop

Total: 20 hours, $500 max.

Doesn't work? ABM probably isn't for you.
Does work? Now you can scale.

Permission Slips

You have permission to:
✓ Start small (10 accounts is plenty)
✓ Use templates
✓ Skip channels
✓ Kill campaigns quickly
✓ Ignore "best practices"
✓ Focus on meetings only
✓ Take breaks
✓ Admit it's not working
✓ Celebrate small wins

Print this. Read when overwhelmed.

Decision Framework

Every month ask:

1. Are we booking meetings?
Yes → Keep going
No → Question 2

2. Have we tried 3 pivots?
No → Try another
Yes → Question 3

3. Is foundation broken?
No → One more pivot
Yes → Stop ABM, fix foundation

4. Can we afford to continue?
Yes → Set strict timeline
No → Stop now

This prevents premature quitting AND expensive delusion.

Your action items:

1. Audit current state - which success signs do you see?
2. Pick next move - scale, pivot, or stop?
3. Set deadline for decision
4. Document what you learned
5. Reply with your decision - I'll validate

The best ABM campaign? The one that actually launches.

You've got this.