Survey: Sales and Marketing Alignment Remains a Struggle for Account-Based Marketing

Many marketers have account-based marketing (ABM) strategies in place, but a lack of sales and marketing alignment continues to hold them back from achieving their top objectives.

Ascend2 recently published the “Account-Based Marketing Survey,” and statistics showed that most marketers (65%) have been at least “somewhat successful” at achieving their primary goals with an ABM strategy. However, improving sales and marketing alignment (43%) and increasing accounts and contacts (43%) continue to be key obstacles.

About 24% of marketers are just now rolling out an ABM pilot program, while 21% have a measurable one in place. Most marketers (40%) are still planning to roll out an ABM program in the future, but have yet to do so.

Sales revenue generated (67%) is the most effective metric used by marketers measuring ABM results, followed by males and sales qualified accounts (41%).

Marketing Still Lacks Alignment with Sales

Sales and marketing alignment has been an ongoing problem for many marketers beyond those focused in ABM, according to previous research.

Sojourn Solutions and Econsultancy conducted the “2019 Marketing Operations Maturity Benchmarking Report,” and statistics showed that 45% of marketers believe they only “somewhat” align with sales on financial objectives, organizational structure, and customer success.

Among top-performing marketers, most (43%) believe that they are “fully” aligned and work collaboratively with key stakeholders across their organization. Only 23% of all other marketers could say the same.