Do You Specialize in Growth ABM or Enterprise ABM?

Although both are critical roles in an Account-Based GTM motion…

The skills that you’ll be refining while practicing either of the two ABM models are different.

Growth ABM or Enterprise ABM

Growth ABMer

  • Leads a program for scaled coverage through account Tiers (50, 100s, 1000s of accounts).
  • Typically tasked with generating net-new revenue.
  • Strongest sales partnership can often be seen with the BDR(s).
  • Depth of GTM personalization and investment per account is dependent across which Tier each account falls under.
  • Campaigns tend to have a “sprint” motion.

Enterprise ABMer

  • Leads a pure 1:1 or 1:Few program (example: they might cover 6 accounts total who are part of a 1:1 motion).
  • Typically applied to accounts who are existing customers in an expansion play.
  • Strongest sales partnership is with the AE(s).
  • Depth of GTM personalization is extreme, where everything is personalized for each specific account - scaling is not the top priority. High investment per account.
  • Campaigns tend to have an “outlook” of 9-18 months, with various plays - yet are adaptable to account and market pressures.
  • This ABM skillset is rare; the Enterprise ABM model is usually only applied in larger organizations with massive deals (think +$500k), justifying the intense investment.

Which Is Better To Focus On For Your Career?

If you’re a Growth ABM or Enterprise ABM practitioner.

You’re probably wondering… “is that *other* ABM model better for my career?”

NO.

They are both extremely important roles.


💡 Insight: In 2024, we’re seeing ABM leaders at larger orgs, who started with an Enterprise ABM motion, now being tasked with standing up a Growth ABM motion.


As we transition into the era of Account-Based GTM, the top CMOs will be forced to have a deep understanding of Growth ABM. This will be applied across more organizations (replacing lead gen / demand gen) as it allows for scaled coverage.


For CMOs of large organizations who have a massive ACV, understanding the nuances of a pure 1:1 or 1:Few motion will be essential. Especially having insights into the sales process of exponential enterprise deals - you’ll see BILLION dollar deals in some of these programs… yes, with a “B”.


5 Attributes That Make A Great ABM Practitioner

  1. Relentlessly Data-driven: They are able to collect, interpret and act on both qualitative and quantitative datasets to make strategic decisions. It’s not a ‘nice to have’, but part of their DNA.
  2. Highly Curious: ABM usually allows for a higher degree of autonomy and leeway to test more experiments. This is where they thrive, pushing the boundaries of innovation and leading the org forward.
  3. Master of None: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often better than a master of one”. They are a swiss-army knife, a strategic and tactical GTM ninja. At a base-level, they understand how each GTM function operates and can articulate best practices.
  4. Strong Communicator: From the newly graduated BDR to deeply experienced C-suite executives, they can code-switch and are able to enable and lead. Possessing the ability to manage up, across cross-functional teams and within their own program.
  5. Contagiously Proactive: The scale of processes, people and overall project management is significant. They have a proactive mindset vs. reactive, and elevate their teammates to hold this as well.

A Few Of Our Favorite Resources To Level-Up

Here are a few of our favorites for each category - see our comprehensive list of all resources in ForgeX here.

Podcast:

Newsletter:

Book:

Expert to Follow on LinkedIn: