ABM Sales Alignment

ABM fails without sales alignment. Full stop. If the demand gen team selects accounts, builds campaigns, and generates engagement — but the sales team does not follow up, does not provide feedback, or pursues different accounts entirely — the ABM investment is wasted. Alignment means shared account selection, shared campaign planning, shared metrics, and shared accountability for results.

1. Joint Account Selection The ABM account list is selected jointly by demand gen and sales. Sales brings territory knowledge, relationship intelligence, and deal-size estimates. Demand gen brings ICP scoring, intent data, and campaign feasibility. Neither team selects accounts unilaterally. The joint selection process builds shared ownership.
2. Shared SLA Define a mutual SLA: demand gen commits to delivering air cover, personalized content, and engaged contacts to sales. Sales commits to following up within 24 hours, providing meeting feedback within 48 hours, and updating opportunity status weekly. The SLA is documented, reviewed monthly, and enforced.
3. Unified Reporting ABM results are reported on a single dashboard visible to both teams. Account penetration, engagement velocity, meetings booked, opportunities created, and pipeline generated — all attributed to the joint ABM effort, not split between marketing and sales. Shared reporting eliminates the finger-pointing that kills ABM programs.