What is person-based marketing and how it can enhance your ABM campaigns

What is person-based marketing

The future is person-based marketing (PBM). Also called cross-device marketing, person-based marketing places an individual at the center of communication. It leverages technology to market people across various channels and is the key to understanding the person behind it all. 

As consumers, we know that successful advertising must meet customers on their terms. Unfortunately, that’s becoming quite a challenge as marketers struggle to keep up with the cross-device habits of today’s consumers, putting consumers in control of the messages they receive. When consumers have this power, the only way to grab their attention and drive conversion is to engage them with relevance and meaning. Thus, marketers need to recognize their customers across touchpoints in real-time. With the right technology solution and a strategy created around people-based marketing, this is an attainable goal that can help enhance your campaigns.

Person-based marketing vs. account-based marketing

While traditional marketing spoke to target audiences, account-based marketing (ABM) speaks to important accounts, and PBM talks to the right people. Basically, in the evolution of account-based marketing, person-based marketing is the next logical step. It is imperative for the B2B sector because it matters whom you communicate with… be it a stakeholder or a director. 

In PBM, you put together a list of real people you want to talk to… your decision-makers, stakeholders, or potential investors. Then, you can use a PBM tool or platform to start a conversation or any creatives to engage your prospects. Once a person from the list is involved, you can use personalized tracking to decide how to continue the conversation. The goal of ABM is to create a focused connection between your brand and target accounts. Invest time in the beginning to understand the people and companies you are seeking so your campaigns don’t fail.

Focus on specific decision-makers vs. large accounts

It can be challenging to differentiate roles and responsibilities across verticals, and thus, it is essential to identify them:

1. To comprehend target titles and department structure, interview existing customers in the target vertical.
2. Use a data enrichment tool or a lead-to-account mapping tool to build contacts in target accounts.
3. Use one of the following personas to label each contact: champion, influencer, or decision-maker.

After establishing your vertical target, your personas, and their placement, create messaging that resonates with each of them through various channels. To maximize engagement, go ahead and leverage both online and offline efforts. In your messaging, confirm that each persona has their own call to action relevant to their role in the deal. For example, while your champion is likely to take action, such as completing a demo request independently, the champion needs to bring a decision-maker or an influencer to the conversation. You will need to incentivize them, so run a meeting maker campaign to champions and hard-to-reach executives within their target accounts. 

Use programmatic display to implement person-based marketing

People-based marketing leverages context to predict customer behavior. It targets the right people, on the proper devices, at the right time, in a way that uniquely appeals to them as an individual. 

Programmatic technologies allow for more transparency in the channels your business uses. They acknowledge more profound insights than simple analytics, so you can assess how customers navigate your website and the type of content that influences them. In turn, this opens up improved and intuitive customer targeting that you can use to optimize your operation. In time, programmatic will gradually become more about audiences instead of pixels and cookies. It’s about helping people feel a little better about marketing by delivering marketing that aligns with their wants, needs, and interests. The less intrusive your customers perceive your message, the more receptive they will be to what you’re offering.

Person-based marketing makes your ABM campaigns feel more “human” with the right personalization

With personalized tracking, you know who clicked on your display ad, visited your website, and read your content. Thus, further interaction with the prospect is 100% personalized. 

Personalization and customization skyrocket CTRs. PBM gets you that personal touch. You know who you are targeting and what they read, and you can use that knowledge to engage new and existing clients better. ABM demands a commitment to fully understanding the companies you are targeting before marketing to them. You need to identify your target’s initiatives