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ABM + Ads

ABM + Ads is a nine-step ABM and ads play for ads, LinkedIn, email and Meta, from “Start with your ICP model” to “Close the deal”. It uses Apollo, Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, DiscoLike, Ocean.io and 38 more tools.

Kenny Damian, Co-founder & Head of GTM

Motion: ABM, Ads
Channel: Ads, LinkedIn, Email, Meta
Steps: 9
Tools: 43

The workflow

Workflow diagram of the ABM + Ads play in five numbered stages: turn the ICP model into a TAM; score, tier, and build the TAL; track first, second and third party signals; run the ads motion that fits; and nurture or accelerate to close. — Open the diagram full size (1280 x 2492 px)

The diagram as text

1Turn the ICP model into a TAM
- ICP model (targeting criteria): Firmographics, Technographics and Account fit signals.
- Firmographic fit (match the ICP). With: Apollo, Sales Navigator and ZoomInfo.
- Lookalikes (like your best). With: Ocean.io and AI Ark.
2Score, tier, and build the TAL
- Research and score every account. Tools: Clay and ChatGPT.
- Tier 1: Ad spend goes here.
- Tier 2: Good fit.
- Tier 3: Okay fit.
- One target account list feeds signals and ads
3Track first, second and third party signals
- 1st party (you own it): CRM + sequences, Replies, Product usage, Webinars and Site visits. With: HubSpot, Warmly and Amplitude.
- 2nd party (shared with you): Ad engagement, Reviews, Champion moves and Warm intros. With: Fibbler, Teamfluence and The Swarm.
- 3rd party (public intent): Job posts, News, Topic data and Funding. With: TheirStack, BuiltWith and Crunchbase.
4Run the ads motion that fits
- Signals decide the motion per account
- 1:1 ads (per account): When a targeted account engages, the team hears about it and reaches out. Alert: Slack and Microsoft Teams. Reach: lemlist and Instantly.
- 1:Many ads (whole TAL): Broader ads served to every account on the list at once. On: LinkedIn and Meta.
- Click lands on a no-brainer offer. Tool: Webflow.
5Nurture or accelerate to close
- Clicked + engaged (demo or trial): Moves toward a demo or a trial. Book: Chili Piper.
- No click (remarketing). On: LinkedIn, Meta and YouTube.
- Did not close (nurture): Stays warm over time. Send: Customer.io.
- Ad acceleration (qualified, in trial or post-demo): LinkedIn and Meta ads built to speed up a decision already in motion. On: LinkedIn and Meta.
- Outcome: Closed won. Tools: HubSpot and Salesforce.

The stack: Apollo, Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, Ocean.io, AI Ark, Clay, ChatGPT, HubSpot, Warmly, Amplitude, Fibbler, Teamfluence, The Swarm, TheirStack, BuiltWith, Crunchbase, Slack, Microsoft Teams, lemlist, Instantly, LinkedIn, Meta, Webflow, Chili Piper, YouTube, Customer.io, Salesforce.

The play in nine steps

01
Step 1: Start with your ICP model
Use your ICP model as the foundation to define which accounts are worth targeting across your ad and ABM motions.
- Pull targeting criteria across three dimensions:
  - Firmographics: company size, industry, location, and growth stage.
  - Technographics: tools and tech stack in use.
  - Account fit signals: behavioral and intent data.
02
Step 2: Build your total addressable market (TAM)
Expand your ICP criteria into a broad TAM map using two parallel approaches.
- Firmographic fit: source accounts that match your ICP attributes using Apollo, Sales Navigator, and ZoomInfo.
- Lookalikes: find companies that resemble your best customers using DiscoLike, Ocean.io, and AI Ark.
03
Step 3: Research and score accounts
Evaluate every account in your TAM before committing ad spend or outreach resources.
- Run account research using Clay to gather firmographic, technographic, and signal data.
- Score accounts using Clay and ChatGPT to assess fit and assign a priority tier:
  - Tier 1: Best-fit. Focus ad spend here.
  - Tier 2: Good-fit.
  - Tier 3: Okay-fit.
Step 4: Build your target account list
Consolidate all scored and tiered accounts into a unified target account list that feeds both your signal tracking and ads motion.
05
Step 5: Track signals across all channels
Monitor engagement across three signal categories to understand where each account is in their buying journey.
- 1st party signals, data you own directly:
  - CRM data and marketing sequences.
  - Outreach replies and product usage.
  - Webinar attendance and gated content.
  - Website visits and meeting forms.
- 2nd party signals, data shared exclusively with you:
  - Ad engagements and partner signals.
  - Reviews and LinkedIn engagement.
  - Champion tracking and warm intros.
- 3rd party signals, publicly available intent data:
  - Review site signals and topic data.
  - News and social signals.
  - Job postings and ad coverage.
  - Funding announcements.
06
Step 6: Activate your ads motion
Use the signal data to determine which ad approach to deploy for each account.
- 1:1 ads, highly personalized ads targeted at individual accounts:
  - Trigger an alert via Microsoft Teams or Slack when an account engages.
  - Launch direct outreach via lemlist and Instantly.
- 1:Many ads: broader ads served to your full target account list simultaneously.
07
Step 7: Present no-brainer offers
When an account clicks on an ad, direct them to an irresistible offer designed to accelerate the next step.
- If they click and engage: move them toward a demo or trial.
- If they do not click: enter them into a remarketing sequence across LinkedIn, Meta, and YouTube.
08
Step 8: Nurture or accelerate
Route accounts based on how they responded to the offer.
- Did not close on the offer: enroll in a nurture sequence via Customer.io to maintain engagement over time.
- Completed a demo or trial and qualified: move to ad acceleration.
  - Run LinkedIn and Meta ads specifically designed to accelerate the decision for accounts already in a trial or post-demo stage.
Step 9: Close the deal
With signal tracking, personalized ads, timely outreach, and ad acceleration all working in concert, move qualified accounts toward Closed Won.