This week’s ABM Question: I am trying to create a Rules of Engagement document that is meant to serve almost like an SLA between Marketing, BDRs, and AEs for our ABM Outbound motions. What is the template that works well for your ABM stakeholders and gives them a clear understanding of workflows, metrics to strive for (daily/weekly/monthly), etc.?
Creating a clear Rules of Engagement document is crucial for aligning the different teams involved in ABM outbound motions. Here are some key elements that a good Rules of Engagement template or framework should cover based on our hundreds of ABM / ABX experiences:
- Account Assignment and Prioritization
– Criteria for assigning accounts to BDRs (e.g., territory, industry, account tier)
– Account prioritization based on intent data, engagement scores, or other factors
– Process for reassigning accounts if a BDR is overloaded or an account becomes inactive - Engagement Cadences and Sequences
– Defined multi-channel cadences (e.g., email, phone, social) for different account stages (eg what plays are run when)
– Guidelines on the number of touches, frequency, and content personalization
– A/B testing processes for optimizing cadences and sequences - Lead/Contact/Account Qualification
– BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) or other qualification criteria
– Process for gathering additional intelligence on key contacts and buying centers
– Criteria for converting a lead/contact to a Marketing Qualified Account (MQA) - Service Level Agreements
– Response time SLAs for inbound leads and MQAs (note that not all MQAs are created equal)
– Activity SLA for BDRs (e.g., minimum number of attempts before disqualifying)
– Criteria for reassigning an MQA from BDR to AE
(Note: B2B Fusion recommends creating an SLA dashboard to monitor this performance, this is critical) - Reporting and Analytics
– Key KPIs and metrics to track (e.g., engagement rates, MQA to opportunity conversion)
– Frequency of reporting and stakeholders involved (we suggest SFDC real time information)
– Process for analyzing results and optimizing strategies - Roles and Responsibilities (see RACI model blog)
– Clear delineation of responsibilities for Marketing, BDRs, and AEs
– Escalation paths for issues or conflicts
– Change management processes for updating the Rules of Engagement
The template should be a living document that is regularly reviewed and updated based on performance data and feedback from stakeholders. It should strike a balance between providing clear guidelines and allowing for flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.
What are you finding effective in your roll out of ABM across your organization?