ABM isn’t new. You’ve been through the strategy decks, aligned with sales (at least on paper), and probably launched a few personalized campaigns along the way.
But here’s the thing, experience doesn’t make you immune to mistakes. In fact, some of the most common ABM mistakes happen after teams start thinking they’ve got it all figured out. This article examines the most common mistakes in ABM and how to avoid them.
Where Even the Best Teams Slip Up
You’ve got the tech. You’ve got the target accounts. You’ve even got some internal buy-in (on most days). But something still feels… off. Maybe the results aren’t compounding. Maybe outreach is getting ignored. Or maybe your team is just going through the motions, hoping the next campaign hits harder than the last.
The truth? ABM is often derailed not by lack of effort, but by small strategic missteps that snowball over time. Here are six of the most common mistakes we’ve seen:
1. Treating ABM Like a Fancy Email Campaign
Let’s start with the classic. You spent three days crafting a hyper-personalized email, pulled a list of 100 “top accounts,” and hit send. Job done, right? Not quite.
ABM isn’t just a batch of personalized subject lines and a LinkedIn ad with your prospect’s company logo slapped on it.
Instead:
- Build genuine, multi-channel engagement. Email is just one part. Think social touches, event invites, custom content, even the occasional well-placed meme if it fits your brand.
- Engage the whole buying committee, not just your favorite LinkedIn contact.
- Personalize with intent, not fluff. “Hope you’re well!” isn’t personalization. Solving their actual problem is.
2. Forgetting That Sales Is Supposed to Be Involved
Yes, marketing is steering the ABM ship, but if sales isn’t on board, you’re basically kayaking solo.
We’ve seen it happen: marketing builds a beautiful list, creates custom content, runs a campaign… and sales responds with, “Wait, who are we targeting again?”
ABM without sales is like a relay race where one runner forgets to show up. It’s awkward for everyone.
To fix it:
- Involve sales when choosing target accounts. If they roll their eyes at your list, that’s your signal.
- Share insights in real-time. Set up weekly syncs or a shared doc (yes, Google Sheets still counts as tech).
- Let sales help shape the messaging—they know the objections you’ll face before your ads even go live.
3. Overcomplicating Your Tech Stack
If your ABM campaign involves five platforms, three integrations, and a dashboard that looks like an airplane cockpit… slow down.
Yes, we all love a good tech demo. But the more tools you add, the more likely something will break or, worse, get ignored.
Signs you might be overdoing it:
- You need a spreadsheet to track your tools.
- Someone says “we forgot to connect the intent data to the CRM again.”
- The campaign reporting makes your eyes cross.
Try this instead:
- Start simple. You don’t need an AI-powered engagement trigger system to reach out like a human.
- Use only what helps you act faster or smarter—not what looks good on a Martech map.
- If your team groans at another tool onboarding, it’s time to simplify.
4. Ignoring Post-Sale ABM Opportunities
This one stings. You fought hard to win that account. Pitched, followed up, charmed your way in. And then? Crickets.
Many teams stop ABM the second the deal closes. But retention and expansion should be a huge part of your strategy, especially in B2B, where customer lifecycles are long and upsell potential is substantial.
Here’s what to watch for:
- Are you targeting existing accounts with new offers?
- Do you have content or campaigns designed for current clients, not just prospects?
- Is your Customer Success team looped into your ABM thinking?
If not, you’re missing out on easier revenue—and let’s be real, we could all use some easier wins.
5. Measuring the Wrong Stuff
ABM isn’t about volume. It’s about movement. But too often, we still measure it like a demand gen campaign.
If you’re boasting about “number of leads” from an ABM campaign, that’s like bragging about how many people smiled at you at a networking event.
What matters more:
- Are accounts progressing in your funnel?
- Are buying committees showing engagement?
- Did a cold account suddenly start visiting your case studies page five times a week?
You want depth over breadth. If your metrics don’t reflect that, you’ll end up optimizing for noise, not results.
6. Thinking ABM Has a Finish Line
This might be the trickiest one. ABM isn’t a campaign. It’s not a project with a clean end. It’s more like flossing: ongoing, sometimes annoying, absolutely worth it.
If you treat it like a “set it and forget it” effort, you’ll stall fast.
So ask yourself:
- When did you last review your ICP?
- Are you still targeting the same accounts from six months ago?
- Have you adjusted your content based on new insights?
ABM needs iteration. And yes, that means rolling up your sleeves more often than you’d like.
If any of these felt a little too familiar, you’re not alone. Most of us have learned these lessons the hard way.
The good news? ABM is forgiving, if you’re paying attention. Fixing these mistakes doesn’t require a big budget, a new platform, or a re-org. It just needs awareness and collaboration.
If you need help with outlining an ABM strategy, with support from someone who’s made these mistakes and learned from them, check out our ABM bootcamp!
