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Something has become impossible for me to ignore lately.
As I’m exploring director-level roles, there’s a clear pattern emerging:
ABM experience is no longer a nice-to-have.
It’s being treated as a requirement.
Not occasionally. Not selectively.
But in role after role.
The shift happening in hiring
More SaaS orgs are now explicitly asking for leaders who can:
• Build an ABM strategy
• Execute an ABM strategy
• Optimize ABM performance
• Align ABM with Sales around GTM priorities
This isn’t accidental.
Companies are recognizing that ABM, when done well, is not just a marketing motion, it’s a strategic growth lever.
And growth levers require leadership, not just campaigns.
🚨 But here’s the nuance worth paying attention to
Not all “ABM roles” are describing the same job.
The language tells you everything.
Some postings frame ABM as:
❌ Another campaign type
❌ A multi-channel effort
❌ A performance marketing function
On the other hand, others describe ABM as:
✔ A 1:1 or 1:few strategy
✔ Tied directly to GTM objectives
✔ Focused on account selection and prioritization
✔ Deeply connected to Sales
Those are very different levels of ABM maturity.
Why this distinction matters for your career
If you’re evaluating roles, or preparing yourself for one, this framing is critical.
When ABM is described as a campaign:
It’s seen as a nice to have, not a need to have
Account selection turns into quantity over quality
Success is determined by vanity metrics
When ABM is described as a GTM-aligned strategy:
Focus and priorities are clearer
Sales alignment is built into the role
Impact is tied to pipeline and revenue
One sets you up to run plays.
The other sets you up to influence strategic growth.
A useful filter when reading job descriptions
Look closely for signals like:
Mentions specific GTM priorities
References to Sales partnership
Language around account selection
1:1 or 1:few strategy emphasis
Be cautious when ABM is framed primarily as:
Multi-channel execution
Campaign orchestration
Performance marketing
That often points to tactical ownership, not strategic leadership.
The bigger takeaway
ABM isn’t just evolving inside organizations.
It’s evolving inside hiring strategy.
Leaders who understand how to position ABM as a focus and growth strategy are becoming increasingly valuable.
Because the hardest ABM problems aren’t tactical.
They’re strategic.
If you’re trying to scale an ABM function, and want a sounding board on how ABM should be framed, structured, and aligned internally:
Book Now: Pressure-Test Your ABM Strategy
You don’t have a full year to prove your ABM strategy.
Between planning cycles, pipeline realities, and Q4 constraints, the window for measurable impact is often closer to 2.5 to 3 quarters.
That’s why ABM coaching exists.
Not to add more tactics, but to act as your third-party sounding board to pressure-test whether you’re targeting the right accounts, aligned with Sales, setting the right KPIs, and built to drive pipeline and revenue impact this year.
If ABM is a priority for you right now:
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