The Next Frontier in Account-Based GTM

Shownotes

In this Special episode celebrating the release of our 500th episode, OnBase welcomes Demandbase CEO Gabe Rogol to discuss the company’s recent rebrand and the future of account-based GTM strategies. Gabe shares the vision behind the transformation, emphasizing Demandbase’s commitment to solving modern B2B challenges through enhanced integration, transparency, and AI-driven automation. He explains how these changes aim to better align marketing and sales efforts for long-term account success. Gabe also dives into the next phase of account-based strategies, highlighting new insights, data strategies, and automation that will drive alignment and efficiency across teams, shaping Demandbase’s path forward.

Best Moments

• 01:33
  Purpose and Vision Behind Demandbase’s Rebrand : Gabe shares the thinking behind the recent Demandbase rebrand, explaining how it represents a deeper strategic alignment with customer needs and the future direction of the B2B industry.
• 03:54
  Balancing Business Continuity During a Rebrand : Gabe discusses the challenges of managing day-to-day operations while undertaking a rebrand, emphasizing the need for prioritization and cross-functional clarity.
• 06:01
  Defining Account-Based Go-to-Market Strategies : Gabe explains the shift from Account-Based Marketing (ABM) to Account-Based Go-to-Market, underscoring the importance of aligning resources across teams to drive long-term account value.
• 15:53
  Challenges and Gaps in Account-Based Approaches : Gabe breaks down common pitfalls, such as over-reliance on intent data and treating account-based strategies as marketing-only tactics, providing insights into building more cohesive strategies.
• 27:13
  Phases of Account-Based Evolution : Gabe outlines the four phases of account-based go-to-market evolution, culminating in a focus on automation and insights that will transform how teams interact with high-value accounts.
• 31:33
  The Future of Account-Based Strategies and Role of AI : Gabe dives into the potential of AI to automate processes, improve data accuracy, and provide targeted insights, making account-based marketing more efficient and impactful.
• 37:52
  Closing Thoughts and Resources (37:52): Gabe recommends resources for listeners interested in account-based strategies and highlights the importance of strong executive alignment during major brand transformations.

About the guest

As the Chief Executive Officer of Demandbase, Gabe is responsible for fulfilling the company’s mission of transforming how B2B companies go-to-market.

Since joining Demandbase in 2012, he has been committed to setting the product and corporate strategy for the company. Throughout his two-plus-decade career, Gabe has held various leadership positions, including managing world-class customer service and sales teams at IDG and other leading publishers. He received his BA in Comparative Literature and Russian Language and Literature from Brown University.

Connect with Gabe Rogol

Key takeaways

• Purposeful Rebranding: Demandbase’s rebrand isn’t just cosmetic—it reflects a strategic shift to address evolving B2B needs. Gabe highlights the importance of aligning brand, product, and go-to-market strategy to better meet customer challenges.
• Account-based GTM as a Strategic Approach: Gabe emphasizes that account-based go-to-market strategies should be treated as a C-suite initiative rather than a marketing tactic. This shift requires cross-functional alignment, especially between marketing and sales, to maximize account lifetime value.
• Enhanced Data Strategy: Successful account-based approaches rely on robust data strategies. Gabe discusses how integrating various data sets—like intent, engagement, and firmographics—is essential to provide actionable insights and ensure alignment.
  
• The Role of AI and Automation: AI-driven automation is key to the future of account-based strategies, reducing manual tasks and delivering actionable insights on audience targeting, messaging, and engagement across platforms, creating a more efficient and effective go-to-market approach.
  
• Focus on High-Value Accounts: Demandbase’s approach prioritizes identifying and aligning resources with accounts that offer the greatest potential lifetime value, shifting focus from broad lead generation to targeted engagement with the right customers.

Quotes

On Rebranding: “Rebranding isn’t just a new look; it’s a whole-company initiative. It’s about understanding where our market is going and clarifying what we want to represent in this new era for Demandbase and the account-based go-to-market category.”

On Strategic Alignment: “An account-based approach should be a C-level strategic initiative—not just a marketing tactic. Aligning sales, marketing, and operations around high-value accounts is essential for long-term success.”

On Data and Intent: “Intent data is powerful, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Real success comes from layering intent with technographic, firmographic, and engagement data to create a holistic, actionable view of target accounts.”

On the Future of Account-Based Marketing: “We’re entering a new phase focused on automation and insights. By delivering audience, message, and action insights across platforms, we’re setting the stage for a more efficient and impactful go-to-market strategy.”

On AI’s Role: “AI has the potential to fulfill the true promise of account-based marketing by automating complex processes and delivering the insights teams need to focus on what really matters: driving value for high-impact accounts.”

Highlights from this episode

What inspired Demandbase’s recent rebrand, and what does it mean for the business?

Gabe explained that the rebrand was a strategic initiative reflecting Demandbase’s understanding of evolving B2B market demands. This transformation stemmed from seeing a new era for account-based go-to-market, which involves not just marketing but a holistic alignment across sales, marketing, and operations. The goal was to embody attributes like transparency, flexibility, openness, and power, positioning Demandbase as a trusted partner that adapts to complex customer needs. This rebrand focuses on deeply aligning the brand’s identity, mission, and solutions with the unique challenges of account-based strategies and setting a foundation for future growth.

How do you balance running a business while managing a major rebrand?

Managing a rebrand while running a business requires balancing ongoing operations with the demands of reimagining a brand. Gabe shared that prioritization was essential, ensuring the rebrand’s focus was clear across all teams. He emphasized aligning core business initiatives with the brand’s new direction, keeping company goals unified. Gabe also highlighted the need for patience and openness during the rebranding process, allowing creativity to develop authentically while staying connected to core business metrics. Ensuring business continuity during this time meant focusing on what drives long-term impact and keeping teams energized through the change.

How has the understanding of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) evolved, and why is Demandbase shifting towards “Account-Based Go-to-Market”?

Gabe pointed out a fundamental shift from ABM as a marketing-only approach to a company-wide “Account-Based Go-to-Market” strategy. He highlighted that true success requires a C-suite level commitment, with cross-functional alignment in how resources are allocated. Demandbase sees this new approach as critical to generating higher lifetime value from high-impact accounts. Gabe emphasized that this transition acknowledges the complexity of today’s B2B customer landscape and aims to build an ecosystem where sales, marketing, and post-sales all work toward common account-based goals.

What are some common challenges companies face with account-based go-to-market strategies?

Gabe identified five challenges that often hinder the success of account-based strategies:

• Overemphasis on Lead Metrics: Companies often fall back on lead-based measurements, which can misalign efforts and focus on short-term gains instead of sustainable account value.
• Narrow Focus on New Customer Acquisition: ABM often focuses solely on acquiring new logos, while Gabe advocates for using account-based approaches for customer retention and expansion.
• Over-Reliance on Intent Data Alone: Intent data is helpful but limited. Gabe suggested layering it with technographic, engagement, and firmographic data to offer a complete, actionable view of accounts.
• Marketing-Only Approach: Gabe noted that limiting ABM to marketing can reduce its effectiveness; it should be a cross-functional initiative with buy-in from the C-suite.
• Isolation from the Tech Stack: Account-based strategies work best when integrated across the tech stack, so that teams have shared insights and can take coordinated actions.
  

Gabe highlighted how addressing these issues would enable companies to realize the true potential of account-based strategies and enhance long-term success.

How has Demandbase and the account-based industry evolved, and what’s next for Demandbase?

Gabe provided an overview of the four phases of account-based marketing evolution:

• Phase 1: Account Identification and Targeting (2012-2016), focusing on understanding which accounts engage with content.
• Phase 2: Intent and Account Selection (2016-2020), introducing keyword-based intent and prioritizing account engagement based on interest.
• Phase 3: Platform Integration (2020-2024), incorporating first- and third-party data for a comprehensive platform approach.
• Phase 4: Automation and Insights (2024 onward), aiming to automate insights delivery and align resources efficiently.

Gabe shared how Demandbase is moving into this fourth phase, emphasizing automation to streamline tasks and deliver audience, message, and action insights across teams. This phase allows companies to engage target accounts with tailored messaging, integrating insights throughout their tech stack for a more coordinated and effective strategy.

What role does AI play in the future of account-based go-to-market, and how can companies prepare for this?

Gabe emphasized that AI has the potential to revolutionize account-based marketing by automating manual processes and delivering targeted, actionable insights. He explained that AI’s true value comes from its ability to pull together multiple data sources, like intent, technographics, and engagement data, to deliver a comprehensive view of target accounts. He also noted that AI is only as effective as the quality of data fed into it, so a robust data strategy is essential. Companies should focus on data quality, integration, and alignment with AI to harness its power, ensuring the insights provided are accurate and actionable, enabling teams to focus on high-impact accounts.

Resource recommendations

Podcasts

Growth Driver Podcast: Gabe recommended this podcast for in-depth industry insights. Hosted by John Common, the podcast features expert guests who discuss key trends, strategies, and challenges in B2B marketing and account-based approaches, offering valuable perspectives for listeners interested in deepening their understanding of account-based strategies. 

Tech recommendations

Google Gemini: Gabe praised Google Gemini for its powerful AI integration with Google Workspace. Gemini helps users access web and internal data seamlessly within the workspace, making it easier to manage and retrieve information, which is particularly valuable for B2B teams needing quick, organized insights from multiple data sources.

Shout-outs

• Tom Keefe, Principal GTM Expert, Demandbase: Known for his expertise in marketing operations (MOPs).
• Jay Tuel, VP GTM Experts, Demandbase: Specializes in sales development representative (SDR) strategies.
• Stephanie McArthur, Principal, ABX Expert, Demandbase: Expert in demand generation approaches.