C-Suite Marketing: The intersection of ABM and executive engagement

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Jennifer Jackson, Vice President, Marketing Strategy and Operations at Teradata, to talk on the C-Suite Marketing Podcast about Teradata’s executive engagement program. Strengthening C-suite relationships is one of four strategic initiatives that Jennifer oversees at Teradata, and the intersection between Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and executive engagement programs is one of the most important aspects of the work.

To begin, Jennifer highlighted the first tenet of executive engagement: You only get one shot at the top of the pyramid and you don’t want to miss the mark. Given that Teradata specializes in data and analytics, it’s no surprise that Jennifer and her team take an analytic approach to executive engagement.

Research is fundamental to an effective approach, she says, and you have to understand not only the real business problems of the executives you’re trying to reach, but also their communication style, where they get their information, and more. If you can’t fully appreciate the customer’s view, how can marketing create content that resonates with the C-suite?

Jennifer was already working closely with sales for Teradata’s ABM programs, which span One-to-One, One-to-Few, and One-to-Many approaches. The marketing and sales connection became even stronger when building the executive engagement program. Harnessing the energy from One-to-One ABM, marketing and account team leaders could now sit together, define a custom approach to C-suite customers, and contribute equally to an updated account plan. It has become a team effort and siloes have broken down as sales, marketing, consulting, finance, and others are now aligned on the same mission.

Teradata’s executive engagement program goes beyond ABM, as well, with a broad focus on testing and developing new ways to connect with executive audiences, including partnerships with third parties to better address C-suite needs.

From an operational perspective, Jennifer and her team also spend a great deal of time assessing program impacts and value, especially in light of fast-changing customer and market dynamics. As the world shifts, do our investments match where the world is heading? Are we doing the right thing to move the needle for the company and, more importantly, our customers? What do we need to do differently to solve these new problems?