The key to scalable, high-impact ABM

As Momentum ITSMA’s 2024 Account-Based Marketer of the Year, Rhiannon has been a driving force behind PwC’s double-digit income growth in a highly complex industry. On an episode of the Account-Based Marketing podcast, she shared the strategies, challenges, and innovations that shaped her award-winning approach.

When Rhiannon and her team set out to build PwC’s global ABM program from scratch, they knew that an incremental approach would be key. “My mantra for year one was about starting small but thinking big,” she says. “I wanted to get in with accounts and work out how to bring together people, processes, tech, and data to build ABM in this unique environment.”

This hands-on approach wasn’t just about setting strategy – it was about proving impact early. “We needed to make sure that everything we did was scalable, creating a foundation for future expansion.”

PwC operates as a network of 156 independent firms, each with its own marketing team, P&L, and priorities. Establishing a unified ABM strategy within that framework required agility and adaptability. Instead of imposing rigid ABM structures across global teams, Rhiannon focused on engaging the most strategic teams first, proving ABM’s value, and allowing demand to grow organically.

“Every day, I have new accounts saying, ‘Please, can we be on the program?’ That internal appetite is driven by the advocacy of the partners who’ve seen the results firsthand.”

Rhiannon Blackwell, ABM Leader, PwC

PwC initially took a broad, all-encompassing approach to ABM, but Rhiannon quickly saw the need for greater focus and agility. “We were trying to be all things to all people. We needed to focus and be more single minded about how we could help these accounts.”

The solution was a ‘single scenario’ model designed to align ABM efforts with each account’s most pressing business opportunities. “It could be brand-related; securing a meeting with a CFO; or positioning for a future opportunity. It’s outcome-oriented and strategic, but focused so we can flex to support a broader number of accounts.”

Looking ahead, PwC’s ABM program is poised for even greater expansion, harnessing AI-driven personalization and process automation. “Generative AI is an opportunity to make some of the processes that sit within strategic ABM more efficient.”

AI is already transforming how ABM teams work, helping automate repetitive tasks, synthesize client insights, and enhance personalization at scale. “One of the tools we use was inaccessible the other day and a team member said, ‘How am I going to do any work today?’ That shows how embedded AI has already become.”

While AI won’t replace the human-driven engagement and strategic thinking that defines ABM, it will free up practitioners to focus on high-value interactions. "We’re just putting it into practice and seeing what works. I'm sure it won't all work… but that’s part of the journey.”

Hear the full conversation and dive deeper into Rhiannon’s strategies, insights, and lessons on this episode of the Account-Based Marketing podcast.