An upcoming session at the European ABM Forum in Amsterdam aims to move account-based marketing from theory into practice. In a discussion with Shimon Ben Ayoun, Tamara den Hartog and Ingrid Archer of SPOTONVISIONoutlined what senior marketers and sales leaders can expect from their hands-on workshop and, more importantly, what they will leave with.
The focus is practical application. The session is designed so participants produce tangible outputs they can use immediately rather than high-level inspiration.
A working ABM play, not a slide deck
The workshop is structured as a guided build session centred on a real account and buying group. Attendees define stakeholders, messaging and channels, and leave with a draft play ready for internal use.
Tamara explains the intent clearly:
“We will take the attendees through every step of the way through the ABM process… and we give them basically a starting plan, a draft plan to start with ABM.”
The emphasis is execution rather than theory. As she adds:
“This is really a starting point in the real pilots that we’re actually executing for customers.”
Simplifying buying group mapping
Buying group complexity often stalls ABM programmes. Ingrid proposes a structured shortcut that forces clarity and prioritisation.
“We will use a grid… [people] place their main stakeholders… usually that’s about five or six. And then we let them score.”
Scoring introduces discipline and direction:
“By scoring them, they can also figure out… who to focus on most and who to focus on next.”
The method deliberately prevents over-engineering:
“We’re not going to make messaging for 11 different buyers… not all of them are as important, to start with.”
Instead, teams identify one or two individuals who can materially influence deal outcomes and build the initial play around them.
Making ABM stick after the workshop
Draft plays only create value if they are executed. The discussion highlighted the operational agreements required between marketing and sales to maintain momentum.
Tamara stresses shared accountability:
“It starts with common goals and KPIs… followed by setting up a bi-weekly meeting… a clear agenda… and making sure that successes and progress and insights are shared.”
Ingrid notes what often happens without that structure:
“What happens a lot is that sales teams go back to the old ways of working.”
That places responsibility on marketing to maintain visibility and demonstrate impact:
“You’ve got to be really strong as a marketeer to show the value and keep on showing the added value.”
Reframing ABM as disciplined B2B marketing
The session also challenges terminology. Ingrid summarises their perspective:
“We call it B2B marketing – just bloody good marketing… and we’re helping sales to achieve their goals.”
The implication is that ABM is not a special category but a disciplined way of aligning teams, priorities and execution around revenue outcomes.
Actionable takeaways for senior teams
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Build the first ABM play around one real account, not a segment model
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Map the buying group quickly by listing five to six stakeholders, then scoring them
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Prioritise ruthlessly by focusing on one or two decision shapers first
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Align marketing and sales through shared goals and shared KPIs
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Protect execution with a bi-weekly meeting and a defined agenda covering insights, wins and next actions
Don’t miss Ingrid Archer & Tamara den Hartog live in Amsterdam
Ingrid Archer and Tamara den Hartog of SPOTONVISION will lead a hands-on workshop showing senior B2B leaders how to build their first ABM play for a real buying group, define messaging and channels, and create a practical framework for execution across marketing and sales.
European ABM Forum
Amsterdam
26 March 2026