At the upcoming European ABM Forum in Amsterdam on 26 March, Ingrid Archer and Robert Norum will open the event with a keynote titled Shift left, shift right: The new ABM playbook for 2026.
In a recent conversation with Shimon Ben Ayoun, co-founder of SPOTONVISION, they discussed why many Account-Based Marketing programmes still focus too narrowly on in-market accounts and campaign personalisation.
Their argument is straightforward. The buying journey that ABM aims to influence begins earlier than many teams realise and continues well beyond the moment a deal is signed. To be effective, ABM must expand both directions: earlier in the buying cycle and deeper into the customer lifecycle.
This is the principle behind their framework: shift left and shift right.
Shift left: Influence the shortlist before buying begins
Many ABM programmes activate when intent signals appear or when a prospect enters a formal evaluation process. According to Ingrid Archer, that moment often comes too late.
“Buying starts even before people start buying.”
By the time intent spikes, many buyers have already formed perceptions of the market and the vendors they will consider. Without early visibility and credibility, organisations risk being excluded from the shortlist before marketing activity even begins.
Archer argues that the most immediate step organisations can take is to articulate a clear point of view for the accounts they want to influence.
“First of all have a clear point of view to the accounts that you’re targeting… and start broadcasting your story, your brand, your narrative.”
The word “brand” often creates resistance inside B2B organisations. Robert Norum suggests reframing it in practical terms.
“When you say branding… people get a little bit fazed by, ‘I don’t have a brand budget.’ But if you could say there are 50 or 100 or 250 companies that are mission critical… it becomes eminently doable.”
In this context, shift-left brand activity does not mean large-scale advertising. Instead, it means consistently exposing priority accounts to a clear perspective on the problems they face and the outcomes they want to achieve.
Cover the buying group, not just the account
Another common limitation in ABM programmes is confusing initial engagement with full buying group coverage.
“They market to a company, they get a couple of leads, they think they’ve got that account covered… If the buying group is 10, 15 people, then they haven’t got that account covered,” says Norum.
Influencing complex B2B decisions requires engagement across multiple stakeholders, each with different priorities and evaluation criteria.
Archer emphasises the importance of tailoring communication to these roles.
“How can you make it account specific, but also role specific… I speak a different language to a CFO versus a CIO.”
Shifting left therefore requires earlier engagement and more precise communication across the full buying group.
Shift right: Growth happens after the deal
The second half of the framework addresses what happens once a deal is signed.
“Shifting right is essentially what happens post-sale… and then ultimately… advocates,” Norum explains.
This includes onboarding, adoption, customer experience and ultimately expansion. Yet many organisations still treat these stages as separate from marketing strategy.
The biggest obstacle is often internal alignment.
“Breaking down the silos… marketing… sales… customer success… delivery teams… different agendas, different KPIs… that’s not a recipe for a smooth customer experience.”
From Archer’s perspective, long-term growth depends less on retention metrics and more on sustained trust.
“It’s not about customer retention. It’s about trust retention.”
When organisations maintain that trust, expansion and advocacy become far more achievable outcomes.
Actionable takeaways for ABM leaders
Senior B2B marketing and sales leaders can begin applying the shift-left and shift-right framework with several practical steps:
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Define a clear point of view for priority accounts and publish it consistently through content and narrative assets.
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Focus brand activity on a defined list of mission-critical accounts rather than broad audiences.
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Map the full buying group within target accounts and develop role-specific value narratives.
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Extend ABM beyond acquisition by supporting adoption, value realisation and expansion post-sale.
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Align marketing, sales and customer success around shared customer outcomes to reduce KPI conflict and improve handoffs.
Don’t miss Robert Norum & Ingrid Archer live in Amsterdam
Ingrid Archer and Robert Norum will open the European ABM Forum with a keynote on how ABM must evolve to reflect the full buying journey. Their “shift left, shift right” framework explores how teams can shape early shortlist decisions while also extending ABM beyond acquisition to support customer growth, trust and advocacy.
European ABM Forum
Amsterdam
26 March 2026