A round-up of the day

Insights and inspiration from the day’s dynamic sessions, featuring renowned performance expert Jamil Qureshi and speakers from Adobe, Autodesk, Dell Technologies, Colt, MHR Global and more...

Keynote: Unlearn to outperform – new perspectives for sustained success

People who perform at the optimum level are motivated by what they're seeking to create, not by what they're seeking to avoid.”

Jamil Qureshi,
performance psychologist

Jamil Qureshi is a performance psychologist who has helped some of the highest-profile sporting figures and global organizations rethink their behavior. His keynote speech was the resounding highlight of the day.

To take your ABM program to the next level and deliver a material impact for your firm and your clients, he said, you need to change the way you—and your team—think, feel, and act.

“We tell people to be different all the time. How often have you said to your team ‘We need to be more collaborative’ or ‘You need to be more innovative’? How often does that work? You’ll never change the way people do it unless you change the way people view it.”

“I guarantee you now that people who perform at the optimum level in business and in sport, particularly in a time of disruption, are motivated by what they're seeking to create, not by what they're seeking to avoid.”

Jamil explained that when we’re motivated by negativity—not wanting to lose our reputation, a pitch, a customer, a team member—we seek to protect what we have and commit to neutrality. “People maintain the current position to make sure they’re safe. That’s why nothing breeds mediocrity like success. I’ve seen it so many times in sports teams and business teams where they breed stewards, not innovators.”

So to create lasting change, you must change the way people think, change how they feel, and thus let them change how they act in response. “People support what they help to create. If you lead a team or you’re driving an agenda, maybe you shouldn’t give people tasks but give them problems to solve. Allow them to think differently about the ask, feel differently about themselves—empowered, engaged—and when they’re invested, they’ll choose to act differently. That way, we can build a culture that values discovery.”

Jamil Qureshi

Performance Psychologist

Fireside discussion: Breaking the account-based inertia

For me, the purpose of ABM has always been to build enduring trust with our clients."

Rhiannon Blackwell,
ABM Leader, Global Marketing, PWC

The biggest inhibitor of successful ABM in my experience is the structure of the firm."

Charles Doyle,
former CMO, Arup

This no-holds-barred discussion between Charles Doyle, former CMO, Arup, and Rhiannon Blackwell, ABM Leader, Global Marketing, PwC, got everyone talking.

Charles and Rhiannon delved into the evolution and future trajectory of ABM, addressing the growing complexity of client relationships and market environments over the past two decades. ABM plays a crucial role as a tool for cultivating enduring trust and personalized engagement with key clients.

The conversation highlighted the transition from traditional industry marketing to treating significant clients as distinct marketplaces. This shift demands a tailored marketing approach, recognizing the uniqueness of each client.

Both speakers agreed that ABM's strategic importance within organizations has grown, making it an essential lever for sustainable growth and deeper client engagement.

However, structural and cultural challenges remain significant barriers to ABM’s effectiveness. The panelists discussed how ABM strategies could help dismantle silos and foster internal alignment focused on client-centric outcomes. They stressed that while ABM must remain human-led, emerging technologies like generative AI should support but not replace the personalized aspects of client relationships.

Looking ahead, the discussion centered on the impact of technological advancements and the integration of AI tools to enhance efficiency without compromising the human element crucial to client relationships.

This insightful dialogue underscored ABM's role in helping marketers balance strategic innovation with deep human engagement.

Charles Doyle

Former CMO, Arup

Rhiannon Blackwell

ABM Leader, Global Marketing, PwC

Andy Rogerson

Head of Professional Services,
Momentum ITSMA

Breakout: Navigating the client-centric shift – “early stage”

For us as marketers, it's our job to go, 'Would the customer benefit from that? Does the customer actually want that?' It's our job to be the face of the customer internally."

Orla Hennessy,
Head of ABM, EMEA, Adobe

In the first of two breakouts, Orla Hennessy, Head of ABM, EMEA, described in candid detail Adobe’s approach to refining their ABM strategies and their seismic shift from product-centric to client-centric methodologies.

Adobe has restructured ABM to enhance customer relationships and streamline internal processes across four focused areas: account vision, insights and measurement, customer experience, and team dynamics.

Orla was open about the challenges of traditional segmentations and using too many acronyms and jargon in marketing, underscoring the importance of recognizing the “person behind the persona.” This perspective, Orla said, is crucial as Adobe transitions towards more personalized customer engagements.

Orla explained how marketing was rethinking its approach to aligning with sales as the connection between these teams is a critical factor in moving towards a partnership-driven business model. “With sales, we are moving from 'We are your pipeline engine' to 'We are helping you be a partner of choice,' which is a massive shift for us,” she said.

Adobe’s marketing vision includes building a robust team to support these initiatives, fostering a culture of positivity and proactive leadership to navigate internal changes effectively. This approach illustrates a significant shift in ABM practices, emphasizing a strategic, customer-first mindset that promises to reshape their market engagement and drive future growth.

Orla Hennessy

Head of ABM, Adobe

Rebecca Miles

Senior Consultant, Momentum ITSMA

We knew that if we were going to commit to this very customer-centric strategy that the importance of retention and expansion was super-high."

Marc Cohen,
former Chief Commercial Officer, Talkwalker

Breakout: Navigating the client-centric shift – “late stage”

In this second breakout, Mark Cohen, entrepreneur and former Chief Commercial Officer of Talkwalker, shared insights from his experience building and growing customer-centric organizations.

Mark detailed his ethos around prioritizing high-value clients and aligning the entire organization towards this goal. He detailed how he shifted his former business from a primarily inbound marketing approach to a balanced strategy of “all-bound” marketing, responding to the changing economic conditions and the need for efficiency and profitability.

Mark stressed the importance of not just retaining but actively enhancing relationships with existing customers. This involved restructuring the customer service model to better suit the diverse needs of different customer segments. He highlighted how the focus shifted to enterprise customers, recognizing their significantly higher lifetime value compared to mid-market ones.

A crucial part of this transformation was the integration of sales, marketing, and customer success into a single unified function.

This alignment helped eliminate internal silos and streamline operations, facilitating a more cohesive strategy towards client management and engagement.

Mark's narrative underscored the necessity of adapting to a more customer-focused approach, ensuring the organization's activities are aligned with the needs and potential of its most valuable clients, ultimately driving sustainable, profitable growth.

Marc Cohen

Former Chief Commercial Officer, Talkwalker

Olivia Bradley

Senior Consultant, Momentum ITSMA

It's worked well when we've gone in and seen ourselves as equal partners to sales."

Emma Isichei, CMO, MHR Global

Panel discussion: From alignment to growth

In a compelling panel discussion, experts from Demandbase, Colt, and MHR Global delved into the critical role of sales and marketing alignment in enhancing business performance.

Our 2023 Global State of ABM benchmark report revealed that 77% of ABM programs improve sales satisfaction, underscoring a strong business case for alignment. Despite this, a persistent challenge remains: educating sales teams on ABM's value, with misalignments potentially costing companies up to 10% of annual revenue.

The panel highlighted that effective alignment transcends sales “cooperation” and requires both teams to integrate strategies and objectives.

The experts discussed strategies such as joint education between sales and marketing to foster a unified understanding of ABM processes and goals. Panelists emphasized the importance of viewing each department as equal partners in strategy execution rather than subservient roles.

Moreover, real-world examples illustrated how alignment not only preserves resources but also capitalizes on high-value customer engagements, ultimately boosting profitability. The consensus was clear: sales and marketing alignment isn't just beneficial—it's essential for sustaining competitive advantage and driving long-term business success.

Emma Isichei

CMO, MHR Global

Dianne Edworthy

Global Capital Markets Manager,
Colt Technology Services

Paul Gibson

SVP, International, Demandbase

Leanne Chescoe

Marketing Director, EMEA, Demandbase

When marketing makes a change, everyone sees it. That's the opportunity: to grab your fair share of the pie and funding for generative AI.”

Elliott Young,
CTO, Dell Technologies

Fireside discussion: Generative AI –revolution or ruin of marketing?

Elliott Young, CTO, EMEA at Dell Technologies, gave a fascinating precis of the transformative role of generative AI in modern business practices.

Momentum ITSMA’s 2024 Client Buying Index, our study of enterprise buying behavior, revealed a staggering jump in generative AI adoption over the last six months, with 91% of respondents now using generative AI in the buying process.

Elliott articulated how Dell leverages generative AI across the sales pipeline, from predicting customer needs to customizing sales strategies.

He explained Dell's innovative use of generative AI to generate actionable insights without traditional data gathering, thus streamlining the targeting process and enhancing engagement strategies.

For instance, generative AI assists in summarizing complex data, generating personalized content, and offering strategic recommendations during various sales stages, significantly improving marketing efficiency and alignment with sales.

Elliott emphasized the dual impact of generative AI on internal operations and customer interactions. Internally, generative AI facilitates precise demand forecasting and strategic sales planning. Externally, it enables Dell to offer highly personalized customer experiences by anticipating and responding to customer needs with remarkable accuracy.

The discussion concluded with insights into the future potential of generative AI to revolutionize business processes by enabling previously impossible and entirely new capabilities, positioning marketing departments particularly to benefit from early adoption.

This underscores generative AI's role not only as a tool for operational efficiency but as a strategic asset capable of driving innovative business solutions and deepening customer engagement.

Elliott Young

CTO, EMEA, Dell Technologies

Rebecca Miles

Senior Consultant, Momentum ITSMA

Breakout: Seizing the generative AI opportunity

In two simultaneous workshops tailored to “early” and “developed” stages of AI adoption, Momentum ITSMA consultants Guy Phillips and Adam Bennington explored the transformative impact of generative AI on business practices.

In Guy’s early-stage workshop, he engaged participants in understanding generative AI's integration into the 7-Step Marketing Framework. Guy discussed practical applications, including refining customer interactions and optimizing marketing strategies, and stressed the importance of aligning generative AI initiatives with organizational goals to harness its full potential effectively.

Adam, meanwhile, delved into generative AI's potential to revolutionize efficiency and risk management, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with careful consideration of inherent risks. His session highlighted how generative AI enhances decision-making and operational agility across various business functions.

Both sessions underscored the dual impact of generative AI on internal operations and customer relationships, advocating for its strategic use to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge.

They also highlighted the necessity for ongoing adaptation and ethical considerations in deploying generative AI technologies.

Guy Phillips

Partner, Momentum ITSMA

Adam Bennington

Head of Consulting, Momentum ITSMA

Everybody comes into your office and says, ‘I want a strategic partnership?’ What the hell does that mean?"

Craig Walker,
former SVP, Salesforce and Global CIO, Shell

Panel discussion: Deepening trust with CXOs

Our final session of the day offered deep insights into the evolving dynamics of trust in business relationships, particularly between vendors and CXOs.

The discussion featured panelists from diverse corporate backgrounds, including Craig Walker, former CIO at Shell, Ellie Meek, Account Executive at Dell Technologies, and Christian Weiss, Director of ABM at Autodesk. They explored how trust influences business decisions and the impact of declining trust levels on vendor relationships.

A career-long CIO, Craig emphasized the importance of building genuine relationships and trust with vendors, noting that effective communication and understanding clients' needs are crucial. He pointed out that CXOs value partners who provide meaningful insights and help them excel in their roles rather than focusing solely on products.

Ellie discussed the challenges sales professionals face in maintaining trust, especially when turnover at the client's end might lead to shifts in business strategies. She highlighted the necessity for sales to adapt and personalize their approach to nurture long-term relationships.

Christian touched on the role of marketing in trust-building, advocating for an integrated approach where sales and marketing collaborate closely to maintain consistency and relevancy in communications.

The panel concluded that while technology and data are essential, the human element remains critical in fostering trust and loyalty among business partners.

Craig Walker

Former CIO, Shell

Eleanor Meek

Account Executive, Dell Technologies

Christian Weiss

Director, Account-Based Marketing, Autodesk

Chris Akeson

Senior Director of Sales, Altrata