It’s very difficult to put together an account-based marketing strategy without some sort of account-based marketing gifts. ABM requires a personalized touch, and particularly for big prospects, that usually means throwing in something special.
Traditionally, account-based marketing gifts come in two forms. Upscale branded swag ranges from custom-labeled wine to logo-adorned office equipment or clothing, while those who go the experience route offer VIP meals and event tickets. But since the pandemic has changed, well, everything, are these still the best options?
Here are four reasons that it might make sense to go digital with your account-based marketing gifts, especially with the holidays approaching.
Create a one-on-one digital gifting experience using our new integration with Salesforce!
Before the pandemic, you could easily have gifts shipped to a prospect’s office address, c/o your contact, and assume it would get to them. Likewise with booking a dinner or event — you could typically assume that the people you wanted to impress lived somewhere within a reasonable distance of the office address.
Now, with so many companies taking on a remote or hybrid workplace model permanently, you really can’t be sure where each employee is actually based, unless you explicitly ask. But since their email address is likely already in your database, it doesn’t take any extra information for you to send digital rewards as account-based marketing gifts instead.
There’s a reason that gift cards are more popular than ever among consumers — your ABM contacts included. It’s because they offer the flexibility that physical gifts and preplanned events just don’t. When you choose and order a branded item to send to a prospect, the chances that you’ll pick something that they not only like but can use is slim. What you intended as a special, personal gift is exactly the opposite and probably ended up in the trash. The same goes for an experience — all you need is to plan a fancy steakhouse dinner to wine and dine a vegetarian, or a golf outing for someone with knee problems, and all your efforts will backfire.
Beyond the benefit of choice, going digital with those gift cards means they can be sent with just a few clicks and delivered and redeemed instantly, eliminating any shipping costs or waste. That’s even more important for international companies that want to nurture prospect relationships abroad. In addition, you have the option to streamline digital delivery via a rewards tool that integrates with marketing platforms like Marketo and HubSpot and CRMs like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
When there weren’t as many digital gift card options, sending a physical gift or hosting an in-person experience seemed to have a much more personal touch. But with all the choices available today for products and services, many people have preferences that are more particular than they used to be. Also, there are now lots of ways to customize your digital gifts so they create that same connection. For instance, take the time to learn just a little about your prospect and send them a selection of gift cards that relate to their interests, whether it’s outdoor activities or video games or traveling. Or give them a themed experience that offers flexibility in location and timing, such as a movie night package with gift card options for theaters and even home streaming services.
Check out our Product Tour to see all the ways BHN Rewards lets you personalize the recipient experience for your account-based marketing gifts!
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
