This article originates from Randy Arellano’s talk at the #Demand24 event in 2024. 

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I'm Randy Arellano, VP of Global Sales & Marketing, DATAMARK Inc., and with 30 years in the contact center outsourcing space and a decade in financial services, I've navigated the intricate world of targeted marketing and complex enterprise sales. 

At DATAMARK, our focus on Account Based Marketing (ABM) is essential due to our niche market and the highly customized nature of our services. In this article, I'll share the strategies and methodologies we've employed to identify and engage key personas, measure our success, and ultimately drive substantial growth in a competitive industry. 

From leveraging marketing automation to aligning with CRM systems and validating engagement metrics, these insights will provide a comprehensive look at how we craft effective marketing operations.

Who is DATAMARK?

DATAMARK is a company that operates behind the scenes, providing outsourced customer service. When you call the toll-free number on the back of your credit card, you might think you’re talking to US Bank, but you’re actually speaking with one of our agents. US Bank, USAA, American Express, and others hire us to handle their customer service, but our agents always identify themselves as representatives of those companies.

In our industry, we operate contact centers equipped with AI to reduce handling times and improve efficiency. We also offer digital mailroom and back-office data entry services. Our operations are designed to stay under the radar, so our public presence is minimal. This anonymity is intentional and beneficial for our business model.

Our marketing efforts are highly targeted. We focus on a specific set of companies that are a good fit for our services, utilizing ABM strategies. Our prospects know us and our competitors well, but beyond this niche audience, broad-based marketing holds no value for us. This is the context within which our persona marketing operates.

Account Based Marketing (ABM) at DATAMARK

Our marketing strategy begins with ABM, which is particularly crucial in our industry. As a mid-tier player among behemoths, we need a precise and targeted approach. 

To put it in perspective, we have about 3,500 employees globally, while many of our competitors boast 40,000 employees or more. This mid-tier status means we need to focus on companies that align well with our offerings.

We’re a $75 million company competing against giants with revenues starting at half a billion. For instance, in the contact center industry, out of every 10 active buyers, we might only appeal to three. This is because our operational locations are in India, the United States, and Mexico, whereas some buyers prefer locations like the Philippines or Belize. This specificity in buyer needs underscores the importance of ABM for us.

Our sales process is highly complex and customized: When USAA partnered with us, we developed a unique customer service solution tailored to their needs, which is vastly different from what we provide for PDAs Fuel Rewards out of Mexico. Our deals are large, ranging from $10 million to $50 million annually, and typically span three years, resulting in contracts worth $30 million or more.

The sales cycle is long, often taking 18 to 24 months, with a minimum of six months. Throughout this period, we engage in numerous touchpoints and address various concerns to assure our buyers.

In our enterprise sales, we deal with multiple stakeholders, usually five to seven departments. When I mention "Chief Revenue Officer," think of the entire revenue department. The same applies to finance, where it might be a director rather than a C-level executive. 

This departmental involvement adds layers of perceived risk. For a company like American Express to trust us with their customer service, they need assurance about everything from cultural alignment to operational excellence.

We typically compete with eight to ten companies at the onset of a bid. When we’re down-selected, it narrows to three, and we aim to win one. Over my 30 years in the industry, this 10-3-1 funnel has remained consistent, giving us about a 10% win rate. While there’s always room for improvement, this structure helps us focus our efforts.

Our Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are highly detailed and complex. For example, we’re currently working on an RFP with eight tabs, each containing 20 to 60 questions. Developing a proposal in response to such an RFP can take three to four weeks, illustrating the intricate nature of our sales process. This complexity necessitates a thorough and well-organized approach to persona marketing.

Important KPIs to get the most from ABM (account-based marketing) + examples
Key KPIs for your account-based marketing include tracking engagement rates, content consumption, pipeline velocity, ROI, retention, and more.
Revenue Marketing AllianceSaima Chadney