How modern ABM works: From account selection to execution

Shownotes

Account-based marketing is no longer a campaign or a channel. It is an operating model that spans the full customer lifecycle. In this episode of the OnBase podcast, host Paul Gibson sits down with Katie Skene, Senior ABM Manager at Global Relay, to unpack what modern ABM really looks like in practice.

Drawing on over a decade of agency and in-house experience, Katie shares how she has helped organizations move from ABM theory to execution, why account selection is the single most important success factor, and how change management and cross-functional alignment can make or break an ABM program. They explore how technology and AI are reshaping ABM workflows, where teams often go wrong with intent signals, and why curiosity is becoming the defining trait of the next generation of ABM leaders.

This conversation is a must-listen for B2B marketers and revenue leaders who want to scale ABM responsibly, prove long-term impact, and build programs that sales actually trust.

Best Moments

• 01:27
  Katie shares how agency experience shaped her approach to modern ABM.
• 05:13
  Why ABM maturity is about people and process, not just tools.
• 07:21
  The real challenge of building ABM teams from scratch.
• 10:50
  How ABM success creates internal demand and scaling pressure.
• 17:26
  Why account selection is the most underestimated ABM challenge.
• 22:32
  The reality of AI, intent signals, and false positives in ABM.
• 27:41
  Why ABM is not a channel and should not sit inside digital marketing.

Key insights from this episode

• ABM maturity depends as much on organizational readiness and change management as it does on technology.
• Account selection is the foundation of ABM success and getting it wrong creates downstream failure across messaging and execution.
• ABM cannot succeed without early and ongoing alignment with sales, revenue operations, and leadership.
• Technology should support ABM strategy, not define it, and teams must crawl before they walk and run.
• AI is accelerating scale in ABM, but only when human judgment remains in the loop.
• ABM is equally powerful for customer expansion and retention, not just net-new acquisition.
• Curiosity and data literacy are becoming more important than rigid role definitions in ABM teams.
• Successful ABM programs balance long-term strategic plays with in-market accounts that can deliver near-term wins.

Quotes

“If you get account selection wrong, everything downstream becomes an uphill struggle.”

Resource recommendations

Books:

• B2B Marketing Fundamentals by Kate Mackie
• Account-Based Marketing by Bev Burgess

About the Guest

Katie Skene is a B2B marketing professional with 14 years of experience across agency and in-house roles. She began her career in marketing at a US medical devices company before spending a decade in agencies, where she built expertise across marketing automation, paid media, and multi-channel campaign execution, alongside commercial responsibility for pipeline and revenue.

Specialising in B2B technology, Katie has worked with global brands including Adobe, HPE, Capgemini, and Fujitsu. Account-based marketing has been a consistent focus throughout her career, and her time at Agent3, now Pretzel, working within ABM centres of excellence cemented her passion for aligning marketing, technology, and sales to drive meaningful growth.

Connect with Katie.