Relevance over reach: the reality of ABM in complex B2B organisations

At the European ABM Forum 2026, Emy Jager from Sopra Steria shared a practical perspective on how account-based marketing (ABM) can truly make an impact in complex B2B environments. Her central message was clear and relatable to many organisations:

“Successful ABM is not about reaching more people, but being relevant to the right people.”

Although this is not a new concept, many organisations still optimise for volume, leads and reach. That is exactly why ABM often delivers less than expected in complex B2B organisations.

Why reach alone doesn’t work in complex B2B accounts

Many B2B marketing strategies are still designed for scale, focusing on visibility, engagement, and lead generation.

However, in complex accounts, this approach works only to a limited extent. Decision-making takes months, sometimes longer. Different stakeholders assess the same investment through different lenses: Finance looks at risk, Sales at revenue potential, Operations at feasibility, and IT at integration. Priorities also shift continuously.

Sopra Steria deliberately chose a different approach:

• Focus on a select group of high-value accounts
• Understand stakeholders and their role in the buying process
• Align closely with Sales on what truly matters

This focus creates space for more targeted and meaningful interactions.

Relevance starts with context

An important insight from the session is that relevance goes beyond personalisation. Many teams still confuse personalisation with a job title in the subject line or sector-specific copy. That is not relevance.

“Resonance is about delivering the right message at the right moment and being there when it matters most for customers.”

It’s not just about tailoring content to specific roles or sectors, but understanding what is happening within an account at that particular moment. This requires deep insight into the account’s context: what are the challenges, priorities, and what changes are taking place?

To make this context scalable, Sopra Steria uses AI. AI can help identify signals faster, cluster themes and accelerate content production. But without clear account choices and human judgement, you mainly automate irrelevance. Real relevance comes from combining technology with human interpretation.

Still, the human factor remains essential. Insights only become valuable when they are turned into personal, relevant conversations.

From visibility to real influence within accounts

Another important shift is moving from visibility to real influence within accounts. Many marketing teams report reach as if it signals progress. But without influence over the right decision-makers, reach becomes a KPI without value.

While Marketing often focuses on awareness, ABM is about building influence with the right people within an account. In practice, this means:

• Gaining insight into who is involved and where their interest lies
• Understanding which topics resonate
• Supporting sales with concrete tools for follow-up

Thus, Marketing becomes a direct part of building relationships within accounts.

“ABM works best when Sales and Marketing operate as one team. It’s not just a campaign, it’s a strategy that brings real change both inside and outside our organisation.”

In many organisations, Sales and Marketing still operate alongside each other rather than together. When that happens, ABM remains a campaign tactic instead of a growth strategy. When Sales and Marketing alignment is strong, ABM becomes more effective. Marketing efforts then support what Sales actually needs to convert target accounts.

Relationships are not built in a single campaign

In complex B2B journeys, impact rarely comes from a single campaign. Organisations that treat ABM as a standalone campaign miss how trust is really built: through consistent, relevant interactions over time. Emy Jager’s examples showed how digital outreach, events, webinars, personal follow-ups and physical touchpoints reinforce each other.

Key takeaways for ABM-practitioners

So, how can you apply these ABM principles in your own organisation?

1. Choose fewer accounts, but commit more resources to each one.
2. Look beyond personalisation. Without context, it quickly feels superficial.
3. Collaborate closely with sales. Without shared priorities, alignment remains theory.
4. In complex deals, momentum is built over months, not in a single campaign.
5. Technology accelerates execution, people determine relevance.

A practical step forward in ABM

What makes this approach powerful is that it does not require complicated models or large-scale transformation. The biggest gains rarely come from more campaigns or more tooling, but from better choices: sharper focus, shared priorities and more relevant commercial interactions.

Curious where your biggest ABM opportunity lies: focus, alignment or relevance? We would be happy to help. Plan a conversation with our ABM specialists and discover how we can strengthen the connection between Marketing and Sales to help you convert target accounts faster.