Beyond the 87%: What ABM Teams Need to Know About Timing, Trust, and Togetherness

Account-based marketers already know the stat by heart: 87% of buying decisions happen before your dream customer ever fills out a “Contact Us” form.

Let that sink in.

By the time your SDRs see a demo request or your platform gets a click-through, the decision-makers in your target account list have already done the rounds. They’ve combed through your ungated content. Compared you with your competitors. Made snap judgments based on UX, clarity, even your brand tone.

So here’s the reality: If your sales team is only showing up at the point of conversion, they’re not just late—they’re irrelevant.

The ABM Moment Isn’t a Moment

We often treat ABM like a series of trigger points: show up here, gate this, send that. But the real magic happens before the “ABM play” even gets triggered. It happens when marketing and sales are already rowing in the same direction—long before a hand-raise.

It starts in the murky middle.

That long, quiet space before the 87%.

When curiosity is high and trust is fragile.

When value isn’t measured in CTA clicks but in resonance.

This is the zone where alignment isn’t optional—it’s oxygen.

It’s Not Just Messaging. It’s Mentality.

If your sales team is talking about pain points and your marketing team is publishing thought leadership that lives in a different universe, guess who notices? Everyone.

Your prospects are more research-savvy than ever. They spot disconnects in language, tone, and intent. That whitepaper download doesn’t mean what it used to. Today, your content is your conversation.

So, let’s ask the uncomfortable question:

Are your sales and marketing teams having the same conversation—or just talking past each other?

ABM That Works Is ABM That Feels Whole

The most successful ABM programs we’ve seen? They’ve moved beyond just “alignment.” They’ve embraced something deeper: shared ownership.

Ownership of account strategy.

Ownership of messaging.

Ownership of outcomes.

It looks like this:

Marketing knows the sales motion. Sales understands the content cadence. Both sides agree on what value looks like, and more importantly—when that value should show up in the buyer’s journey.

It’s not easy. But when it works, it works.

So, what now?

If you’re an account-based marketer, now’s the time to check in.

Are you aligned? Are your conversations happening early enough? And most of all—are your teams in sync?

Because in this world of ungated content and ultra-informed buyers, influence starts well before intent. And ABM isn’t just about being present—it’s about being in rhythm.