The ABM Marketer’s Quick-Reference: 65 Terms Every Demand Gen Pro Should Know

Account-based marketing (ABM), B2B marketing, and demand generation are full of buzzwords—but not all of them are used consistently, and some are used incorrectly. That makes it difficult for marketers to separate best practice from bad advice, or to ensure their teams are speaking the same language. 

To cut through the noise, we’ve put together this curated collection of essential ABM and demand gen terms—organized into categories that make sense for modern B2B marketers. Whether you’re refining your targeting strategy, optimizing campaign performance, or aligning sales and marketing, these definitions give you a shared foundation for more effective execution. 

This is more than a glossary—it’s a quick-reference toolkit designed to help you: 

• Level-set on the terms your team and stakeholders use every day. 
• Sharpen your ABM campaigns with precise, shared definitions. 
• Connect your tactics back to strategy and measurable outcomes. 

Use this as your go-to resource, and explore our full B2B Marketing & ABM Glossary for deeper definitions, examples, and related strategies. 

ABM Core Concepts & Strategy 

ABM marketers succeed when they align sales and marketing around shared target accounts, engage the right decision-makers, and focus on measurable outcomes. These foundational terms describe the strategy, targeting, and alignment mechanisms that make ABM effective. 

• Account-Based Marketing (ABM): A highly targeted B2B strategy that aligns marketing and sales to engage specific high-value accounts rather than broad markets. 
• Buyer Persona: A research-based profile representing your ideal customer, used to tailor messaging and campaigns to resonate with target accounts. 
• Buying Committee: The group of decision-makers and influencers within a target account who collectively determine purchasing decisions. 
• Buying Group: Similar to a buying committee but often used to describe specific sub-groups within large organizations based on solution interest. 
• Demand Generation: A broad marketing approach focused on creating awareness and interest, often feeding into an ABM program’s target account pool. 
• Full-Funnel Marketing: A strategy that addresses prospects at every stage of the buyer journey, from awareness to conversion and retention. 
• Go-to-Market Strategy (GTM): The plan for how your company will target accounts, engage them, and convert them into customers. 
• Intent Data: Behavioral signals that indicate a prospect’s interest in specific topics, products, or services. 
• Intent-Based Marketing: Leveraging intent data to deliver relevant messaging to accounts showing buying signals. 
• Firmographic Data: Company-level information—like size, industry, and revenue—used to segment and target accounts. 
• Technographic Data: Insights into a company’s existing technology stack to identify sales opportunities or competitive displacement. 
• Segmentation: Dividing your account list into meaningful groups based on shared attributes or behaviors. 
• Personalization Engine: Technology that automates and scales customized experiences for different target accounts. 

Data, Measurement & Optimization 

Data-driven ABM is about knowing which accounts are in-market, which channels convert best, and which tactics yield the highest ROI. These terms help marketers measure, analyze, and optimize campaigns for maximum impact. 

• A/B Testing: Comparing two variations of a campaign or asset to determine which performs better with your target audience. 
• Attribution Modeling: A framework for determining which channels and touchpoints contribute most to conversions in ABM. 
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of prospects who take a desired action, such as filling out a form or booking a meeting. 
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): The projected revenue a customer will generate throughout the entire relationship with your business. 
• Engagement Score: A metric measuring the level of interaction a target account has with your brand. 
• First-Party Data: Information you collect directly from your audience through owned channels. 
• Third-Party Data: Information collected by external providers, often used to expand targeting. 
• IP Targeting: Serving ads based on the IP address of a target company’s network. 
• Key Performance Indicator (KPI): Measurable values that indicate how effectively you are achieving specific marketing objectives. 
• Lead Scoring: Assigning points to leads or accounts based on their likelihood to convert. 
• Marketing Automation Platform (MAP): Software that automates, manages, and measures marketing tasks and workflows. 
• Multi-Touch Attribution: Assigning credit to multiple touchpoints across the buyer journey to understand true campaign impact. 
• Return on Investment (ROI): The financial return compared to the cost of your ABM campaign. 
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): The revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. 
• Data Management Platform (DMP): Technology that collects and organizes audience data for targeted advertising. 
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): A platform for managing interactions and relationships with current and potential customers. 

Channels & Tactics for ABM Engagement 

ABM isn’t just about where you show up—it’s about showing up in the right context, for the right accounts, at the right time. Understanding these channels and tactics ensures ABM marketers can design omnichannel experiences that resonate with target accounts. 

• Always-On: A continuous marketing approach designed to engage accounts over time rather than through short bursts. 
• Audio Advertising: Using podcast or streaming audio ads to reach business decision-makers. 
• Connected TV (CTV): Streaming television ads targeted to accounts based on digital identifiers. 
• Content Marketing: Creating and distributing valuable content to attract and engage target accounts. 
• Content Syndication: Distributing your content on third-party sites to expand reach and generate leads. 
• Display Advertising: Visual ads placed on websites or apps to increase brand awareness among target accounts. 
• Demand Side Platform (DSP): Software that automates the buying of digital ad inventory across multiple channels. 
• Email Marketing: Using targeted email campaigns to nurture and engage accounts. 
• Event Marketing: Hosting or sponsoring events to connect with prospects face-to-face or virtually. 
• Explainer Video: Short, engaging videos that clarify your product’s value to decision-makers. 
• Influencer Marketing (B2B): Partnering with industry experts to reach and influence target accounts. 
• Interactive Content: Engaging, participatory experiences—such as quizzes or calculators—that capture account attention. 
• Landing Page: A dedicated page designed to convert visitors through targeted messaging and CTAs. 
• Multi-Channel Marketing: Reaching accounts through multiple channels in a coordinated way. 
• Native Advertising: Paid media that blends seamlessly with the editorial content of the platform it appears on. 
• Omni-Channel Marketing: A seamless, integrated approach across all touchpoints and channels. 
• Outbound Marketing: Direct outreach to target accounts through email, phone, or advertising. 
• Paid Media: Any advertising you pay for, including search, social, and display. 
• Programmatic Advertising: Automated, data-driven ad buying to target accounts efficiently. 
• Retargeting: Serving ads to accounts who have already interacted with your brand. 
• Thought Leadership: Publishing authoritative content to establish trust with key decision-makers. 
• Webinar Marketing: Hosting online presentations to educate and engage potential customers. 
• Zero-Click Content: Information-rich content designed to deliver value without requiring the audience to click through. 

Content Assets in ABM Programs 

In ABM, content must map to the buying journey and address account-specific challenges. These assets are the fuel for personalized outreach and relationship-building with high-value accounts. 

• Blog Post: Written articles that educate, inform, or influence target audiences. 
• eBook: Long-form digital content that provides in-depth insights for targeted account education. 
• Infographic: Visual representations of data or concepts for quick understanding and sharing. 
• Whitepaper: Detailed, research-based documents addressing specific challenges relevant to target accounts. 

Buyer & Customer Journey Frameworks 

Understanding how prospects and customers move through the funnel—from awareness to advocacy—lets ABM marketers tailor outreach and content to each stage for maximum conversion and retention. 

• Buyer’s Journey: The path prospects take from awareness to decision-making. 
• Buying Group: The set of people within a target account involved in the decision process. 
• Customer Journey: The end-to-end experience a customer has with your brand. 
• Lead Generation: The process of identifying and attracting potential customers. 
• Lead Nurturing: Building relationships with potential customers through relevant, ongoing communication. 
• Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL): A lead that meets agreed-upon criteria for marketing readiness. 
• Nurture Flow: A structured sequence of communications designed to move leads through the funnel. 
• Sales Funnel: The stages a prospect moves through before becoming a customer. 
• Sales Qualified Lead (SQL): A lead deemed ready for direct sales engagement.