Account Selection

Account Selection & Tiering

Overview

Account selection is the hardest part of ABM. Pick wrong and you waste 6 months. Pick right and you 3x your close rate. This skill builds a weighted scoring model to tier your TAM into Strategic, Scale, and Programmatic accounts.

Authoritative Foundations

• TOPO (now Gartner) — Account selection — Score accounts on fit first, then layer intent and engagement to decide tier; fit without intent is a nurture list, not a target list.
• Winning by Design — ICP — Define the ideal customer profile from closed-won customers who retain and expand, not from the largest logos.
• ITSMA — Account-Based Marketing — Tier-based ABM (1:1 / 1:few / 1:many); measure pipeline from target accounts, not lead volume.
• Lars Nilsson — Account-based sales development (ABSD) — Select and sequence accounts by buying signals, not firmographics alone; the account list is a living ranking, not an annual export.

When to Use

• "Which accounts should we target?"
• "Tier our target account list"
• "Build an account scoring model"
• "Prioritize our TAM for ABM"

Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: Build Scoring Model

Weight each dimension (must total 100 points):

Firmographic Fit (35 pts):

• Industry match (0-10): Direct ICP industry = 10, adjacent = 5, outside = 2
• Employee count (0-10): In sweet spot = 10, near = 5, outside = 2
• Revenue range (0-10): In sweet spot = 10, near = 5, outside = 2
• Geography (0-5): Target region = 5, acceptable = 3, outside = 1

Technographic Fit (25 pts):

• Current tech stack (0-15): Complementary tools present = 15, some = 8, none = 2
• Integration potential (0-10): High integration value = 10, medium = 5, low = 2

Behavioral Signals (25 pts):

• Website visits (0-10): Frequent, multi-page = 10, some = 5, none = 2
• Content engagement (0-10): Downloads, webinar attendance, newsletter = score by recency
• Social engagement (0-5): LinkedIn follows, comments, shares

Intent & Trigger (15 pts):

• Hiring signals (0-5): Role related to your product = 5
• Funding event (0-5): Recent raise = 5
• Tech change (0-5): Evidence of switching or evaluating

Phase 2: Tier Assignment

• Tier 1 (>80): 5-15 accounts. Immediate sales + marketing investment.
• Tier 2 (60-79): 15-50 accounts. Scaled ABM plays.
• Tier 3 (40-59): 50-200 accounts. Programmatic nurture.
• Below 40: Not ABM. Generic inbound/outbound only.

Phase 3: Ongoing Refinement

• Idle whitespace pull (ABSD): filter high-fit prospects with zero prior business and zero open pipeline — that list is the targeted-outbound campaign queue (references/lars-nilsson-absd.md)
• Monthly: Re-score based on new signals
• Quarterly: Review tier assignments, promote/demote accounts
• After wins: Analyze what made winners score high — adjust weights
• After losses: Add disqualifying signals discovered in lost deals

Output Format

Scored account list with tier assignments, scoring model documentation, and a refinement calendar.

Quality Check

Before delivering, verify:

• All required sections are complete
• Output matches the user's stated need
• Named frameworks are cited for key recommendations
• No vague claims — every recommendation has a specific action
• Deliverable is ready for operational use, not just conceptual

Common Pitfalls

1. Treating ABM as a marketing-only initiative. ABM requires tight sales alignment. Without BDRs assigned to specific accounts and shared account briefs, marketing produces content nobody uses. Fix: weekly ABM standups with marketing + BDRs + AEs.
2. One-size-fits-all tiering. Applying the same playbook to Tier 1 and Tier 3 accounts. Fix: Tier 1 gets custom content and executive engagement; Tier 3 gets automated personalization.
3. Measuring ABM on MQLs. ABM success is pipeline from target accounts, not lead volume. Fix: track coverage %, engagement depth, pipeline created, and win rate by tier.

Execution Artifacts

• references/framework-notes.md — named frameworks, citation anchors, and operating assumptions
• templates/output-template.md — copy-paste deliverable structure for the user
• scripts/check-output.py — local checklist validator for required sections This skill includes lightweight artifacts the agent can load on demand: Use the artifacts when the user asks for an implementation-ready deliverable, a repeatable workflow, or a quality check rather than generic advice.

Implementation Depth

Use this section when the user asks for a finished asset, not a high-level explanation.

Diagnostic Questions

1. What is the primary motion: founder-led, sales-led, product-led, partner-led, or lifecycle-led?
2. Which ICP tier is the output for: small business, mid-market, enterprise, or mixed?
3. What proof is available today: customer stories, usage data, third-party validation, screenshots, or none?
4. What system will execute the work: CRM, sequencer, warehouse, support desk, product analytics, or manual workflow?
5. What decision will the user make from this output: launch, prioritize, route, rewrite, score, coach, or measure?

Framework Application

Map the recommendation explicitly to the named frameworks in this skill:

• TOPO Account Selection: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
• WbD ICP Framework: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
• ITSMA — Account-Based Marketing: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
• Lars Nilsson ABSD signal-based selection: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.

Deliverable Standard

A strong output from this skill includes:

• A crisp diagnosis of the current situation
• A recommended path with tradeoffs, not a generic list
• A concrete artifact the user can use immediately: table, script, checklist, scorecard, sequence, dashboard spec, or implementation plan
• A measurement plan with leading and lagging indicators
• Risks and edge cases called out before execution

Adaptation Rules

• For small business: reduce complexity, shorten time-to-value, and prioritize owner/operator clarity.
• For mid-market: include workflow ownership, handoffs, integrations, and enablement assets.
• For enterprise: include governance, risk, procurement, stakeholder mapping, and proof requirements.

Related Skills

• icp-scoring, abm-strategy, signal-scoring, lead-finding, list-building