Whales, Elephants, & Deers of ABM

If you’ve been in SaaS long enough, you’re probably familiar with the viral animal analogy.

For those who aren’t aware:

In this newsletter, I’ve built on the animal analogy, but for ABM.

1. The Whale (Large Enterprise Clients)

Who They Are:

These are your largest enterprise clients—Fortune 500 companies or major industry players with complex structures and lengthy decision-making processes. Engaging these clients requires navigating multiple stakeholders, from technical teams to executive leadership.

Best ABM tactics for Whales:

Map out the organization’s decision-making structure and identify key influencers and decision-makers.

Create tailored content for each stakeholder that addresses their specific challenges.

Schedule regular executive engagements (e.g., quarterly strategy sessions) to maintain high-level relationships.

1-1 ABM is necessary for Whales

2. The Elephant (High-Growth Mid-Market Clients)

Who They Are:
These are high-growth mid-market companies that are agile and scaling rapidly. They may lack the resources of larger enterprises but offer significant growth potential due to their expansion ambitions.

Best ABM tactics for Elephants:

Segment your target list based on growth potential and readiness to scale.

Develop case studies and use cases that demonstrate scalability tailored to their industry and size.

Initiate fast-track engagement offers like free trials or pilot programs to show quick value.

Recommend you to add them to your 1-few ABM bucket.

3. The Deer (Niche High-Value Accounts)

Who They Are:

Deers represent niche accounts that may be small but hold high strategic value due to their influence in specific markets or industries. They are often leaders or innovators within their sectors.

Best ABM Tactics for Deers:

Conduct in-depth research to identify specific challenges and opportunities for each niche account.

Develop exclusive content and offers that cater directly to their unique needs.

Plan collaborative initiatives (like joint webinars or workshops) to deepen relationships and demonstrate value.

They belong in your 1 - many ABM list.

If you aren’t aware of how 1-1, few, many approaches work, you can start with this blog we wrote on the same. 

Hope this helps you identify and close your Whales, Elephants & Deers.

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