How Scoring Makes Account-Based Selling Actually Affordable

Look, I get it. When companies pitch Account-Based Selling, it sounds expensive. Custom campaigns, dedicated resources, personalized content—it feels like you need deep pockets to even try.

But here's what nobody tells you: the biggest drain on your budget isn't implementing ABS. It's chasing the wrong accounts.

The Numbers Don't Lie

According to SiriusDecisions research, companies waste an average of 70% of their marketing spend on unqualified leads. Harvard Business Review found that sales teams spend just 36% of their time actually selling—the rest is chasing dead ends.

Think about it:

• Average cost per lead: $198 (Marketo)

• Average lead-to-customer conversion rate: 2.35% (Ruler Analytics)

• Sales rep cost per hour: $50-75 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

So you're paying $198 for leads when only 2-3% will convert. Those 97 failed attempts? Pure budget drain.

The Scoring Revelation

TOPO research shows that using lead scoring increases marketing ROI by 77%. Here's why: scoring lets you identify and eliminate low-value accounts before you waste resources.

When you score properly:

• You stop prospecting dead-end accounts (saving roughly 40 hours per rep weekly, per LinkedIn State of Sales report)

• You reallocate budget from quantity to quality

• You make ABS affordable by concentrating resources on accounts that actually close

The Real ABS Cost Problem

Gartner reports the average B2B buying committee now includes 6-10 decision makers. Trying to influence that many people across 1,000 prospects? Impossible budget-wise.

Scoring lets you identify the 100 accounts worth that investment, eliminating the other 900 budget killers.

Start Simple, Save Smart

You don't need expensive AI tools. Research from Demand Gen Report shows companies get 56% better results from basic scoring compared to no scoring at all.

Begin with:

• Company size and revenue data (publicly available)

• Industry fit analysis (using your CRM)

• Engagement tracking (email opens, website visits)

The Return Numbers

According to ITSMA, 87% of marketers report higher ROI from ABM compared to other marketing initiatives. But here's the key: that higher ROI comes from eliminating waste through proper account selection.

Companies using scoring report:

• 45% increase in deal size (Aberdeen Group)

• 35% improvement in close rates (SiriusDecisions)

• 18% growth in annual revenue (Demand Metric)

The Bottom Line

ABS isn't expensive when you're targeting the right accounts. Waste is expensive. Chasing unqualified leads is expensive. Trying to do everything for everyone is expensive.

With basic scoring, your existing budget suddenly covers premium ABS tactics for the accounts that actually matter. The question isn't whether you can afford ABS—it's whether you can afford to keep burning budget on accounts that will never close.

Think of scoring as the filter that turns ABS from a luxury to a necessity. Once you're only chasing qualified accounts, those "expensive" ABS tactics become the most cost-effective investment you'll make.