Inflexion Group is delighted to share that Co-Founder and Chief Executive Bev Burgess has been featured in Source’s latest White Space report, ‘The Innovation Challenge 2025.’ The publication explores why innovation in thought leadership is a key ingredient for delivering client value in today’s professional services landscape.
Beyond the basics: Innovation in Account-Based Marketing
In a comprehensive conversation with Nicola Kostrzewska from Source, Bev provided an in-depth look at the evolution of Account-Based Marketing and how firms can successfully implement and scale their ABM programmes.
The discussion covered essential ground for any professional services firm considering or refining their ABM approach, including:
The five types of ABM
From one-to-one Strategic ABM for the largest clients to the emerging Scenario ABM and Pursuit Marketing approaches, Bev outlined how firms can match their marketing investment to client value and opportunity.
Success criteria that matter
Rather than traditional volume metrics like MQLs, ABM success is measured in improving relationships, reputation and revenues, and hinges on three critical factors: collaboration between marketing and account teams, taking a long-term view of client relationships, and maintaining sustained buy-in from stakeholders. As Bev explains in the report, “ABM is a long-term investment in a client relationship, not a one-off campaign or tactic.”
The role of AI in scaling personalisation
One of the most exciting developments in ABM is how artificial intelligence is enabling firms to deliver personalised experiences at scale. AI tools can now help identify conversation starters, tailor propositions to use the client’s language and tone of voice, and customise content to be relevant to specific industries, business situations and individuals.
Thought leadership as a conversation starter
“The key to successful thought leadership is personalisation and its use as a conversation starter,” Bev notes in the report. “Instead of just being a broad publication, created with a publishing mindset, thought leadership should be customised to the client organisation and specific individual.”
The critical question every firm should ask
Perhaps the most provocative insight from the interview is Bev’s ‘killer question’ for firms considering ABM: “Do we have the right marketing investment in place to support account-based growth?”
As she points out, most marketing investment is focused on the bottom 80% of clients, while the top 20% generate most of the business and represent most of a firm’s future potential growth. This misalignment represents a significant opportunity for firms willing to rebalance their marketing resources.
Learning from the leaders
Bev highlighted professional services firms leading the charge in ABM innovation, including PwC’s Rhiannon Blackwell, who has pioneered Scenario ABM and the use of technology and AI to scale ABM across global clients, and Bain & Company’s Jessica Shea, who runs a sophisticated programme with a unique approach to Segment ABM.
About the report
Source’s White Space report brings together perspectives from leading professional services firms including Accenture, EY, IBM, and PA Consulting, alongside expert commentary from specialists like Bev. The publication examines how firms are innovating in their approach to thought leadership and client engagement in an increasingly complex and competitive marketplace.
The report also features an essay by Natasha Cambell, Source Principal Consultant, on ‘Innovation in an unreliable world’, providing broader context on thought leadership challenges and opportunities.
Continuing the conversation
For firms looking to deepen their ABM expertise, Bev’s insights in the White Space report complement the comprehensive guidance available in her latest book, Account-Based Marketing (Kogan Page, 2025), which includes perspectives from ABM leaders at Accenture, Bain, Capgemini and PwC among others.
At Inflexion Group, the team continues to help professional services firms design, implement, and scale their Account-Based Marketing programmes, ensuring they’re investing the right quality and quantity of resources into their most important client relationships.
Read Source’s White Space full report here.
