Account-based marketing (ABM) is a hot, if often misunderstood, topic. If implemented correctly, ABM can be a very successful strategy for obtaining high-value customers, making market shifts, or entering new sectors of a market. However, emerging companies often jump into ABM without considering obstacles that can derail the effort or even destroy the existing marketing plan. In this report, we discuss how an ABM pilot coupled with a sound strategy can lay the foundation for a successful ABM implementation that will complement, not destroy, the existing marketing plan.