Behind the Scenes at Scrappy ABM: Strategy Over Software

We sat down with Mason Cosby, Founder and CEO of Scrappy ABM, for one of the most honest, tactical, and downright entertaining interviews in ABM Answered history.

Mason didn’t just dip his toe into the world of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), he jumped in headfirst. He was serious and dedicated to the level where he tried launching his agency just three weeks before his daughter was born. 

Would he recommend it? Probably not. Did it work? Yes.

In just 18 months, Scrappy ABM scaled to a 15-person team and $200K in monthly recurring revenue, all by sticking to what the name promises: scrappy, practical ABM.

But he didn’t do it alone. Mason credits a big part of the early success to his wife, who helped edit client podcasts during nap times, even while recovering from childbirth. It’s a story of grit, teamwork, and doing what it takes.

We pulled Mason away from his LinkedIn feed (barely) to unpack how he built it all. No fancy tools, no endless budget, just smart, scrappy ABM that actually drives the pipeline. We talked attribution wins, creative outreach, tech stack priorities (hint: they come last), and why truly great ABM is usually the stuff that doesn’t scale.

From Podcasting to Pipeline

Let’s start with one of Mason’s boldest claims: “Every 10 podcast interviews we do, 50% lead to a pipeline within 90 days.”

Wait, what?

That’s not hype, that’s hard data from someone who’s used podcasting as a full-blown ABM engine. The logic is simple: invite your ICP (ideal customer profile) to be a guest, deliver a great experience, and watch how often it turns into either direct interest or referrals.

For Mason, podcasting isn’t a brand awareness exercise. It’s a top-of-funnel magnet that opens the door to real relationships and personalized follow-up.

“They didn’t know you existed. They leave thinking you kinda know your stuff. And then they ask, ‘Can you help us?’”

If you're running ABM programs and not experimenting with content-led sales motions like this, you're likely leaving pipeline on the table.

ABM Attribution? It’s All About the Follow-Up

Attribution gets messy fast. 

Mason’s solution? 

Keep it clear, keep it close to conversion.

Take his old “Fix Your Site” program. He’d run broad webinars, then send one-to-one video reviews to attendees. Forty website audits. Sixty hours of recording. Eight customers in 60 days.

Was it scalable? Not at all.Did it work? Absolutely.

“Awareness brings them in. One-to-one content gets them across the line. That’s where you measure ABM impact.”

This idea of moving from one-to-many to one-to-one based on engagement shows up again and again in Mason’s approach. Start broad. Go deep only when the signals are strong.

Curious to go scrappy? Grab Mason’s templates at scrappyabm.com/plan

Shoutout to Alex Pappas for sparking this part of the convo with his brilliant attribution-focused question. If you’re trying to prove ABM's impact, this one's for you.

The No-Budget ABM Stack: Mason’s $0 (or $140) Workflow

“What should a solo ABM practitioner do with no budget?” 

That gem came from @Jillian Kondamudi, and Mason ate this one.

For Mason, it all start on LinkedIn:

• Connect manually with 100–200 people from your target account list each week

• Skip the message, blank requests get better response

• Use LinkedIn Events to host a free session, collect data, and build a warmer audience

  
  

From there:

1. Record simple Zoom videos breaking down insights for engaged accounts

2. Upload them as unlisted YouTube links

3. Embed them on basic landing pages

4. Use free tools like RB2B or Vectara to track anonymous website hits

   
   

If you’ve got $140/month to spare, throw in PhantomBuster for LinkedIn automation and StreamYard for live webinars.

“All that is free or near free. And if you do it right, it becomes your MQA engine.”

What’s an MQA? 

A Marketing Qualified Account, the ABM version of an MQL, but way more aligned to actual buying behavior.

Don’t Buy Tech Until You Know What You Actually Need

When @James Davies asked what ABM tech excites Mason most, he didn’t think twice:

“None, until you have a strategy.”

His advice is refreshingly grounded:

• Map your buyer journey first: How do you get data? Where do you distribute content? How do you measure success?

• Spot the gaps

• Only then look for tech to plug those gaps

He dropped a few tool names (BoostIdeal for ICP clarity, Tofu for AI content creation, Air Traffic Control for smart curation), but the main point stuck:

“Too many marketers buy tech to figure out what they should do. Start with strategy. Then add tools.”

What About Offline ABM? When Digital Fails…

Massive props to @Alex Baud and @Kyla Nuesa for teeing up this spicy one:

What do you do when email, LinkedIn, and ads hit a wall?

Mason’s tried everything from sending cookies to showing up in person, and has the scars (and wins) to prove it.

The golden rule:

Don’t send gifts to cold accounts.

“We had a client drop $60K on a one-month gifting program. Zero ROI. Because they sent expensive stuff to people who didn’t even know them.”

Instead, make it personal:

• Handwritten thank-you postcards to webinar panelists

• Local artist-designed prints

• A coconut with “You’re a tough nut to crack” for a stalled opportunity (yes, that worked)

And when all else fails, Host a dinner in a target-rich city and invite a handful of execs (because no one says no to steak and It costs less than you think.)

The ABM Mix: New vs. Existing Customers

So where should you focus your ABM? New accounts or expansion?

@Robert Norum, this one’s for you.

Mason’s take: it depends on your stage.

• Growing through acquisitions? Go heavy on expansion.

• Got product-market fit but low cross-sell potential? New logos are your game.

• No expansion opportunities at all? Use NPS data to build referral programs instead.

For pilot programs, Mason suggests starting with existing customers or pipeline deals: “You already have the data and trust. It’s the perfect sandbox.”

The Sacred Cow He’s Killing? Unrealistic ICPs

This came straight from @Mike Davies, who asked: What sacred cow in B2B needs to be slaughtered? 

If there’s one sacred cow in B2B that Mason wants to slaughter, it’s your shiny but fake ICP.

“Run a report in your CRM right now. Add ‘is customer’ as a filter. If your ICP doesn’t reflect your actual customer base, is it really your ICP?”

Mic. Drop.

Final Word: The Top 3 Channels for ABM in the Next 18 Months?

@Chris Hare threw this future-gazing curveball, and Mason came prepared and bets:

1. Events: But not just vendor booths. Real, content-led, human-centered meetups.

2. Communities: Especially where your subject matter experts hang out and answer real buyer questions.

3. Courses: Give away value for free. Let education drive engagement and conversion.

Pair all three and you’ve got a flywheel.

Big thanks to Mason for bringing the honesty, the humor, and the hard-won lessons. 

From nap-time podcast edits to no-budget ABM plays, he reminded us that you don’t need a fancy title or massive tech stack to do ABM that works - you just need grit, creativity, and a healthy dose of LinkedIn obsession. 

We’re beyond grateful he made time to share his journey (and jokes) with us. 🙌