The One to One Future was published in 1993 by Don Pepper and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. It ignited a lot of what know now as Account Based Marketing. Revolutionary at the time, they advocated a shift away from mass marketing to a more individualized B2B approach. They saw a tailored customer path unfolding 6 years before Eloqua, the first marketing automation tool. Here is a quote perfectly illustrating their philosophy:
It is information about individual consumers that will keep a marketer functioning in the 1:1 future. Without individual information, as opposed to market or segment information, 1:1 marketing would not be possible.
Pepper and Roger’s focused on these points in One to One: Concentrating on on the top 20%, the Pareto principle, of the most loyal customers. By showing top customers exceptional service, they may account for as much as 80% of revenue. Fostering tailored customer relationships with a variety of communication channels, like Faxes. Yes, Fax were “high-tech” back in 1993. Pepper & Rogers might now advocate using Whatsapp. Working with customers in the same fashion you do with suppliers.
Critics like George Gendron called it “one of the two or three most important business books ever written.”
If you really want understand the foundations of Account Based Marketing buy this book.