Strategic Account Management

Companies that grow accounts consistently don't do it by chance. They do it systematically. Learn how Top Performers in Strategic Account Management (SAM) drive superior results.  This module includes the following lessons:

• Top Performance in Strategic Account Management
• The 5-Stage Strategic Account Management Process
• Roles of Strategic Account Managers

Discover the essential planning components to grow accounts with the Strategic Account Planner. This module includes the following lessons:

• 6 Key Components of the Strategic Account Plan
• Strategic Account Planner Walkthrough
• Tactical Tips for Growing Strategic Accounts
• Assignment: Start Your Strategic Account Plan

Collaborate with your accounts to add value. Learn a framework for running Value Labs to uncover the best ideas for adding value. This module includes the following lessons:

• The 3 Legs of the Value Proposition Stool
• Understanding Value Connection, Creation, and Co-Creation
• 4 Stages of Structured Problem Solving
• Tips for Leading an Internal Value Lab
• Value Labbing with the 4 Stages of Structured Problem Solving
• Tips for Leading an External Value Lab
• Assignment: Prepare to Lead a Value Lab

Learn how to identify and sell to the various decision-makers in your accounts and develop strategies for strengthening your account relationships. This module includes the following lessons:

• How Buyers View Relationship Strength
• The 5 Decision Roles
• Creating Change Champions
• Understanding the Business Driver and Approver
• Understanding the Domino and the Evaluator
• Uncovering the Buyers' Decision-Making Process

Learn how to understand and quickly identify the 6 unique buyer personas so you can more effectively communicate, strengthen relationships, and increase your value. This module includes the following lessons:

• Overview: Different Communication Strokes for Different Folks
• The 6 Buyer Personas in Brief
• How to Identify the 6 Buyer Personas
• Working with Decisive Danielle, Relationship Renee, and Analytical Al
• Working with Consensus Claire, Skeptical Steve, and Innovator Irene
• Tactical Tips for Selling to the 6 Buyer Personas
• Assignment: Plan to Work with Different Buyer Personality Types

Conduct an effective needs discovery meeting with your account so you can craft a solution that will be relevant and effective. This module includes the following lessons:

• The Power of Afflictions and Aspirations
• Powerful Questions for Sales Meetings and Needs Discovery
• The Power of Why
• Creating a Shared Understanding of Needs
• Types of Needs Buyers Have
• The Key to Leading a Thorough Needs Discovery Meeting
• 10 Tactical Tips to Lead a Thorough Needs Discovery
• Assignment: Prepare Questions for a Needs Discovery Meeting

Account research is essential to the account planning process. Learn how to approach research to get the information you need and propel account growth. This module includes the following lessons:

• Account Research: It's Not What Many People Think It Is
• Understanding PESTEL Analysis
• Uncovering Your Account's Agenda
• Top 10 Ways to Research Your Account
• Checklist of Questions for Account Research
• Assignment: Document What You Know About Your Account

Having a competitor steal an account you should have won is a frustrating experience. Learn to craft strategies that neutralize, unseat, and protect your accounts from competitive threats. This module includes the following lessons:

• Analyzing Your Competitor Landscape
• 3 Competitive Approaches: Neutralize, Emphasize, Individualize
• The Strength, Weakness, Strategy Framework for Competitor Planning
• Finding out About Competitors Inside Your Accounts
• Assignment: Analyze the Competition

Two areas are critical to driving change: account missions and key performance indicators (KPIs). Create a compelling account mission and define your KPIs to drive success. This module includes the following lessons:

• Crafting an Account Mission Statement
• Tips for Creating and Using an Account Mission Statement
• Identifying Account KPIs
• Assignment: Develop an Account Mission

When a growth opportunity is significant, you need to go all in to win it. Develop strategies to strengthen relationships, outsell the competition, and grow your most important accounts. This module includes the following lessons:

• Plays, Big Plays, and the 6 Types
• Big Play Examples
• Which Plays and Big Plays Should You Pursue?
• Assignment: Evaluate Your Big Play Ideas

If you want to build the best account growth plan that gets executed, use the Venture Capital Test. This module includes the following lessons:

• What is the Venture Capital (VC) Test?
• How the VC Test Works
• How to Pitch Your Account to the VCs
• Common Account Plan Problems to Avoid
• Assignment: Prepare Your VC Test Presentation

Developing strong relationships in your accounts is critical to account growth success. Discover strategies to deepen relationships with key stakeholders in your accounts and develop a plan to do so. This module includes the following lessons:

• How Buyers View Relationship Strength
• How to Enhance Client Relationships
• Manufacturing Serendipity to Build Relationships and Drive Opportunity
• 4 Keys to Building Trust in Sales
• Tactical Tips for Building Trust in Sales
• Assignment: Rate Your Current Relationship Strength