Best Practice #7: Creates strategic plans for key accounts

by Dave Kahle

The job of the salesperson is always a bit of a balancing act.  On one hand, we continually cruise our territory to see what opportunities look the most promising.  We’re constantly scanning the account base to identify that to which we should react.  On the other hand, we also need to be proactive, determining which accounts hold the most long-term potential, and strategizing our approaches to those accounts.

          It’s the second part of that equation that is the subject of this piece.  The best sales people regularly (annually, quarterly and monthly) think deeply about their highest potential accounts and create a step-by-step plan for methodically penetrating them.  That’s the definition of a strategic plan.

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          Note that the practice assumes some prior work: The salesperson has methodically identified the highest potential accounts. That’s a special process all by itself.  In order to do that, he/she has collected meaningful information, analyzed it, and applied some thoughtful criteria to it in order to bubble up to the surface those accounts which offer the highest potential.

          Those top 5 to 20 percent have so much potential that they warrant special attention.  And that special attention means a well crafted, constantly reviewed strategic plan.

Typically, these plans involve:

1. A clear understanding of the opportunities within the account.

2. A specific plan for expanding and broadening relationships with key people within the account. 

3. A set of short term, as well as long term... CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE