Account Plans should help you think like your customer thinks and not like you or your company thinks

I have seen 1000’s of Account Plans. Some have been very good & some have been very bad.

I have seen Account Plans look like works of Shakespeare or written on the back of an envelope.

I believe Sales Professionals & Sales Managers can easily miss the purpose of an Account Plan.

Over investing or under investing in this activity is a risk so here’s the “must haves” I expect to be in an Account Plan:

🎯  Account Background:

• Describe your customer’s business and the value it creates for its customers
• History of your relationship and the overall business potential

🎯 Customer Needs/ Value Drivers:

• What does success look like for the customer?
• What are the customer’s main needs and priorities?

🎯 Account Strategy, Objectives & Targets:

• What are your goals with this customer – short & long term?
• How does your company support the customer’s business vision and strategy?
• What business targets do you want to achieve with this customer?
• What’s your positioning in relation to external factors and competitors?

🎯 Contact Strategy:

• Are the correct people identified in the customers business – decision makers & influencers?
• Who in your business could contribute and add value to your customer?

🎯 Tactical Action Plan:

• Is there a plan to achieve your goals with the customer?
• Are there actions over this next period that help you deliver the plan?
• How do these activities link to the customer’s needs?

🎯 Live Opportunities in the Pipeline:

• Do activities in the plan translate into opportunities in your sales pipeline?

If you ensure these 6 “must haves” are always in you Account Plans you will consistently add value to your clients business and your business.