|
________________________
Featured Article
Two Rules for Understanding Your Customers
By Michael Griego
There are 6 key rules in The Effective Sales Process section of my book '42 Rules to Increase Sales Effectiveness' -
#6 - Target Your Customer
#7 - Know How Your Customer Buys
#8 - Know How Your Customer Makes Decisions
#9 - Develop Your Customer's Buying Milestones
#10 - Develop Your Optimized Sales Process
#11 - Create a Playbook
In this article I will focus on 2 rules which are critical for all salespeople or anyone touching the prospect, client or customer. These rules are crucial for understanding your customer.
Rule #7 - Know How Your Customer Buys...
Read more...
|
|
Contact Us
650-279-3467
 |
|
|
Sales and Account Management
If you're a veteran to sales, when you see the topic of "Account Management" one's mind goes to one of two places: 1) Managing and selling to large accounts, or 2) Managing existing customer account relationships. I'm seeing more organizations today that are structurally blurring the lines of "selling" and "managing customer relationships."
Ideally, all customer-facing team members are selling and managing relationships. When existing accounts warrant full-time attention to customer service/support, implementation and care-giving, then Account Managers are needed to truly manage and service the account. They may have cross-selling and up-selling responsibilities as well.
But this does not necessarily mean they have account strategy responsibilities or even needed capabilities. Sales Account Executives need to quarterback the account. Without clearly defined roles and responsibilities havoc and missed opportunities may prevail.
Do you have clear delineation of roles and responsibilities between your Account Executives and Account Managers?
_____________________________________________________ |
|
|
Account Management vs. Client Services?
What's in a title? In some cases it is significant. "Accounts Managers" who service clients, provide customer care and problem-solving are very different from quota-carrying "Account Managers" who are paid to drive revenue account growth and strategic relationship mapping. The former might be better titled "Client Services" - the latter might be titled "Sales Managers," "Account Executives" or "Strategic Account Managers."
Just as important are compensation incentives that drive right behavior and distinction of roles for optimized team collaboration in selling efforts and communications. |
|
___________________________________________
Effective Cross-Sell/Up-Sell?
When asked to share reasons why cross-selling rates were so low, one sales rep frankly stated, "I don't try to sell what I don't understand." So says CSO Insight's 2011 Sales Performance Optimization report, where 47% of survey respondents rated their company's ability here as "Needs Improvement."
We see it and believe it. While more product training will help (60% believe so), if you're expecting significant cross-sell/up-sell revenue from non-salespeople, e.g. client-services oriented Account Managers, then you might consider solution oriented sales training to improve the selling effectiveness of these customer-facing revenue-drivers.
Are you hitting your cross-sell/up-sell numbers?
____________________________________________________________ |
|
Who's the Quarterback?
Let there be no doubt that the Strategic Account Executive or appropriately titled outside sales rep/manager is the Quarterback on the account. Whether driving one major account or a combination of major or key accounts, this SAE as QB is responsible for the strategic Territory Plan, Account Plan and associated Opportunity Plans.
While other team members (inside sides, account management, product specialists, sales engineering, professional services, etc.) certainly play critical roles in driving the ball into the end zone, the strategic ball-handler and signal-caller is the SAE. Teamwork is required - but the heavy load goes on the quota-bearing head of the account. When this responsibility is up for grabs, then effective and productive selling efforts are diminished and fewer points are scored.
Who's calling the plays and driving the ball downfield in your strategic accounts? |
|
|
__________________________________ __________
Quotation for Sales and Life
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan, NBA Super Star
|
|
|
