Managing and Developing Your Key Accounts

Managing and Developing Your Key Accounts

Managing key or major accounts and maximising their potential, requires a different set of skills than selling. The effective and professional management of your key accounts is critical to your success and that of your company.
During this two day course you†ll consider the role and day-to-day tasks of highly effective account managers, examine proven practice in the development of an account and learn how to develop long term and profitable relationships with your key/major accounts.

Course Objectives

• Recognise the difference between selling and account management
• Identify and influence the decision-making units within your accounts
• Use consultative selling techniques to build rapport
• Employ techniques for account planning and analysing an account for opportunities
• Plan and execute a major account negotiation
• Set realistic targets for each account
• Handle account review meetings
• Identify the best strategy for maintaining good relationships
• Identify the best entry and penetration strategies

Who Will the Course Benefit?
All sales people who want to learn effective techniques for maximising the potential of every key/major account they manage.

Course Duration
2 Days

Course Content
Day One
Introduction and Workshop Review
-Managing key accounts
- Understanding the relationship levels
- The CIM-Cranfield model
- Perspectives of the product/service; the customer; the key account manager
Characteristics of Key Accounts
-The profile of an account
The Key Account Planning Process
- The key account management plan sequence
- The key account strategy matrix
- Account management definitions
Preparatory Analysis
- Historic performance review
- The aims for the account
Account Analysis
- PEST analysis - the market drivers
- 3-dimensional 6-box SWOT
Relationship Analysis
- The account manager as the custodian of the relationship between customer and company
- Creating a positioning statement
- The attitudes and influences of key players
Deciding Strategies
- Using conversion analysis
Evening Exercise

Day Two
Review of Day One and Evening Exercise
The Objectives for Each Key Account
- The measurables: value, share, units, tonnage, etc
The Tactics Plan
- Sales activity to achieve the strategies
Identifying Red Flags
- Those issues which might prevent achievement of goals
- Missing information; incomplete information
Account Penetration
- Different models for different customers
Decision Making Processes
- Recognising how a customer makes decisions
- Different methods of penetration
- Briefing the team on what to discuss at customer meetings
Behavioural Analysis
- Modifying your selling and managing behaviour to complement the customer†s
- Buyer motivations
Day-to-Day Key Account Management Check-list

PL2300 - Managing and Developing Your Key Accounts.pdf