Strategic Account Management Association

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

This article discusses what you, as a supplier, can do mid-contract to make your upcoming negotiations more successful. There are a number of ways to manage expectations throughout the negotiation and project, but two of the simplest will never fail: Work to understand the client’s decision-making process.

Suppliers 759

Suppliers Negotiation Stakeholders Account Management 759

Strategic Account Management Association

OCTOBER 14, 2021

Cons: You will end up with a massive, blended account, which will make it nearly impossible to create a detailed, actionable account plan. If you break the account into units that are too big, your entities will contain within them more than one sub-entity operating independently and having its own business drivers and decision makers.

Account Planning 520

Account Planning CRM Account Management Decision-making 520

Holden Advisors

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

Imagine if you could banish “no-decision” from your sales funnel. They build a shared vision around the ability to address a compelling business need or market opportunity and build the scaffolding of commitment to make this vision a reality. In essence, divergent thinking is the antidote to “no decision.”. They sell potential.

Decision-making 435

Decision-making B2B Profitability Account Management 435

Upland

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

It is the job of these trusted stakeholders to make sure that they make the right purchasing decision for their business or organization. A buying group is a clear indication that a business is taking a solution seriously, and it is the buying group that influences the decision of those higher up in the organization.

Decision-making 368

Decision-making Account Planning Stakeholders B2B 368

Strategic Account Management Association

OCTOBER 26, 2021

We too often confuse strategic account sponsorship with corporate project sponsorship, where sponsorship is a way to escalate issues or decision-making when in need. We also needed to make sure senior leaders are aware of these responsibilities to optimize their speed and impact.

Account Management 520

Account Management Co-Creation Leadership Decision-making 520

Strategic Account Management Association

APRIL 5, 2021

They make great paperweights, but if asked about specific details, most of us might offer an uneasy grin, knowing that we have companions-in-arms, equally guilty of shirking that responsibility to read altogether. So why on earth do we still bother with documents numbering hundreds of pages, sans picture and color?

Manufacturing 520

Manufacturing Account Management Decision-making Meetings 520

Holden Advisors

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

So, it makes sense that to increase perceived value, businesses need to create more satisfying experiences. A recent study showed that business customers are more likely to make purchasing decisions based on the total service package, not purchases based solely on price. The Value of Knowing Your Customer.

Decision-making 369

Decision-making Communication Customer Experience Marketing 369

Strategic Account Management Association

AUGUST 6, 2021

Form an organizational capability around co-creating products and solutions with our customers Redesign our philosophy around our customers’ needs Make a positive business impact on our customers’ operations Ingrain a deeply customer-centric vision and mission for sales. How will you make changes in your SAM program?

Supply Chain 520

Supply Chain Logistics Co-Creation Account Management 520

Strategic Account Management Association

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

I’m talking about customer experience management (CXM), which I would argue may be the single most important investment a company can make in today’s cut-throat business climate. And yet most SAM organizations — large and small — haven’t tapped this potentially huge source of competitive differentiation.

CXM 520

CXM Account Management Customer Experience Management 520

Holden Advisors

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

When only 30% of B2B buyers make decisions based exclusively on price (noted in Negotiating with Backbone ), it’s not surprising the other 70% care about value if they are thoughtfully informed about it. Some time ago, Holden Advisors assisted a company that sold construction dirt by helping them better define their value.

Procurement 369

Procurement Finance Construction Government 369

Account Manager Tips

AUGUST 14, 2022

You'll learn behaviours and techniques that will make your natural creativity shine. This proven method will make you more open-minded and productive. This proven method will make you more open-minded and productive. Making Creativity and Innovation Happen. Unleash Your Potential: Innovation and Enterprise.

Key Account Management 246

Key Account Management Account Management Emotional Intelligence Management 246

Mike Kunkle

APRIL 8, 2023

My point here, is that you should make a purposeful determination on these levels, clearly define them, train them, and coach to them. In addition to having the right decision makers in the deal, which is part of qualification, it’s important to assess the landscape and relationships. Here’s what I mean.

B2B 243

B2B Sales Decision-making Stakeholders 243

Holden Advisors

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

What makes these categories even more powerful, is that all of them are areas that CXOs care about. Salespeople can elevate their sales conversations from middle managers to C-suite decision makers by describing how they add value in one or more of these categories. Think about where you truly add value to your customers.

Customer Experience 312

Customer Experience B2C Publishing B2B 312

Account Manager Tips

NOVEMBER 19, 2022

Imagine you're at the front of a boardroom about to make a presentation. Make your first impression count The goal of any executive level presentation is to make sure everyone immediately feels this will be time well spent. I like it because it recognises the personal motivations in decision making. DOWNLOAD NOW.

Value Proposition 246

Value Proposition Decision-making B2B Meetings 246

Upland

JULY 12, 2023

And it’s all about deal qualification MEDDIC – a deal qualification framework Many think that MEDDIC is a sales process , but it’s really a deal qualification framework with multiple processes for decision criteria, decision process, etc. Decision criteria: What factors will buyers consider when making their decision?

Decision-making 195

Decision-making Sales Account Planning Healthcare 195

Account Manager Tips

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

jobs being gobbled up by new technology and millennials set to make up 75% of the workforce might have you worried. HINT: That's you and me) In addition to us, here's what else they need: Data to make predictive decisions to support business goals. Fair and decisive. Removing steps to make a process more efficient.

Key Account Management 246

Key Account Management Account Management Management Decision-making 246

Strategic Account Management Association

JUNE 30, 2021

So, from the customer’s and service team’s perspective the SAM represents the expertise and can make things happen for those customers. Michael Thomas: We typically see three recurring issues that put SAMs at a disadvantage when talking to senior decision makers at a strategic account. Selling Expertise.

Digitalization 520

Digitalization Organization Account Management Management 520

Upland

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Guided selling is a modern sales approach that combines technology, data analytics, and personalized interactions to assist customers in making well-informed purchasing decisions. This enables them to work faster, engage buyers more effectively, and make better decisions.

Decision-making 195

Decision-making Stakeholders Customer Experience CRM 195

Account Manager Tips

OCTOBER 21, 2021

Make sure you have a system in place so your client gets a follow up call from you as soon as possible. That will only make their already busy life, busier. Beyond their workload, there could be other things going on that make it a bad time to ask for stuff. Office politics that make certain topics sensitive to discuss.

Key Account Management 246

Key Account Management Client Relationships Negotiation Suppliers 246

Hubspot Sales

AUGUST 20, 2024

Imagine having to actually make a buying decision purely by shopping through the toothpaste aisle. How to Avoid Choice Paralysis Helping Customers Overcome Choice Fatigue Companies That Get it Right Make Decisions With Simplicity and Customer Needs in Mind What is Choice Paralysis? It’s overwhelming.

Decision-making 111

Decision-making B2C B2B Software 111

Upland

APRIL 6, 2021

Decision Orientation ?and? Decision Orientation: ?The How people make up their minds, come to a conclusion, and make a decision is shaped by their backgrounds, experiences and knowledge. In business, decision orientation is determined by the roles people play in a company as well as their personal backgrounds.

Stakeholders 195

Stakeholders Decision-making Innovation Negotiation 195

Account Manager Tips

JUNE 29, 2021

Build relationships with decision-makers and expand your network. Do you make the first move and present a compelling proposal that positions you as the partner of choice? Clients use bid decision criteria to decide who wins the contract. Be transparent and accountable for purchasing decisions. Define price strategy.

Suppliers 246

Suppliers Shareholders Stakeholders Decision-making 246

Account Manager Tips

NOVEMBER 19, 2022

Describe when and how you'll make your recommendation happen and immediate next steps. The reasons are many: relationship building; confirmation of strategy or tactics; seeking clarity to help deal with uncertainty; advice on decisions; get a decision changed; inform; educate; get action. Alternatives (2 minutes). Use humour.

Value Proposition 246

Value Proposition Decision-making Shareholders Government 246

Strategic Account Management Association

JULY 13, 2021

When we see the investment that some companies are making in pivoting their engagement model to be more strategic, customer-centric and value enabling, we are always surprised to see the enabling functions still focus on supporting the more transactional model which is based on the number of interactions as the metric.

Account Management 591

Account Management Innovation Co-Creation Organization 591

Holden Advisors

MARCH 3, 2022

My clients answered no, which made the decision easy. Our value list looked something like this: We were the incumbent, and we had a great relationship with the buying decision maker. Upon hearing our decision, their procurement team communicated our decision to the buying decision maker, which was perfect.

Procurement 195

Procurement Manufacturing Decision-making Negotiation 195

Holden Advisors

JANUARY 19, 2022

And, if they accepted the proposal, I would make my quota for the entire year. Excited, I knew I had to make some compelling arguments for them to pay attention. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I figured even with a lower price, I could make my quota for the year. You’re told procurement will make the final decision.

Procurement 195

Procurement Decision-making Marketing Management 195

Mike Kunkle

MAY 30, 2023

They know that the place they choose to work (the environment, especially the attitudes and behaviors of senior leaders) will radically influence their ability to make an impact with enablement. Finding yourself in one of these situations does not excuse you from working as hard and as smart as possible to make an impact with enablement.

Decision-making 311

Decision-making Sales Training Sales Sales Management 311

Account Manager Tips

APRIL 26, 2021

How much money does a key account manager make? Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. Find out how much money key account managers REALLY make! How much money does a key account manager make? Develop influential relationships with decision-makers. Enough for champagne and caviar?

Key Account Management 242

Key Account Management Account Management Management Negotiation 242

Mike Kunkle

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Keep this in mind as you read this article, and adapt and adopt what makes sense for you in your current context. It’s about fine-tuning your processes and strategies to ensure that interested prospects take the desired action – whether it’s signing up for a trial, requesting a demo, moving to the next step, or making a purchase.

Customer Experience 304

Customer Experience Decision-making Profitability Marketing 304

Upland

JANUARY 29, 2024

Sales productivity becomes even more difficult for complex B2B accounts with large buying groups and multiple divisions involved in the decision-making process. This targeted approach makes successful sales and better relationships more likely. This requires that sales teams work with their greater revenue teams.

Account Planning 195

Account Planning Sales Decision-making Shareholders 195

Upland

AUGUST 25, 2023

An influence map is a visual tool that helps you identify and understand the stakeholders who have a say in your project or decision. As Seth Mars, Forrester analyst, pointed ou t in a recent webinar , it’s rarely one leader making a buying choice in a vacuum. That activity is called influence mapping.

Stakeholders 195

Stakeholders Decision-making Sales Leadership 195

Upland

MAY 4, 2023

It also allows sales leaders to measure impact and make adjustments using the four levers, enabling them to create effective strategies to improve revenue growth. That makes it essential to win as many contracts as possible and maximize each opportunity. They ask questions like ‘how many calls did you make this week? ‘or

Sales 356

Sales Decision-making Organization Negotiation 356

Mike Kunkle

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Other times, sellers work with ad hoc buying committees who have never worked together to make a purchase decision, and who are operating without an aligned process, policies, or even guidelines and guardrails. click the image to see a larger version] This makes sense, right? This is so important to understand.

B2B 231

B2B Sales Decision-making Negotiation 231