AccountPlanning: Gainingcontrolwithoutthepain

June2007 BruceA.Brien CEO,StratascopeInc. www.stratascope.com

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AccountPlanning:Gainingcontrolwithoutthepain
Definition: AccountplanningoriginatedinUKadvertisingagenciesinthelate1960s.Accountplanning gainedafootholdinU.S.agenciesinthemid80sandhasonlyrecentlybeenintroducedto salesorganizations.Theconceptsarethesame. Accountmanagerswereusinginformationincompetentlyorinexpedientlybecauseresearch wasnotinvolvedinthesellingprocess.Anewprocessofsalescampaigndevelopmentthathad lessgutfeelingandmorescientificfoundation withdirectcustomerinvolvementwas established.Thisprocessinvolvesrigorousanalysisofaprospectorclientanditspositioninthe competitivemarketplace .Thisprocesscreatesasellingmessagefromthesalesobjectives andtheclientsbusinessobjectives ,validatedbytheclient. WhyshouldAccountPlanningbeconducted? Businessexecutives,specificallyCxOs,agreethatthebiggestdisappointmentstheyhavewith thesalesteamstheymeetarethelackofpreparation bythesalesteamandthelackof understandingabouttheclientsbusinessandmarkets . Salesteamsareoftenaccusedofwastingvaluableresourcesonpoorlyplannedsales campaigns .Extendedmembersoftheteamcannoteasilybebroughtuptospeedonan opportunity .Manyopportunitiesaremissedbecausethereisnohigherlevelfocusonthe accountasawhole . AccountPlanningcanaddresstheseissues,betterpreparingsalesteamstomeetwith prospectsandclients,helpingtomaintainabigpicturefocusontheaccount,andkeeping extendedteammembersonthesamepage . ForAccountPlanningtobesuccessful,itmustbeviewedasaniterativeprocess,andnotan eventoradministrativetask.Fillingoutanonerousopportunityformoraworksheetdoesnot meanthatweareengagedintheaccountplanningprocess.Itmeanswearewastingvaluable timeanditdoesnthavetobethisway.Asaniterativeprocess,AccountPlanningshouldbe supportedbyspecificinputs,outputs,activities,andsupportingresources .Itshouldbethe responsibilityoftheAccountManager,withdirectinputandsupportfromthesalesteam, management,partners,influencers,andtheprospectorclient.
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TheAccountPlanningProcess TheAccountPlanningProcesshasfivedistinctstepsthatformacyclesothatthelaststepfeeds seamlesslyintothefirst.Eachstepintheprocesshasspecificinputs,outputs,guidelines,and supportingresources.

Projects Records Research News Feedback Performance

Issues

Client
RecordingthePast

Bios

Solutions

Itisimportantforeverymemberoftheaccountteamtohaveaccesstoaconciseversionofthe accountshistoricalactivityincluding: Asnapshotoftheclientsbusiness Theirpurchasinghistoryalongwiththevaluethatwascreatedorreceived Theirserviceshistoryalongwiththevaluethatwascreatedorreceived Anycompetitivefootprintintheaccountwithdetails Successes,References,andQuotes Problems,Issues ,andFailures

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ExploringtheCurrentLandscape Weneedtoexplorewhatishappeningatouraccountcurrently.Thisinformationfallsinto threecategories.Weneedtoknowwhatishappeningrelatedtoourownactivities.Weneed tounderstandanyotherinternalactivitiesthatmayaffectus.Weneedtolookatexternally sourcedinformationtobringcontexttotheinformationthatwealreadyhave. Relatedtoourownactivities,weshouldhaveagoodhandleonanycurrentevaluations,any ongoingserviceprojects,andmostimportant,anyproblemsthatcouldpreventadditional activitiesfromoccurring.Otherinternalactivitiestosearchforshouldincludeanycompeting projectsthatmaybelookingtoconsumethesameresourcesorfundsasyourownprojects. Externallysourcedinformationshouldincludeanypressreleases ,keydevelopments , relevantnewsitems ,financialperformance ,andexecutiverolechanges aswellasindustry relatedtrends andannouncements . LookingforFutureOpportunities Weshouldnowhaveagoodbaseofknowledgeregardingourprospectorclient.Basedonthe informationfromthecurrentlandscape,wecanconstructaroadmapforthefuturethat includes: Ashortlistofpotential,qualified,andconfirmedbusinessissuesthatourclientis facing Amapshowinghowourcapabilitiesandofferingscanaddresstheshortlistof businessissues Linkstoappropriatereferences,whitepapers,orotherrelevantcollateral Validationthroughexternalandinternalsources,contacts,andresearch

ValidatethePlan Weshouldsharetheaccountplanandroadmapwithourclientorprospectinordertosolicit validationandfeedback.Wecanstartbyexploringtheexecutivecontactsthatwehave, matchingthemtotheappropriateissuesonourshortlist.Weshouldschedulemeetingswith anyexecutivethatwouldbeimpactedbyourplan.Asamplemeetingstructurefollows: Confirmthevaluethathasbeendeliveredsofar Confirmthatourviewofthecurrentlandscapeisaccurate Bepreparedtoaddressanycurrentorpastproblems Discusstheissuesshortlist,onlydiscussingsolutionsforvalidatedissues Offeranactionplantocontinuetheprocess
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UpdatethePlan Itiscriticaltoupdatetheplansothatthewholeaccountteamcanmakeeffectiveuseof theinsightsgainedfromtheclientmeetings.Themostimportantinformationinthe plancomesdirectlyfromourclients;itistheirperceptionthatmatters,notours.We mustbesuretoupdatetheshortlistofissues toreflectwhatwehavelearned. Politicalandorganizationalchangestypicallyoccurpriortobeingcapturedviathe internet .Thisinformationismostaccuratewhenitcomesfromthecustomer. Oncewehavefolloweduponalloftheactionitems,wearereadytoreturntothefirst stepintheprocess,recordingnewactivity attheaccount,revisingourplansaswego. Summary AccountPlanningprovidesanimportantmechanismtokeepouraccountteamsfocused onthebigpicturewhilestillmanagingthedaytodayactionitemsandopportunities. Thisprocessprovidesahigherlevelofservicetoourcustomersaswearemore preparedforeachinteraction,operatingmoreefficientlywitheveryoneonthesame page. StratascopeRecommends: ForGlobalAccounts (overUSD50billioninsalesorUSD250billioninmanagedassets) CapabilitiesMappingServicetoalignsolutionsandcollateralwith thebusinessissuesaddressed OnlineaccesstotheStratascopeServiceforregularactivityupdates Indepthbiannualreportscustomizedtoyourspecificneeds o Includingspecificinitiativescurrentlyinplay CoachingandSupportfromFinancialandIndustryExperts

ForEnterpriseAccounts (overUSD10millioninsalesorUSD100millioninmanagedassets) CapabilitiesMappingServicetoalignsolutionsandcollateralwith thebusinessissuesaddressed OnlineaccesstotheStratascopeServiceforregularactivityupdates CoachingandSupportfromFinancialandIndustryExperts

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