Each account represents a customer. So, what is the difference between account management and selling? This difference is mainly determined by the type of customer. The term ‘account’ frequently refers to groups of customers (chains) and large, national or international companies with offices implementing decisions that have been made centrally. There are usually a large number of people involved in the process: buyers, users, production managers, members of the Board of Directors and other internal and external influencers.

Obviously, it is not easy to provide buying support to such a large decision making team. Only by using a systematic and strategic approach underpinned by intense personal commitment will you have any real chance of success. This training course will give you fresh ideas, broaden your skills and give you a head start over your competitors.

Approach

The highly interactive training course consists of continuous sequences of information, discussion, and practical exercises. You will receive the video recordings of your own performance at the end of the training.

Topics

Why is account management different from selling?

Who is an account management plan prepared for?

What should always be included in an account management plan?

Working with a 5x4 account management plan

Presenting an account management plan internally and externally

Applying the SWOT analysis into practical situations

Responding to internal customers of an account

Duties, authority and responsibilities you should have as an account manager

The effects of stepping up the effort with each account

Working with indicators while taking stock

Successfully negotiating yearly contracts 

Dealing with complaints as an account manager

How can an account manager best divide his time?

Engaging the right people internally

What indicators are important for each account’s budget?

Building a long-term relationship with a client

Maximizing the chances of success when implementing an account plan

Training Objectives

At the end of this training you will be able to:

3.Lead internal and external account discussions

Duration

This training course takes place in two separate stages of two days each. During the intervening period, you will be working on the preparation of a 5x4 account management plan for an existing account. 

Program Schedule

Welcome & Introduction

Program Objectives

Personal Objectives

Customer Visits 

Proactive Service Skills

Business Partnering

Problem Solving

Networking

Increasing Prices

Developing the Relationship

Action Planning & Commitments 

How well do you plan your sales activity, could it be better?

Are you able to unearth objections or dissatisfaction with your questions?

Do you know how your actions & behaviour impact others, and effect sales?

Target Group

If you are responsible for achieving and exceeding sales targets, then this Program has been designed for you. We examine the interpersonal communication skills of excellent sales people, and share the mind-set, skill-set and tools used by high performers.

Approach

Like all DOOR Trainings,

Topics

The relationship between sales, marketing & key account management
Planning Approaches
Precision Questions
Handling Objections
Diversity in Sales

Training Objectives

At the end of this training you will be able to:

1. Understand how sales, marketing and key account management fit together

2. Recognise that planning your approach is essential

3. Unearth dissatisfaction by using advanced questioning techniques

4. Recognise how service is becoming the differentiator

5. Handle objections and reluctance to commit

6. Sell to different types of customer using interpersonal skills and body language

to your advantage

7. Use powerful closing and commitment techniques

Duration

Two Days

Program Schedule

Day One

Welcome & Introduction

Program Objectives

Personal Objectives

Your Role

Sales, Marketing & Key Accounts

Key Competencies

Skills Gaps

Sales Planning

Your Strategies

Your Tactics

Your Plans

Precision Questioning  & Listening

DOOR Questioning Model

Listening Skills

Knowledge Harvesting

Action Planning & Commitments

Day Two

Welcome Back & Review

Words That Change Minds

Meta Programs

Work Traits

Motivational Language

Interpersonal Skills

Physiology of Effective Sales People

Building Rapport

Valuing Differences

Handling Objections

We Both Want The Same Thing

DOOR Handling Objections Model

Your Choices

Closing the Sale

Convergent Thinking & Behaviour

Sales Ecology

Agreement & Sign-Off

Action Planning & Commitments

A big picture deal is a deal which joins a number of your products and services together to produce a long term, high value solution. A big picture deal could be as little as €20,000 or much as €20 million in size. Normally, however, it will be in the hundreds of thousands or millions in terms of revenue. A big picture deal enables us to partner strategically with a client. So it is a long term solution.

There is no doubt that big picture deals are strategically important. They are long term, they enable you to use your extensive range of products and services and resources. They require you to construct a bespoke, creative and long term solution. So your business’s long term success, is to some extent, dependent upon winning such big picture deals.  Because of this, your return on investment stories will play an important role and need to be carefully considered.

Approach

This Program uses a variety of different practical exercises, tools and techniques to enable direct and indirect account managers to be more effective in the big picture deal arena.

Topics

Increase customer engagement
Develop long term partnerships
Apply structured approach
Build Sales Skills
Increase profitability
Share success
Build successful teams
Training Objectives

At the end of this training you will be able to:

6.Win more big picture deals

Duration

Two Days

Program Schedule

Day One

Welcome & Introduction

Program Objectives

Personal Objectives

Big Picture Deals

What is a Big Picture Deal?

Defining Big Picture Deals

Distinguishing Big Picture Deals from Big Deals

Solution Selling Recap

Recap solution selling

Customer journey cycle

Customer perception pyramid

The Decision Making Units (DMU)

Overview of decision making units

Understanding the different decision making hats

Mapping Clients in Big Picture Deals

Bringing theory to life

Understanding lack of contact with certain elements of the decision making unit

Graphical mapping

Mapping a decision making unit

Understanding different levels of decision making unites

Understanding relationship with  different decision makers

Decision making unit exercises

Plasticising speaking to different members of the decision making unit

Focusing on what questions will reveal decision making influencers

The Decision Making Process (DMP)

Mapping the decision making process

Understanding customer’s decision making processes

Getting customers to map their own decision making process

Mapping DMP Exercise 

Action Planning & Commitments 

Program Schedule

Day Two

Welcome Back

Qualification Criteria

Recapping decision making units (DMU)

Recapping decision making processes (DMP)

Recap graphical mapping of DMU

Recap fishbone diagram for DMP

Introduce key decision making criteria (DMC)

Using the qualification criteria worksheets

Client Strategy

Recap client strategy

Understand the importance of client strategy and big picture deals

Develop delegates ability to probe client strategy

Understanding the Market Place

Using Porters Five Forces Model

Strength of existing competition

Barriers to entry

Substitutes

Power of buyers and suppliers

Understanding the Customers Portfolio

Team Skills in Big Picture Deals

Understanding the strengths of your teams

Analysing the weaknesses

Building stronger teams

Compensating for personal weaknesses

Knowledge and Competitive Advantage

Importance of knowledge in big picture deals

Dealing with Procurement

Tips for dealing with procurement

The importance of anticipating procurement involvement

Discussion on procurement in big picture deals

Action Planning & Commitments 

The DOOR ‘Business Acumen Program’ (BAP) is aimed at all professional Account Managers and Sales Representatives. The workshop will raise their entrepreneurial knowledge in such a way that they understand the business of their prospects and customers much better and will therefore be able to respond to their needs and requirements.

Approach

For two consecutive days, the local trainers of various countries will deliver a two-day training program for all sales reps involved. The training is aimed at informing the sales reps on all issues related to entrepreneurship, organizational structures and departmental issues. This knowledge transfer can be enhanced by varying the program, for example by inviting guest speakers (i.e. a local financial accountant) and by performing various exercises and assignments.

Topics

Profit and non-profit organizations

Legal types of profit organizations: shareholders, limited, family owned, independent

General organizational structures of banks, hospitals, import and wholesale companies, city-hall, retail chains etc.

How to read social reports and balance sheets

How to translate information of social reports into buying motives within companies

Where to get all the prospect / customer information you need

Departments within organizations

Major objectives and responsibilities of various departments

The decision making process

How to create purchase criteria per department

Practical case: hospital, police station and retail chain

(Optional: guest speaker for Q&A on financial issues)

Training Objectives

At the end of this training you will be able to:

9.Know how to influence the DMU (Decision Making Unit) to advance the sale

Duration

Two Days  

Program Schedule

Day One

Welcome & Introduction

Program Objectives

Personal Objectives

Organizational Structures

Sole Proprietorship

Partnership

Corporation

Limited Liability Companies

Participants in Business

Understanding Business Reports

Obtain Operating Funds

Plan the Use of Funds

Invest Capital

Track Progress

Action Planning & Commitments 

Day Two

Welcome Back

Finance Roles and  Accounting Concepts

Finance Roles

Accrual vs. Cash Accounting

Accounting Concepts

Understanding Financial Reports

Users of Financial Information

The Income Statement

The Balance Sheet

Common Size Statements

The Concept of Cash Flow and

The Cash Flow Statement

Improving Bottom-Line Results

Managing Corporate Resources

Controlling Working Capital

Working Capital Cycles

Personal Action Planning