For some of our most strategic accounts over the years, we always took the time to develop a very robust and detailed account plan. One of the fun features of these account plans was the “wine glass” analysis. It was a great way to understand the level of relationship we had with certain critical stakeholders in the account.
If we placed a wine glass next to their name on the org chart, we could see at a glance the depth of the relationship. The wine glass, of course, meant that this is a person that would join us for a dinner or cocktails and with whom we have developed a personal relationship.
For one of our current clients, we are putting together an accelerated account planning program. The goal is to assess their strategic penetration in key accounts for one of their most important product and service areas and to identify where to focus for competitive sales. An additional benefit for the sales team is marshaling the resources for a 1:1 marketing plan. Below is a rough agenda of the Account Plan session – in this case for a 90 minute meeting:
- Overall Account Profile
- Ambition statement
- Briefing on install base and [Product] opportunities
- Current Sales Numbers
- Competitive Positioning
- Strengths Weaknesses
- Org Chart and Relationships
- “Wine Glass” Status & Plan
- Opportunities to apply the three ‘C’s in your plan
- Continuations ( expanding current installations)
- Crop Rotations (switching out competitive solutions or adding new solutions to the mix)
- Colonizations: (taking success in division A/buyer A to division/buyer B)
- Target Numbers
- Value of proposals and probability of sales
- Projected $ value to [Client] from this account in 2012.
- Marketing Strategy
- 1:1 Engagement
- Influence Strategies
- Content Programs
- Entertainment
- Quarterly check-up
If you are looking to run an account planning session, the agenda and the wine glass approach may help. Account Planning can range from an hour to a week, so the agenda and focus will vary widely. The principles are the same, however, develop strategies to deepen and expand the relationship.
