Why do executives test and screen strategic account managers? How can SAMs circumvent that process and develop trusted advisor level relationships with those executives? Based on 10 years of empir... read more

Why do executives test and screen strategic account managers? How can SAMs circumvent that process and develop trusted advisor level relationships with those executives? Based on 10 years of empirical research with more than 500 global CXO-level executives who were asked about their relationships with account managers, this webinar will reveal why some account managers gain trusted advisor status while others get the ejector seat. In this presentation, you will learn how you can become trusted advisors of C-Suite executives and how you can… Circumvent the inevitable roadblocks, using proven techniques Establish credibility with C-Suite executives, thereby obtaining continued access to them Become a trusted advisor to the relevant executive for the sales opportunity On this webinar we will also explore what senior executives told us about their relationships with account managers, including how they should align with the relevant executive to win those critical key deals. read less

The SAM is the one that is closest to the customer and understands intimately how the customers buy. Breaking internal silos and getting various enabling functions aligned with the customer's needs... read more

The SAM is the one that is closest to the customer and understands intimately how the customers buy. Breaking internal silos and getting various enabling functions aligned with the customer's needs is a challenge. The next-gen SAM will need these skills, and to be equipped to work alongside marketing to co-create how the SAM and Digital Marketing can be more effective in how customers buy vs. how we sell. 74% of customers say over half of their research of products and services is being done before engaging with a SAM. This is only the start. The SAM brings institutional knowledge, customer insights, and understanding of the customer's buying journey to make the collaboration of Sales and Digital Marketing mission-critical in today's economy. During this session, we will explore what the best do differently to create a customer buying journey roadmap, and how to equip the next-gen SAM to be the catalyst of effective customer connections. We will look at how SAMs can leverage today's marketing capabilities (digital, personalized) to differentiate the value they bring, as well as develop scalable and replicable ones with the help of their internal Marketing group. Attendees come away with: What the best do differently in an effective Sales and Marketing Customer Buying Journey Collaboration The next-gen SAM competencies within the Digital Economy How critical SAMs involvement is in building the Customer Buying Journey The impact of targeted digital marketing to the SAM Program How to "rally" their internal marketing capabilities in the account team How to start the roadmap with relevant strategic customer stakeholders The Collaborative Roadmap of how companies are building sales strategies and marketing campaigns read less

This presentation will focus on the experience that both Mr. Moore and Mr. Lynch have had when negotiating with global companies wanting a "global contract". The presentation will portray both spe... read more

This presentation will focus on the experience that both Mr. Moore and Mr. Lynch have had when negotiating with global companies wanting a "global contract". The presentation will portray both speakers'' personal experience with the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to negotiating contracts with multi-national industrial companies. Mr. Lynch is in charge of International Key Accounts for ERIKS and is stationed in the UK. ERIKS is headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands and has operations in 25 countries globally. Mr. Lynch is a member of SAMA Europe and has experience with successful contract negotiation with some of the world''s largest companies. ERIKS provides industrial (maintenance, repair and operations) MRO products that range from bearings, mechanical power transmission products, hose, gaskets, controls, valves and conveying products and services. ERIKS also provides integrated supply services in Europe. Mr. Moore is the Vice President of Business Development for ERIKS North America, and has more than three decades of experience working with multinational organizations. The presentation will start with an overview of why companies want international contracts and how this leads to pitfalls every SAM should understand and prepare to handle. Common pitfalls will be discussed including: pricing, delivery and service commitments, liability transfer, data ownership, single point of contact requirements, contract compliance, implementation challenges and cost saving requirements. read less

Today, because of advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, your sales team behavioral and performance data is more valuable and actionable than ever before. You will learn how ... read more

Today, because of advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, your sales team behavioral and performance data is more valuable and actionable than ever before. You will learn how with AI/Machine Learning to use this data to: - Identify the key traits that lead to high performance specific to your company, your buying process and your culture - Use those key traits to laser focus your resources to develop your current team to top performance - Leverage your high performing traits to optimize your talent to build a world-class Strategic Accounts Team. read less

In today''s SAM/KAM environment, growth and results are key metrics to a sustainable SAM program. However, in our experience, there is an imbalance between coaching to the results and coaching to t... read more

In today''s SAM/KAM environment, growth and results are key metrics to a sustainable SAM program. However, in our experience, there is an imbalance between coaching to the results and coaching to the behaviors that lead to results. While measuring growth is important, we have found that when the emphasis is placed on the best practices that lead to growth, results follow. Not only does this help to develop the competency of a SAM, it also enables leaders to get more done through others. In order to be most effective as SAM/KAM coaches, we must first know what "good" looks like (the "what") that is supported by a practical coaching model (the "how") for the SAM/KAM process. This session focuses on both the behaviors that lead to effective SAM execution (including co-discovery and co-creation of value) as well as coaching to these behaviors. As a result of this session, you will be able to: - Benchmark against a proven approach to co-discovering and co-creating customer value developed within the SAMA community - Understand the SAM/KAM behaviors that drive effective co-discovery and co-creation of value - Leverage a SAM coaching process to engage more collaboratively with your internal team and bring value to the account planning, account management and value selling efforts - Experience coaching to SAM execution using a proven coaching model and approach that is repeatable with your account team Identify a coaching strength you can leverage and a coaching skill to further develop in the coming months read less

Strategic Account Managers must rely on influence and relationship management to co-create value for customers. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a science-based methodology for achieving exceptional ... read more

Strategic Account Managers must rely on influence and relationship management to co-create value for customers. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a science-based methodology for achieving exceptional results. Development of EI capabilities improves interpersonal influence and relationship management performance, and studies show that strong EI competency is a predictor of performance and success. In this webinar, we will define emotional intelligence, explain the connection to strategic account management, share metrics on impact of EI on performance, discuss a case study, and provide practical tips for using this framework to improve decision making, interpersonal interactions, and influence. Participants will receive a high level model of EI and a take-away exercise for improved decision making. read less

From healthcare to industrial goods to finance, companies are facing new digital challengers encroaching on their most strategic customers. Many industry leaders who specialized in physical product... read more

From healthcare to industrial goods to finance, companies are facing new digital challengers encroaching on their most strategic customers. Many industry leaders who specialized in physical products have responded by investing in new digital innovations. Whether preventive maintenance using IoT, artificial intelligence algorithms, proprietary data or new software solutions, these new offers can be the future of the company. Turning them from features to substantial new revenue streams requires a major change in the way product companies price and sell. We will share a framework, best practices and examples of how leaders in making physical products can also become digital market leaders. read less

Challenging prospects is a proven way to get them to do something different. But what about when it''s time to convince your customers to renew with you or even get them to expand? In this webin... read more

Challenging prospects is a proven way to get them to do something different. But what about when it''s time to convince your customers to renew with you or even get them to expand? In this webinar, Tim Riesterer, co-author of The Three Value Conversations, and Warwick Business School professor Dr. Nick Lee explore science-backed messaging research that reveals when you should deploy a disruptive message and when you should throttle back. These studies help you tell the right story for the right buying situation - and leave behind the one-size-fits-all approaches and sales methodologies that could be setting you back. You''ll learn how to: Disrupt status quo bias when you need to win new business Reinforce status quo bias when you need to keep and expand with existing customers Break free from one-size-fits-all approaches to the customer conversation and get more situationally fluent with your sales messaging and skills. read less

In a digital world, everything you thought you knew is changing, including what customers value. If you don''t know what constitutes value in the digital age, how can you possibly sell it? This val... read more

In a digital world, everything you thought you knew is changing, including what customers value. If you don''t know what constitutes value in the digital age, how can you possibly sell it? This value is found in your understanding of your customer''s response to: - Speed of innovation - new business models and customer engagement - New funding and measurement models - Revolutionary business partnerships - Unprecedented competitive threats and disruption - Tech-savvy, impatient consumers - A whole new set of priorities and outcomes with a focus on creating value and differentiation in the marketplace read less

As B2B industries have become increasingly commoditized, B2B companies have recognized the need for establishing a different type of relationship with their customers. Simply selling and delivering... read more

As B2B industries have become increasingly commoditized, B2B companies have recognized the need for establishing a different type of relationship with their customers. Simply selling and delivering on a good set of products is no longer enough. B2B companies need to become partners with their customers, helping those customers address some of their most pressing business challenges. This had led to the proliferation of value-added services and solutions across B2B industries. It has also forced B2B companies to rethink how they manage their accounts. In this webinar, Gallup will explore what it takes for B2B organizations to implement and optimize a SAM approach. Gallup will highlight the four pillars of effective account management - blocking and tackling, relationships, opportunity and positioning - and outline the infrastructure needed to support a truly game- changing SAM approach. read less

The world of the SAM is changing. Great SAM skills are "table stakes Trends like Innovation, AI, IoT, the rise of Procurement, big data, social media and the millennial generation are both threats ... read more

The world of the SAM is changing. Great SAM skills are "table stakes Trends like Innovation, AI, IoT, the rise of Procurement, big data, social media and the millennial generation are both threats and opportunities. In the coming few years, countless sales and account management positions will be eliminated. The only segment that is expected to grow is the "Consultative Sales/Account Management" professional. This session outlines the keys to SAM success in the future: Deeply understanding your customer's business Leveraging these trends to enhance your value and your strategy Translating your knowledge and capabilities into a quantified impact on critical business outcomes Elevating access to true senior-level decision makers who care about these outcomes Getting credit for the business impact you make so as to retain and grow customer relationships Participants will walk away with actionable strategies they can use immediately to take customer relationships to the next level. read less

Even the most experienced SAM has trouble selling value then avoiding the price negotiation trap. We''ve all been there; the customer asks us for a proposal and our longstanding response of deliver... read more

Even the most experienced SAM has trouble selling value then avoiding the price negotiation trap. We''ve all been there; the customer asks us for a proposal and our longstanding response of delivering that one proposal sabotages our best efforts. We unwittingly set the customer up for a take-it-or-leave-it response and a guaranteed focus toward price. If we are serious about changing the conversation from price to value, we must sell solutions and negotiate solutions. Multiple Solution Options are a simple, yet essential technique to course correcting. Some of the most seasoned SAMs may respond; "But we DO offer our customers options!" While that may be true at first blush, our 21 years of research and practical experience tells a different story. We believe most organizations fall short of a systematic and well-scripted approach to offering compelling options that skillfully organize the customer''s thinking for them. Options that paint possibilities and articulate shared risk scenarios for your customer and you. Now that''s the mark of a trusted advisor. This (1) hour session will provide empirical research, and street level examples, for how best to package and present your value using this technique. Participants will take away best practices for creating and presenting thought provoking options that will speed the negotiation and turn in improved financial outcomes. read less

The Problem There remains an evident and troubling gap between the quality of companies'' solutions and the quality of the messaging built around those solutions. Even when the dreaded PowerPoint ... read more

The Problem There remains an evident and troubling gap between the quality of companies'' solutions and the quality of the messaging built around those solutions. Even when the dreaded PowerPoint slide deck isn''t in view (and it still too often is), messaging typically remains confusing, too detailed, too sender-oriented, too focused on "how it works" and insufficiently focused on "why you should care." The Solution The solution to this persistent problem is as fascinating as it is effective. Messaging can be transformed, and the key lies in the customer''s brain. The human brain wants and needs to consume information in a certain way. When we finally abandon old habits and embrace a proven, scientifically-based model for communication, breakthrough success is possible. Messaging becomes simpler, crisper and cleaner - and significantly more compelling and customer-centric. In this webinar, Tim will unpack precisely why and how you can achieve a new level of success with your Strategic Accounts messaging. read less

IBM Strategic Account Planning (ISAP) is an innovative client management program focused on the development and management of long-term, collaborative growth strategies for IBM Client teams. The pu... read more

IBM Strategic Account Planning (ISAP) is an innovative client management program focused on the development and management of long-term, collaborative growth strategies for IBM Client teams. The purpose of the program is to bring together a unified cross-business unit IBM team to develop a multi-year, iterative account strategy with a focus on understanding the client''s goals, developing IBM initiatives and solutions to support these client goals with actionable plans. In July of 2016, the IBM team embarked on a transformation of the account planning program. The first phase of the transformation began with a shift in program focus from an internal IBM planning process to an external client focused strategy program. A new account plan workshop process was rolled out incorporating principles of IBM Design Thinking and teaming to change how account teams think about strategic 2-3 year opportunities with clients aligned to the client goals. The new workshop promotes cross-team collaboration and building robust stakeholder management strategies. Enhancements were made to the account plan application including customizable, real-time client news feeds, daily feeds to the opportunity management system data and a strategy summary view. The key to a successful client management program is having visibility to seeing long term strategic initiatives morph into tactical opportunities in the downstream opportunity management system which is one of IBM''s key measures of success. Recently, the IBM team launched Watson Analytics dashboards which provide data insights on account plans for each geography and industry leader. The data insights support driving revenue growth for IBM by identifying aggregated client plan data on goals, industry solutions, strategic imperatives and market dynamics. The transformed ISAP program has become the essential client management system bringing value and driving insights to drive IBM growth with clients. read less

Holding customer workshops can be a costly and time consuming process, but if managed in the correct way the results can be overwhelming. When the right strategy and approach is used workshops can ... read more

Holding customer workshops can be a costly and time consuming process, but if managed in the correct way the results can be overwhelming. When the right strategy and approach is used workshops can turn a support function into an avenue of business development. This session explores the potential triggers, tools, approaches, and options to an effective and impactful business strategy for workshops as a key relationship and pipeline enabler. read less

How do you overcome objections, show business insight and align account teams? CI Squared recently coached a SAM team working on a significant revenue opportunity. It was critical to win not only d... read more

How do you overcome objections, show business insight and align account teams? CI Squared recently coached a SAM team working on a significant revenue opportunity. It was critical to win not only due to the large subscription dollars this opportunity represented, but because they were fending off a tough competitor who was using this application to penetrate their accounts. The 19 internal players were disjointed, disconnected and out of alignment both on the strategy and execution for this account. The world is moving at an incredibly fast pace, causing account teams to be more misaligned, harried and unfocused than ever. The latest research on how people buy (behavioral economics) and make decisions combined with our communication framework provides an innovative approach to creating alignment, overcoming customer objections and showing business insights. Understanding how to tell a customer-hero story with real business results is a game changer to align and leverage your next business conversation. Our innovative framework combined with a customer-success story can help you rethink these situations, align with your team and create success. This webinar will focus on the art and science of how to build a compelling customer-hero story and why it delivers results. Simple pragmatic tools you can use tomorrow to differentiate and align will be discussed. read less