"This book is crammed with distilled, practical wisdom for key account managers and their directors. Organizations claiming to practise key account management should equip everyone involved with a copy, so they really understand what they are supposed to be doing. Anything less is just old-fashioned selling."Developing successful business-to-business relationships with more customers in highly competitive markets requires processes and skills that go beyond traditional selling activity. The very best state-of-the-art strategies are set out clearly in this book by intentionally known authors who have worked at the highest levels with more key and strategic account managers worldwide than probably any other leading advisors. Based on the hugely influential KEY CUSTOMERS it looks at: Why has account management become so critical to commercial success? What are the key challenges and how do successful companies respond? What part does key account management play in strategic planning? How do companies build profitable relationships with their customers? How does key account management actually work? What does a successful key account manager look like and what skills does he/she need? How should key account managers be evaluated and rewarded? How do companies achieve key account management?By addressing these key questions Woodburn and McDonald provide tools and processes for success honed by tough consultancy projects with the boards of some of the world's leading companies. The book stresses the elements that really matter - from developing a customer categorization system that really works and analyzing the needs of key accounts; to understanding the new skills required by key account managers and ensuring that key account plans are implemented. The 'real world' approach is backed by tested principles and the latest research from the renowned Cranfield School of Management.Key Account Management comes from authors who have taught leading companies how to approach their most powerful and demanding customers and still make money. It is essential reading for all senior management with strategic responsibility, for key or strategic account directors, and for marketing and sales executives. The clear and authoritative approach also makes it an outstanding text for the serious MBA and executive student as well as business-to-business company directors and key account managers.

A practical and timely handbook for modern-day sales managers explains how to transform key accounts, in both domestic and global markets, into business success, providing step-by-step guidelines for developing strategy, managing a sales force, analyzing key accounts, and more. 12,500 first printing.

An organization's key accounts are its lifeblood. Key account management focuses on the long-term investment of resources in customers that can offer an exceptional return on resources. But which are the key accounts? Are they the ones growing the fastest? The ones that are most financially secure? Or are they the ones that shout the loudest? Key Account Management puts forward a straightforward and effective planning methodology.This fully updated 6th edition of Key Account Management takes a long-term, team-selling strategic view of the whole process, from defining the customer, to managing the relationship and achieving key supplier status. With coverage of latest best practice including IT's role in account management, plus new case studies, online supporting resources and a new section comparing how different industries/markets approach key account management, it stands alone as the premier book on managing key customers.Online resources include helpful templates, guides for students and lecturers, and self tests to ensure that best practice is being followed.

Until recently, sales managers received no specific training for their jobs. However, selling has become more complex with the emergence of regulations and more sophisticated customers. Sales managers need to inspire and achieve sales results by managing teams of professionals and other resources. To do so, they need guidance on dealing with issues that arise in these broader aspects of their role.This concise guide for sales managers is based on a well-known sales management technique called the ‘customer portfolio matrix’. Beth Rogers weaves her version of this throughout, enabling sales managers to see their strategy from the customer’s point of view. Doing so will allow them to set realistic objectives, design new strategies that add real customer value, avoid wasting time on price-oriented customers and deploy resources for maximum results.

Key account management just got easier'This little book is a real gem' Professor Malcolm McDonaldKey account management is increasingly important and must keep pace with its customers as they continually develop and evolve, often resulting in increasingly sophisticated buying structures. The key account manager therefore requires a wide variety of skills in order to be successful; this is not only an important job role in its own right, it is often a stepping stone to career development, leading to more senior management jobs.Successful Key Account Management In A Week is a week long course. On Sunday you are encouraged to Know your customer as success depends on a relationship that is both rewarding and valuable. On Monday you will Analyse your growth opportunities. The competitiveness of the company must be appraised to enable the identification of sales growth opportunities and all major accounts should be compared in appeal and position to give an indication of the strategy to be adopted for customers. On Tuesday you will Measure profits by account. You will be shown how to measure the profitability of major customers and to draw up league tables to enable profit improvement strategies. On Wednesday you will Plan for success, building on the analysis of growth opportunities and profit measurement already considered, to result in a best judgement final plan. On Thursday you will learn to Negotiate to win-win; success relies on understanding the difference between negotiation and selling and being able to conduct negotiations to produce a win-win situation in which the objectives of both sides are considered. On Friday you will look at Control activity levels and the monitoring of standards of performance to enable the presentation of plans and progress, allowing the measurement of success against these plans. And finally, on Saturday you are reminded to Manage relationships with an introduction to the Relationship Model which describes how business with a customer changes as it moves from a transactional or short-term sales achievement, to collaboration with long-term customer value and retention.'This little book is a real gem, which you should read, use and keep handy for continuous reference. If you follow the straightforward guidelines in this book, your company's future is assured' Professor Malcolm McDonald, Former Professor of Marketing and Deputy Director, Cranfield University School of Management

An Arsenal of Shrewd Tactics and Winning Strategies to Make You a Major Account Sales SuccessKnowing how to get to the decision maker, deal with the competition, understand buyer psychology, and service the client--these are the keys to success when you need to nail down major accounts. Now, for the first time, here's a book of practical, proven-effective strategies and tactics for the entire major account sales cycle.Based on Neil Rackham's exhaustive research, the strategies you'll find here will enable you to . . . Tailor your selling strategy to match each step in the client's decision-making process. Ensure that you won't lose your customers because you'll know the psychology of the buyer and how to respond to their doubts. Gain entry to accounts through many different windows of opportunity. Deal with competitive situations, take on bigger competitors, and win using strategies that the author's meticulous research shows are employed by the most successful salespeople. Handle negotiations, concessions on price, and term agreements skillfully and effectively. Offer the ongoing technical and maintenance support that keeps your major accounts yours.From a world-renowned sales innovator, this first-of-a-kind A-to-Z presentation of major account strategy puts sales success in your hands. Make it yours today. Read Major Account Sales Strategy.

Any organization s key accounts are its lifeblood. They must be won, cared for, nurtured and protected. But do you know who your key accounts are, what they want and how they view you? Does your whole business practice key account management or are you just selling? Key Account Management provides you with a set of practical tools that show you how to: * Identify Your Key Accounts; * Implement A Strategy For Winning And Keeping Them; * Deliver Added-Value Propositions With Appropriate Rewards; * Keep Them Out Of The Grasp Of Competitors; * Develop Relationships That Are Mutually Beneficial.Included in this fully updated second edition of ""Key Account Management"" is a free CD ROM containing tried and tested key account identification and selection software, and a framework for writing your key account plans.

The strategy tools you need for your business to succeed!Let Key Strategy Tools be your guide to developing a winning strategy for your firm. Cherry-pick the most useful approaches for your business and create a robust strategy that withstands investor scrutiny and becomes your roadmap to success.Covering 88 tools and framed within an innovative strategy development process, the Strategy Pyramid, this user-friendly manual takes you through each step of the process. Whether analysing your market, building competitive advantage or addressing risk and opportunity, you’ll find the strategic thinking tools you need at every stage in your strategy development.Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful Key Management Models and Key Performance Indicators, this book delivers professional-level information in the practical and accessible framework synonymous with the Key series.