Who was that masked man?
In the “olden days”, salespeople also roamed their territory, shooting from the hip to sell their product. Lone Rangers themselves, they aimed for a quick hit and hard close to get the deal. And working alone, they were the sole point of contact with the client’s representative. If either contact moved on, the account was at risk, or in the least, valuable time and momentum were lost.
Riding into the sunset
Fast forward to 2006, where quick hits often turn into very costly mistakes. To target and win significant business today, especially from large accounts, you must be prepared to invest heavily in research, in building long term relationships, in assembling a team and in responding thoughtfully to an opportunity. Welcome to cross-functional teams.
Lone Rangers Don't Win Anymore
It has become rare for a single producer or relationship manager to be able to develop large accounts on his or her own. In the complex world of the twenty-first century, peoples' talents are more specialized, so that we have entered the realm of team selling.
Choosing Your Posse: 5 Important Considerations
Your modern day posse is a cross-functional account team. Consider what resources from various departments should be involved in the client relationship. Think beyond the obvious – how about shipping, IT, customer service – and others who could suggest an innovation that would help your customer achieve an objective. To start building your cross-functional account team:
1. Don’t forget to include senior management. Matching executive to executive may help you gain access and can remove political barriers.
Miller Heiman’s 2006 research study found that in 77% of winning sales organizations, senior-level executives actively participate in the sales process.
2. Align your team with your customer’s team in peer-to-peer relationships. Select individuals who:
- Are matched with similar level client contacts for better communication.
- Can bring insight on specific industry trends or research.
- Have a communication style that matches yours and that of your client.
3. Keep the team’s composition and responsibilities flexible to meet the client’s needs in a dynamic and changing environment.
4. Ensure regular team contact with your client. Your value depends on your ability to understand their changing needs in order to respond effectively.
5. Hold an initial strategy session and brainstorm every 60-90 days to keep your strategy fresh and to address issues. This will also keep your account top-of-mind with your team. The days are past when the “Lone Ranger” could hold all relevant information in his/her head. Your team can generate new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking that one person can’t do all alone.
Miller Heiman Can Help.
These recommendations are based on Miller Heiman’s LAMP® Workshop, which provides strategies for building your team and resources to grow your key accounts. If you’d like more information on this topic, or would like to discuss the results you’d like to improve, contact us at millerheiman.com and we’ll recommend a solution that will best address your needs.
