How can you manage complex accounts with multiple stakeholders effectively?

This is a great question with so many facets to consider. At the end of the day, being able to bring alignment to your clients is a huge value. Holding conversations with each of the stakeholders, asking the same questions to each individuals, and then collating the information and sharing it back to the team is always a great way to get everyone on the same page. It's not so much about selling as it guiding people through a decision-making process, letting people "talk it out" and make the decision making process and ultimately the decision their own.

In managing complex accounts with multiple stakeholders, my approach revolves around fostering open communication and building strong relationships. I start by thoroughly understanding each stakeholder's needs and expectations. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions ensure that I stay aligned with their goals. Additionally, I leverage project management tools to streamline communication and keep everyone on the same page. This collaborative approach not only enhances account management but also fosters a positive and productive environment for everyone involved.

Navigating banking complexities demands tailored strategies. Recently, managing a manufacturing client, I addressed CFO liquidity concerns through consultations and LinkedIn insights. Simultaneously, I collaborated with the Risk Manager, devising robust risk mitigation plans. Leveraging LinkedIn, I shared expertise, fostering trust. Notably, crafting a liquidity management strategy ensured financial stability amidst market volatility. Effective banking management hinges on personalized engagement and proactive communication, facilitated by platforms like LinkedIn, nurturing lasting partnerships.

Understanding Roles of each stakeholder is the key: LinkedIn is a great source to identify & map all key stakeholders, and also once you've identified the stakeholders, understand their roles, responsibilities, and pain points. This will help you tailor your approach to each stakeholder and provide relevant solutions / narrative & use cases.

In managing complex accounts with multiple stakeholders, you will require the following: 1. Establishing clear communication. 2. Building relationships with each stakeholder. 3. Understanding the goals and challenges of each stakeholder. 4. Providing personalized solutions. It's also important to have a solid understanding of the account's organizational structure, decision-making processes, and competitive landscape. Cheers.

Building trust, understanding stakeholders, having a Account executive, Account Delivery Lead are common & require for any account weather simple or complex.. For any complex accounts with multiple towers like infra, apps, workplace, cloud etc would required two critical roles part of account. 1. Chief Architect or Chief Technology officer for the account. it is important to assess the right technology & tools and suggest/ implement. This position also play important role to pick and implement the automation, innovative ideas for the client. 2. Sales Strategist: This position is more than sales.. needs a technology savvy person who can understand client business, client strategies, and work with Chief Architect on proactive sales ideas.

Es realmente importante este punto, una relación de confianza es el cimiento en toda interacción y gestión de venta. Es importante ser siempre presente para los interlocutores de la cuenta, solucionando problemas, apoyándolos en ideas y proyectos, y siempre estar brindando información que les dé seguridad y les muestre compromiso.

Para construir relacionamentos em contas com vários interlocutores, dois pontos s?o cruciais: a personaliza??o da comunica??o e o entendimento profundo das necessidades de cada parte interessada. Primeiro, adaptar a comunica??o e a proposta de valor para cada grupo com base em seus papéis, metas e desafios específicos ajuda a garantir que todos se sintam ouvidos e valorizados. Segundo, o uso de ferramentas como mapas de partes interessadas e personas de compradores permite uma compreens?o detalhada dos níveis de interesse e poder de cada interlocutor, facilitando a cria??o de estratégias de engajamento eficazes e direcionadas, resultando em uma gest?o de contas mais sólida e bem-sucedida.

Collaboration within your own team is crucial. Many sales orgs have multiple internal structure today, like Inside Sales, SDR, BDR, Field sales, plus marketing outbound / performance marketing, campaign team, Customer Success team etc. Ensure that your sales, marketing, and customer support teams are all aligned and have a consistent message when interacting with the account and all stakeholders. Also, its imperative for Account Executive or Account Manager to introduce additional faces to interact in customer accounts. Don't be the single face for your customer, ensure you bring in more people from your company to talk to & build relationship with the customer.

I would push back a bit here. Sure, Accounts have ways and preferences they have purchased products/services in the past, but unless they have bought YOUR product before, there should be a happy push/pull medium here between their process and your selling process, if at all possible (e.g. demos before discovery, free trials, etc.). In my experience, the more the Account trust you/accepts your selling process, vs. demanding you follow their buying process, the higher the likelihood you have to close the deal/is a great qualifier of their intent to buy vs. kick tires.

No meu ponto de vista, a metodologia de vendas mais eficaz para contas com vários interlocutores é a abordagem de venda consultiva. Essa metodologia envolve uma profunda compreens?o das necessidades e desafios de cada parte interessada, permitindo a personaliza??o da proposta de valor para diferentes grupos. Usar ferramentas como mapas de partes interessadas e personas de compradores ajuda a identificar influenciadores, decisores e usuários finais. Além disso, a venda consultiva foca na constru??o de relacionamentos sólidos, comunica??o constante e solu??es colaborativas, adaptando as táticas de engajamento conforme os níveis de interesse e poder de cada interlocutor, resultando em um processo de vendas mais eficiente e direcionado.

Si bien la relación con la cuenta es profesional, es clave levantar y ser capaces de pedirle feedback a tus interlocutores, ya que de esta forma es más probable mejorar y sacarle mayor provecho a la relación y trabajo con la cuenta, cómo aumentar la fidelización de seguir haciendo trabajo en conjunto.

Adaptation & improvement are musts for complex account management. This all ties back to establishing a procedure/system for handling the relationships, including who is responsible for what & when. Equally crucial is documenting and how team members can ascertain the touches as they happen. Internal infrastructure, external communications, client meetings and takeaways all need to be recorded like in a pre sales motion for developing new business. Complex account management is continued selling to top accounts, hence the commonalities. Reassess the success of your system by measuring desired outcomes over time, then make slight changes “turning knobs” one at a time to ensure the correct outcome is tied to the right changes to inputs.

Experienced Account Managers have different management styles, all ultimately aimed at achieving one objective: delivering first-class service. Additionally, management styles are influenced by the company's products, services, policies, support units, and culture. In my view, having a deep understanding of your clients' businesses and comprehending the reasons behind how and why people operate within an organization are vital for effectively managing complex accounts. Furthermore, establishing close rapport with all stakeholders, effective time management, and setting expectations using proper communication upfront are essential to avoid overpromising and underdelivering. Finally, always reflect, seek feedback, adapt and improve.

"Land & Expand" is the most prevalent GTM selling motion for B2B SaaS companies. Where you "land" with a new logo account depends on how your app can solve an urgent/pressing need, but often overlooked is setting measurable goals of the land purchase so that everyone, the Account and you/your Account Team, knows when success, however the Account defines it, has been met and it is now time for them to buy the next module/s, licenses, etc. The better the Seller becomes @ these motions, the more effectively they will be able to grow their Accounts.

When it comes to managing an account with multiple stakeholders in banking software, it's important to remember that building 1. trust and rapport plays a vital role in successful sales. 2. Taking the time to understand the unique needs and challenges of each stakeholder and tailoring your approach accordingly can go a long way in establishing a strong connection., Most importantly actively engaging with stakeholders through personalized communication without the sale talk and really driving into what is the current challenge and how I the sales person can bridge the gap.

Managing large accounts mirrors a marriage — it's not a simple chase for sales but a long-term commitment to trust and mutual growth. Like nurturing a relationship, success in account management demands constant engagement, deep knowledge of each account's unique needs, and a blend of innovation with tradition. Stakeholders, the 'in-laws' of business, scrutinize our performance. We must deliver enduring value and maintain growth, not just in revenue but in the strength of our partnerships. In essence, large account management is a strategic alliance, demanding we go beyond sales to cultivate robust, value-driven relationships that stand the test of time.

Large account with complex structure and matrix structure requires the Account Exec / Account Manager to thoroughly Identify & Map all stakeholders. In today's complex B2B selling process, no. of these stakeholders has gone up and touches about 10-12 in Large accounts. It's imperative for a sales guy to map them out, build engagement with all of them. Bring in your extended teams & leadership team to meet some of these stakeholders as well, overall key is to build a strong relationship at all levels within client account via your own extended teams & leaders - all involved. A sales guy is required to work in such accounts, more strategically while building strong engagement at all levels, rather just aiming for a quick sales transaction.