How can you write a Plan to Penetrate and Grow a Strategic Account?

In order to gain the insights you need to create a winning plan, you must ask the right questions. Use this checklist as a guide. Use your plan in your strategic account reviews and to manage your account team.

1. Analyse your Target Account’s Business

Start with what is going on in your account’s business.

• What are the key trends in their industry?
• Who are their top prospects and customers?
• What are the top issues facing their customers?
• What are the critical trends in the geography?
• What is reflected in their financial reports and news about them?

2. Understand what is Driving the Account

You must understand their objectives and challenges.

• What are their strategic initiatives?
• What are the characteristics of their high-payoff customers/prospects?
• Are there verticals that they are winning in more than others? Why?
• What “pain” or business issues do they solve?
• What is their competitive position?
• What is their purchase history and decision-making process?

3. Clarify your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

Conduct a SWOT analysis that examines how you can help this account.

• What Strengths can they benefit from? For example, a unique business model or capabilities.
• Which Weaknesses do you need to respond to? This includes the strengths of competitive and alternative solutions.
• Which Opportunities in the marketplace will you take advantage of… and help them take advantage of? How do you uniquely meet their compelling needs?
• What Threats in your selling environment will you defend against? Consider competitive moves, changes in technology, industry and regulatory standards.