The KAM Club Podcast

What are your options when you're a key account manager and ready for your next move? Working in the same job for a long time can cause you to feel uninspired. To keep yourself motivated and happy in your work, it’s important to switch things up every now and then. We discuss how in this episode of The KAM Club: Some of your career options for key account managers: Strategic Account Manager. Look after bigger, more complex, more prestigious accounts. Global account manager. Manage accounts in multiple regions, where decision making and policies are centrally decided. Manager/Director. Move into leadership roles Business Development or Sales. Focused on lead generation and account acquisition and growth. Customer Success. Customer success is focused on working proactively in partnership with customers to help them get more value out of your solutions over time. (check out Grow Gain Retain Customer Success Community) Change industries. Maybe you still like your job, just not the industry it's in? Job craft. Take proactive steps and actions to redesign what we do at work, essentially changing tasks, relationships, and perceptions of our jobs LINKS MENTIONED Gain Grow Retain. Customer Success leadership community. Why Smart Key Account Managers Grow a Personal Brand. Episode 17 of the podcast where I explain how personal branding can transform your career trajectory. Zety. Online CV maker that will whip your resume into shape in no time. You can get 2 weeks access for around $3.  20 Free Courses for Key Account Managers to Boost Your Skills Now. To grow client revenue and retention, key account managers need a variety of skills. Find out what they are and how to learn them with 20 free courses for key account managers. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/026 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe. The KAM Club on Telegram. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe on Telegram to find out when new podcast episodes, videos, blog posts and workshops are released.

The last thing you need as a supplier, are changes to your client's procurement contacts. A new team introduces fresh dynamics and relationships that change the working environment. But will it be for the better or for the worse? Either way, you can expect to face significant challenges and new opportunities for suppliers that call for smart thinking and swift action. In this episode of The KAM Club podcast I share 10 steps to win over your client's new procurement team. LINKS MENTIONED One page key account plan template. Free one page template and guide for building a key account strategy that increases client revenue and retention. Gartner study: Procurement's Response to COVID-19 RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/025 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe. The KAM Club on Telegram. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe on Telegram to find out when new podcast episodes, videos, blog posts and workshops are released.

Keeping in touch with your clients is vital to maintain an active and mutually beneficial relationship. But when you're busy, it’s so easy for things to fall through the cracks and create a contact gap that could lead to your client drifting away and negatively impact your business If you’re struggling with staying in touch with your clients, keep on listening because I'm about to share some ideas on how to build an effective contact plan. LINKS MENTIONED DotCal. The appointment scheduling tool I use. Click here to get 50% off your first 6 months. GetDex. Personal CRM that integrates seamlessly with LinkedIn Airtable. Free tools that's a cross between a database and a worksheet. Great tool to manage contact plans and relationship maps, including automations.  Salesmate. The CRM I use to grow my business. Excellent value and includes things like telephony, templates, automations and sequences.  Microsoft Teams. Excellent knowledge management and collaboration tool, with the ability to invite external people into your channels. Notion. My knowledge management tool of choice. Everything in my business lives inside Notion. Taskade. A fantastic project and knowledge management tool. It's free, simple and perfect for the busy key account manager. ClickUp. This is the project management tool that drives my business and all my client projects. Can't live without it. Slack Connect. Invite clients to your slack channels. Essential option for communication if you have clients who live inside Slack. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/024 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe. The KAM Club on Telegram. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe on Telegram to find out when new podcast episodes, videos, blog posts and workshops are released.

If you've worked with any client ever, you know they often have very clear ideas of what they want. But what they want, isn't always what's best for them. This can be a challenge for any key account manager, but it also presents an opportunity. Disagreements can be a catalyst to improve collaboration and produce outstanding work.  So let's talk about how to disagree with your client, the right way. Telling our clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear, is our responsibility as key account managers. That can sometimes cause conflict. But that's how pearls are created; an oyster is irritated by a little piece of sand, and a beautiful creation is the result. Disagreements may be uncomfortable, but don't put off the hard conversations. They won't get any easier and it'll just lead to communication breakdowns and harms your ability to collaborate. Decisions get delayed, and you could miss out on big opportunities for your business. LINKS MENTIONED The Improv Mindset: Change Your Brain. Change Your Business. Unique book on how to apply the fundamentals of improv to get individuals, teams, and organizations to step up, engage, and solve problems. Follow the authors of The Improv Mindset on LinkedIn: Gaily Montgomery and Bruce Montgomery. They have a fun feed including a regular video series called Dashboard Improv. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/023 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe. The KAM Club on Telegram. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe on Telegram to find out when new podcast episodes, videos, blog posts and workshops are released.

It's easy to lose sight of the big picture in the day-to-day grind. Sit down, take stock and say these four words to your clients to understand what they need from you right now. It's Q4 and the end of the year is in sight, so everyone is busy. Many of our clients are measured on annual targets and have a short few months to catch up and get the kind of results that delivers a bonus and a pay raise. It's also important that you finish the year strong so your client sees a clear return on investment from your partnership. (and also so YOU get a bonus and a pay raise). Listen to the episode to hear the magic four words you need to ask your client now to get everyone across the finish line. LINKS MENTIONED The KAM Club on Telegram. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe on Telegram to find out when new podcast episodes, videos, blog posts and workshops are released. 45 Best Questions to Ask Your Clients to Get To Know Them.  A blog post and video to help you understand clients. It covers question types, styles, and specific things to ask about your client's organisation, targets, industry, supplier management, and what they think of you. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/022 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Is your inbox taking over your life?  A McKinsey study found that we're distracted from work every 10 minutes (56 times a day) and it takes about 25 minutes to get back into the zone again and focus on the task. So about 2 hours a day is spent just recovering your concentration. And email is one of the main culprits.  In this episode I share 12 email management hacks to tame your inbox, stop it from getting out of control and give you time back in your day. LINKS MENTIONED McKinsey study: Unlocking value and productivity through social technologies Statistia: Number of messages received daily by office workers in the United States and the United Kingdom in 2022 Textexpander snippets and customer shortcuts app Gmail keyboard shortcuts Outlook keyboard shortcuts Teamstand document management extension RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/021 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

We all have favourites. Those clients we absolutely adore! In fact if work wasn't in the way we'd probably be besties. But as a key account manager, finding friends isn't your number one priority. And being too close to your clients can cause problems. And in this episode we talk about them all: 📍You neglect your other clients. 📍You over-service (bend the rules) 📍You say too much. 📍Difficult conversations are made even harder 📍You step over boundaries. 📍You slack off. 📍You stop expanding your network. 📍Your judgement is clouded. Remember, with clients you should be friendly, not friends. LINKS MENTIONED Gartner Report: Why Your Accounts Aren't Growing Leave a review of the podcast on iTunes RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/020 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

If there's one thing I can guarantee in you career as a key account manager, you will someday work with a client who doesn't like you (and often the feeling is mutual). It can make working with them unbearable, so ignoring the situation is not an option. So in this episode we're going to talk about how to turn them around and establish a professional, productive business relationship. 6 ways to turnaround an unfriendly client Listen more, talk less Meet more often in person Do things by the book Accept criticism Ask their opinion Set expectations RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/019 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

The client is not always right! In fact they are quite regularly wrong! And when they are wrong, as a key account manager you are in the awkward position of choosing to defend your position or take it on the chin and apologize anyway - even when it's not your fault. And for the sake of peace and customer retention, we say sorry! Well not today. In this episode I'm sharing 5 times you should never say sorry.  You need their help to do your job (a decision, information) You're product doesn't do what they want it to do. Issues arise because they didn't do their part (implementation, project, deadlines). When you can't meet a deadline. You're chasing payment. LINKS MENTIONED Oxylabs. Oxylabs is a market-leading proxy and web scraping solution service for large-scale public data gathering. Backstage Roastery Cafe Vilnius. Fantastic coffee shop in Vilnius with the best cinnamon rolls you'll ever have. Rosehip Vegan Cafe. Best jackfruit burger. Try the Ginger lemonade and the beetroot ketchup. Trakai Castle. About 45 minutes from Vilnius. Built in the 14th century - its full of history and natural beauty. Key Account Management Mastery. My group training and coaching program for key account managers. Jennifer Davis Coaching. Leadership coach. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/018 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

More and more companies expect their key account managers to be thought leaders. If you’re smart, you’ll start building your personal brand now. In this episode: Why key account managers need a personal brand Why I started to build my personal brand (and you can too) Three steps process to build your personal brand Join the Personal Branding Playbook Course LINKS MENTIONED BrandingPays: The Five-Step System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand by Karen Kang CareerKred: 4 Simple Steps to Build Your Digital Brand and Boost Credibility in Your Career by Ryan Rhoten. eBook, The Secrets to Getting Noticed on LinkedIn for a complete LinkedIn action plan, based on what I implemented for myself. Typeshare is an easy, free way to explore the world of blogging, and effortlessly connect it to LinkedIn and Twitter. The Personal Branding Playbook Course. A new course by personal branding expert (and personal mentor) Ryan Rhoten. Visit the show notes for a massive discount code just for listeners of the podcast. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/017 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

It's important to stand out from the crowd if you want to attract and retain clients. But how do do you differentiate from competitors when everyone is the same? "You're too expensive" or "I can get more, for less, somewhere else" Ever heard that before? That's because most businesses blend in, not stick out. Even when they do deliver something innovative, it's not for long. Competitors catch up fast. So, it's up to you to figure out how to differentiate your solutions in this market of sameness. Give your client a reason to choose you over everyone else. In this episode you'll learn to  customize your value proposition and apply a variety of differentiation best practices so your client won’t even think about your competitors. LINKS MENTIONED Maximizing Value Propositions to Increase Project Success Rates World Letter Writing Day Palmer's Penmanship Budget RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/016 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Chrome extensions are a fantastic way to customise the functionality and behaviour of your browser to do just about anything. In this episode I share 16 of my personal favourites, guaranteed to massively improve your workflow (and life). Bit.ly Bitmoji Dex Personal CRM DragApp Drift Video & Screen Recorder Extensity Giphy for Chrome GoFullPage Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault Save to Pocket RSS Reader Extension by Inoreader Scribe - Documentation, SOPs and Screenshots Shortcuts for Google Taskade Tide - Focus Timer & White Noise Workona Tab Manager Click here to get 30% off Keeper Password Manager RESOURCES The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the detailed notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit https://tkcpodcast.com/015 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

As a key account manager, you not only need to keep your clients, you need to keep them profitable. To do that, you need sales negotiation skills to convince them to buy more and, when the time comes, to renew.  So here's my best advice. The most straightforward sales negotiation tactic I know is to make the first move. Psychological research suggests making the first offer gives you a bargaining advantage. When you start the sales negotiation, you control one end of the negotiating spectrum — either the high or the low price. And that's what we're discussing in this episode of The KAM Club podcast. LINKS MENTIONED Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).  Weber's Law of Just Noticeable Difference shows after a 10% we sit up and take notice. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills. Free course to learn practical negotiation skills and how to apply them in business and life. Discover how to plan and analyse negotiations and key tactics for success. RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the details notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/014 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

If you’re in sales or account management, you know how challenging it is to convince your client to buy your services. And is there anything more frustrating than when you think you’ve navigated all the potential hurdles that could get in the way of the client signing off on your proposal and then they say they’re not ready to move forward or are mulling things over. What do you do if your deal stalls. How do you get your client moving forward and get momentum back into your deal? That’s what we’re talking about in this episode of The KAM Club podcast: Discover 19 steps in the sales process. Maybe you missed one that could unlock the deal and get your client to move forward. Learn how to establish momentum by securing the next commitment Useful books and podcasts to help you keep deals moving. LINKS MENTIONED The KAM Club Podcast #12: The Best Way to Follow Up With Clients Without Being a Pest You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar, 2nd Edition: Sandler Training’s 7-Step System for Successful Selling (Learn about the thermometer technique). 5-Minute Selling: The Proven, Simple System That Can Double Your Sales ... Even When You Don't Have Time How to Succeed Podcast: How to Succeed at Doing a Pre-Mortem RESOURCES The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com Episode show notes. Read the details notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/013 The KAM Club Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Working with clients can be a tricky process. Especially when you’re trying to sell them on something. You need your client engaged and communicating, to move forward with ideas and projects. Yet sometimes, it feels like you’re constantly chasing them for the simplest of answers. In an ideal world, everyone would get everything they needed in a single interaction. That’s not how it works. No matter what the scenario, there’s constant backwards and forwards between stakeholder. We need to follow up with clients for lots of reasons: to close a sale, to ask a question, to get a decision, to share information or reminders. In this episode of The KAM Club podcast, we explore the best ways to follow up with your clients, without being annoying. Links mentioned: 45 Best Questions To Ask Your Client to Get to Know Them Microsoft Outlook Flag/Follow Up feature Gmail Nudges feature Gmail Snooze feature Video: 7 Reasons Why You Get Ghosted by Clients (and What to Do About It) The KAM Club Episode 6: How to Write Emails Your Clients Will Actually Read FollowUpThen The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Show resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/ Episode show notes. Read the details notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/012 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Key account management is a role that requires both sales skills and strategic thinking. You need to be able to identify opportunities, build rapport with key contacts, negotiate favourable contracts, and work collaboratively with your team. In other words, it’s not an easy job. And it’s why key account managers can struggle when faced with common problems that stop them from doing their job Listen to see if you’re experiencing any of the same struggles as other key account managers. Knowing what the problem is the first step to finding a solution. Links mentioned: How Good Are Managers at Evaluating Sales Problems? Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything What's Your Problem: To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve Arolsen Archives Deep Nostalgia App The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Podcast Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/ Episode show notes. Read the details notes and get links everything mentioned in the show. Visit http://tkcpodcast.com/010 The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Not every deal will go your way. I guess that's why they say, "you win some, you lose some!"  But, it's also why we need to keep a close eye on our sales process to identify where we might be falling short and to keep doing what works. Episode 10 of The KAM Club podcast explores why you're losing sales opportunities and what to do about it. The drivers of sales failure Lack of flexibility Poor relationships Excessive costs We also discuss win/loss reviews and why you must do them even for the small deals along with some additional resources to help you gain insights that will improve sales performance The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

I hear the word “value” all the time. “I deliver value, I create value, our clients value us.” But what does it actually mean to create value? In fact, what does it mean to co-create value with our customers and why does it matter? Value comes in many forms – price, convenience, reliability, quality, service, and so on. But creating value requires more than a positive experience and happy customers. We want to the kind of value that brings mutually beneficial outcomes.  In this episode: The definition of co-creating value with customers 20 ways to encourage value co-creation Best app for value co-creation. And lots more The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Sales negotiations are challenging. Even the most experienced negotiators can struggle when things get tough. And when the going does get tough, it’s tempting to just to fold and give the client what they want. At least you closed the deal right? But what we want is a deal where everyone wins. And that’s not so easy, especially for those of us not in pure sales roles. We’re not wheeling and dealing every day. The secret to win-win is knowing what to expect and in this episode of The KAM Club podcast we discuss how to prepare for a sales negotiation. In this episode: How to create a negotiation plan. Follow this 8-step process to develop your negotiation strategy to create fair value and make balanced compromises so everyone wins. 5 negotiation tactics that work. There are lots of ways to approach a negotiation, and I share my favourite 5 tactics that have proven to work for me over and over again. Resources. Additional ways to sharpen your sales negotiation skills. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Key account management roles are more challenging than ever. It's a job that requires constant juggling and visibility, as well as an ability to see the big picture. The stakes are high and pressure is always on to delivery results now and support long-term objectives too. In an ideal world, every KA manager would have all the resources they need to help them succeed. But the reality is that most KA managers are expected to work long hours, achieve challenging targets and thrive in high pressure situations on a daily basis.  The pressures of the role can lead to stress and anxiety from time to time but with the right attitude and some practical tips, you can make your life as a key account manager much easier.  In this episode you'll discover 10 ways you can avoid overwhelm when it all gets too much. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

If your clients don't respond to your emails, it could be you're part of the problem. Learn some practical and easy tips for writing effective emails your clients will actually read. Remember, a great email conveys the right message and tone and doesn't waste the readers time. It says what you want, why it matters and what your client should do. Before you start an email, be clear on why you're sending it. Without purpose, it won't matter how well written it is. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Key account managers need help from internal teams to get results for clients. But the path to cooperation is full of conflict. Find out why and what to do about it. In this episode: Find out why there is so much internal conflict Why is it important internal teams and key account managers collaborate. How to improve the way teams work together by adapting styles, creating alignment, developing strategy and systems. And lots more. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Is it easy to sell to existing customers? The answer is NO. We bust some myths on why it's actually very difficult to sell more to existing clients and some practical tips to help you close deals.  The importance of mindset. Why you should become a student of sales. How to prepare your message. Closing techniques to ask for more of your client's business. A trust and credibility checklist to improve your chances of getting deals across the line. Why it's not as easy to sell to existing customers as you've been led to believe. And a whole lot more. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Every sales conversation will inevitably involve procurement at some point. So if you're selling to procurement, you need to think like them.  In this episode we discuss: What procurement are looking for from suppliers Why cold outreach never works Current challenges facing procurement The 7-step strategic sourcing process And a bonus workshop replay just for listeners, Procurement is Changing, Are You?  After listening you'll gain a much better understanding of how procurement works and ideas on how to be a better partner to them. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com. Want some KAM swag? We've got T-shirts, coffee mugs and more. Check it out here. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

We joke all the time about meetings that could have been emails, but like all good humour, there's an element of truth. In this episode we ask the question, should we ban meetings? One company has done away with meetings, so it's possible. Instead of meetings, here's what they do instead: No meetings other than exceptional circumstances. For a meeting to go ahead, a detailed meeting agenda must be written 24 hours in advance, only two people can attend and they must last no longer than half an hour. No internal emails - everything must be discussed on a public slack channel. Company Wiki used for reference material and to store documents. Project management tools like Asana keep teams focused on the task at hand. We also discuss how to stop spending time with the wrong people, if beards make you more trustworthy and lots more. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.

Guess what? Key Account Managers know more than their clients about a lot of things, yet they struggle to be seen as experts. We discuss how to establish authority and credibility - fast! Why clients are in love with experts. Why you know more than your clients (despite what they might think) A simple process to become instantly more valuable to your clients. Productivity tools to help you get more of the right work done. As a key account manager working with B2B clients, you're always looking to add value. But what does that even mean and where do you start? And why is it so important that your clients see you as an expert?  I recently read the book, The Business of Expertise by David C. Baker and this quote is what inspired this episode. "A strategist who bounces in and out of the relationship with a client has more status and impact than the account manager that the client interacts with every day." ~ David C. Baker It happens all the time. You make a recommendation, and clients do nothing. When someone else gives the same advice, they take action. Let's talk about all this and more in The KAM Club podcast. The KAM Club podcast is dedicated to helping busy key account managers get one step ahead. Listen for news, trends, tips, best practices and advice on how to have a successful career in key account management. Resources: The KAM Club Newsletter. Sign up to never miss an episode. Episode show notes. Read the summary notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in the show. The KAM Club. Learn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe. Workona Tab Manager. Free chrome extension to get your browser tabs under control.