You might have checked out the Rain Group’s website before when trying to learn more about the account management field. They offer really awesome industry insights, and they specialize in training salespeople to be the best in their field. Their blog is also chock-full of useful information you can use in your daily work. They offer sales tips, new ideas to help attract customers, and so much more. They post on a regular basis (usually once a week), but you have plenty to catch up on in the blog archives if you’ve never read the blog before.
Account Manager Tips is a site run by Warwick Brown dedicated to bringing account managers and salespeople the tips and tricks they need to exceed their goals and outperform everyone else in the field. The blog posts are geared towards account managers that want to advance their careers, and they have awesome actionable tips you can use easily. Posts are on a semi-frequent basis, but they have a near-perfect batting average when it comes to posting effective articles.
This account management blog is no joke, and if you’re into the nitty-gritty details of account management, you definitely need to check out this blog by Ed Powers. Although account management is seen as an art and natural talent to many, there is also a degree of science behind the best practices. All of the posts on this blog take a scientific approach to things like customer health scores, reducing churn, and more. If you really want to step your account management game up and think differently about your job, give it a read.
Jermaine Edwards Customer Growth Blog
One of the core aspects of your role as a key account manager is to help your customers grow through customer success. This blog from Jermaine Edwards, professional sales consultant and Key Account Management expert, is packed with awesome blog posts to help you grow your customer base and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about your customers, you should definitely give this blog a read.
Want to see the latest and greatest tips in the sales world? This is the blog for you! SalesLatitude is run by Janice Mars, a professional sales consultant with decades of experience in the field. On the blog, you’ll find helpful tips for working with clients, speaking to executives, and more. If you want to succeed in the corporate world and really climb to the top of the ladder, you should give this blog a read.
Maybe I’m the last to know but I didn’t even know LinkedIn had a sales blog! I only discovered it last month and I’m obsessed. It’s full of practical sales tips, social selling advice, career advice and LinkedIn profile best practices.
LinkedIn reached 590 million users in December 2018 (40% are active daily) and is the ONLY B2B platform worth joining, so they know a thing or two about doing business.
Every account manager sells. But you also have to plan and manage the entire relationship between your business and your clients. Which is why I find sales blogs a little overwhelming. I’m not selling night and day tactics vary when working with existing accounts vs. chasing prospects.
Which is why Sales Hacker is so genius.
It brings together a vast range of tips, tactics and strategies from sales experts in a variety of formats: from podcasts, to webinars, research and conferences. Immensely readable and not afraid to have a little fun, Sales Hacker is filled with great advice on the sales process.
My favourites are their articles on sales psychology that help you get inside the head of your clients and what makes them tick.
With the massive growth of SaaS, customer success management has emerged as a new role tasked with proactively helping clients reach their goals and renew or upgrade their solution.
Wait, what?
Sounds like account management to me.
Certainly there are some distinct differences but for me the lines are sometimes blurred. Strikedeck is perfect if you find yourself treading that thin line, or just want to learn more on how to optimise your clients’ experience with your solution.
The articles focus on customer retention, communication, engagement and experience – all areas I would encourage every account manager to explore. They also have some great career themed posts.
It’s not the most comprehensive resource on Customer Success, but the one I visit the most because of the thought-provoking and helpful articles which can easily be applied to account management.
FACT: If you’re an account manager, you WILL work with someone from procurement. So do you want some friendly advice?
Get the upper hand with some inside secrets from the Art of Procurement. This accessible blog and podcast explores procurement in depth from the client and the supplier perspectives.
You’ll learn everything you need to know about the buying cycle, the decision making process and the challenges facing procurement.
If you want to sell to a buyer, you have to think like a buyer. And you’ll be a better account manager for it.
READ: How To Start Building True Two-Way Collaborative Supplier Relationships
