At my current firm, I recently assumed an expanded role separate from my usual recruiting duties that has me working much more closely with outside vendors and in particular their account managers. As a salesperson by background, oh that’s right, I said it, salesperson, and I’m not ashamed! Get over it, salespeople are not evil. Well, actually some probably are, but I’m not.
Due to my background, I notice the strategies and tactics executed by the account managers I am working with now. Nothing drives me crazier than when my account manager tells me why he can’t do something because, “I have a meeting with another client.” You have a what? Why would I care about that?!
Which brings me around to the number one rule for sales and account management, as told to me by a boss early in my career, it’s all about the client, the client, the client. Notice, it’s not clients, it is client. When you as a salesperson are with a client, everything you do should be about that one client. Your client should feel like they are the only thing that matters in your whole world. It’s all about them – the client!