The KAM Club Podcast: Recent Episodes
Warwick Brown
Welcome to The KAM Club Podcast, a new series for key account managers, hosted by Warwick Brown. Every week we discuss practical tools, tips, tactics and advice on how to build a successful career in key account management and become remarkable.
Be sure to follow @thekamclub on social and check out our website https://www.thekamclub.com.
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Inheriting a chaotic account feels like being handed a sinking ship—you didn’t cause the leaks, but everyone expects YOU to bail it out. This isn’t about fixing someone else’s mistakes; it’s about launching a strategic rescue mission to transform disaster zones into loyal, high-growth partnerships.
Join us as we deploy a field-tested playbook to triage relationships, uncover hidden landmines, and turn “inherited nightmares” into career-defining wins. No blame, no burnout—just actionable tactics to reclaim control.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) Negative Credibility Launchpad: Why inheriting a mess means starting below zero—and how low expectations are your secret advantage.
- (1:47) The No-Blame Reset: Why trashing predecessors backfires (and how to say "That’s on us" without owning their mistakes).
- (5:25) Detective Mode Activated: Cut through emotional fog by separating facts from frustrations—plus a 2-column template to uncover reality.
- (8:24) Micro-Wins Strategy: Rebuild trust with 3 stupidly small promises kept perfectly in week one (no heroics needed).
- (11:58) The 90-Day Rescue Blueprint: Stabilize, improve, and grow—exactly how to phase your comeback and make clients co-authors of the fix.
- (15:24) Teamwork Trap: Why "I’ll handle it" sets you up to fail (and how to mobilize allies without overpromising).
- (17:47) Disaster-to-Legacy Play: Document your turnaround to dodge repeat fires—and turn crisis credentials into career gold.
Your Handover Rescue Roadmap
Cleanup Playbook
- Week 1: Make + keep 3 tiny commitments (e.g., "I’ll call at 10 AM Tuesday").
- Detective Work: Map what actually happened vs. perceptions using a simple 2-column template.
- Recovery Plan: Identify 3 critical issues to fix first—get client sign-off before acting.
- Exit Strategy: At 90 days, formally close the "hyper-care" phase with client agreement.
- Document Ruthlessly: Turn lessons into a blueprint for future handovers or promotions.
Resources
- Video: How to Deal with Another Key Account Manager's Mess at Work
- Show Notes: KAM Podcast AI Chatbot (Ask Qs + get transcript via ChatGPT-5)
Join the KAM Comeback Crew!
🔥 Want the full handover checklist? Join The KAM Club—your global community with live coaching, templates, and playbooks to turn account nightmares into legacy wins.
🎧 Stuck in a handoff horror story? Attend Open Office Hours (Tues/Wed) for 1:1 troubleshooting with Warwick!
Because the best account managers aren’t born—they’re forged in fire.
Picture this: You just saved a million-dollar client from churning. Crisis averted, relationship stronger than ever. Your boss's response? "Great, so they're renewing early, right?"
And there it is—that gut punch moment. Three months of relationship-building, crisis-prevention, and strategic brilliance reduced to a simple transaction. If you want to scream right now, you're not alone. You're about to learn why this keeps happening and how to flip it forever.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The numbers-obsessed boss problem: When strategic work gets ignored
- (2:03) Reality check: Why managing up is harder than managing clients
- (2:34) Your boss's hidden pressure: Understanding their quarterly reality
- (3:00) The invisible work trap: Why relationship-building doesn't show up in CRM
- (4:25) Lost in translation: When you speak relationships but they speak revenue
- (5:03) The 30-second elevator update: How to talk accounts with numbers
- (7:22) Strategy flip: Stop educating, start empowering your boss
- (8:13) Visibility over credit: Making your results impossible to ignore
- (11:55) Game-changer mindset: Treat your boss like your top client
- (12:55) Complementary leadership: How to fill your boss's gaps
- (13:17) Boss stakeholder mapping: Identify their real wins and priorities
- (14:09) The golden rule: Make their life easier, not harder
Resources
(Tools to master upward management)
- Book: Managing Up: How to Move up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss by Mary Abbajay (Link)
- Video: Workplace Survival Kit: 4 Strategies for Handling Your Difficult Boss
- Video: How to Play Office Politics and WIN
- Free Template: Manager Approval Toolkit for The KAM Club
Your Boss-Alignment Action Plan
(Start today in 15 minutes)
- Dollarize Your Day: For 3 recent client interactions, calculate:
- Craft a CEO-Ready Slide: Using ChatGPT/Gamma.app, summarize one account in:
- Revenue status
- Pipeline value
- Next-quarter dollar opportunity
- Ask Your Boss: "What’s one thing I could include in updates to make your leadership meetings easier?"
- Map Their Wins: Identify what your boss needs to hit their bonus this quarter.
Turn Bosses into Champions
- Join the Movement: The KAM Club → Live coaching + resource library + "Office Politics" playbook
- Free Access: Manager Approval Toolkit (Get work to fund your membership)
🚀 Stop waiting for your boss to speak your language. Start speaking theirs. The work doesn't change—but the recognition will.
What if your quarterly reviews became the meetings clients actually look forward to? The secret isn’t more slides—it’s flipping the script from backward-looking reports to future-building conversations.
James Ward from Clientshare reveals a 3-step rescue plan to transform QBRs from time-wasters into revenue-driving, trust-building power sessions.
Discover how top performers use ruthless focus, one-page magic, and client collaboration to make reviews their #1 growth engine.
Highlights
(Transformative tactics with timestamps)
- (0:00) From Chore to Growth Engine: Why QBRs are your secret weapon for expansions & renewals
- (1:00) The New Reality: How remote work made strategic reviews more valuable than ever
- (2:55) Measure to Treasure: 5 simple metrics that predict revenue risks & opportunities
- (4:07) The 3-Question Filter: Cut fluff! Every slide must answer: What? So what? What next?
- (6:14) Data on a Diet: Replace 80% of slides with one visual dashboard (Power BI/Tableau)
- (8:08) Feedback in Real-Time: Get client scores during the meeting—not weeks later
- (11:20) The Golden Framework: Measure → Build → Deliver (steal this blueprint)
- (16:00) Brevity Wins: Why “one page = one hour” is the elite account manager’s mantra
Resources
(Tools to build better QBRs)
- Your Business Reviews Suck (And Your Customers Know It): Check out Part 1 of the series to find out the problem with QBRs and why clients think they're a waste of time.
- Clientshare QBR Hub: Expert content on how to build the best business reviews.
- Quarterly Business Review Best Practices: Watch this video for nine ways to transform your QBR from boring to brilliant.
- James Ward on LinkedIn: Follow James for more tips on creating growth focused business reviews.
Your QBR Rescue Mission
(Start today in <10 minutes)
- Slash & Simplify: Apply the “What? So what? What next?” test to 3 slides in your next deck.
- Send Early, Win Big: Share decks 3 days pre-meeting with: “Come ready to discuss page 5!”
- Ask the Magic Question: End with: “What’s one thing that would make our partnership unstoppable?”
- Track What Matters: Note attendance, feedback scores, and action follow-ups in a simple spreadsheet.
Join the QBR Revolution
“Stop reporting history. Start building futures.”
- Become a QBR Hero: Join 100+ KAMs in The KAM Club → Live coaching + template library + deal playbooks
Your next review could be the one where clients say: “When’s our next meeting?” ✨
Why do 80% of buyers feel suppliers drop the ball in business reviews? If your QBRs feel like stale, data-dumping exercises that clients dodge or dismiss, you’re not alone—and the fallout is costing you trust and revenue.
Join James Ward (QBR innovator and Clientshare founder) as we dissect why decades-old review formats fail modern partnerships, how "insight starvation" leaves clients hungry for action, and the shocking stat that’ll make you rethink how you approach reviews.
Discover why operational reports ≠ value—and why your clients are silently screaming for change.
Guest Spotlight
Founder of Clientshare, James Ward helps global giants transform clunky QBRs into growth engines. His software and strategies turn review chaos into client retention gold, backed by eye-opening research on buyer-supplier gaps.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The QBR Frustration: Clients ghost reviews because they feel like tick-box exercises.
- (0:55) Client Share’s Mission: Software that rescues reviews from chaos—measuring NPS, CSAT, and value delivery.
- (1:12) Pain by the Numbers: 88% of buyers say suppliers fail to show value/innovation; 77% call materials "poor quality."
- (2:03) The Trust Tax: Poor reviews leave money on the table for both sides by eroding partnership potential.
- (3:25) 20-Year Time Warp: How QBRs evolved from "give me data" (2000s) → "tell me a story" (2010s) → "tell me what to DO" (2025).
- (7:53) Stuck in Stage 1: Most teams struggle with basics (clean data) while clients demand actionable recommendations.
- (9:23) Account Manager Burnout: Average prep time?9 days per QBR for a 1-hour meeting.
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(14:38) Data vs. Impact: Clients have self-service portals—stop regurgitating numbers; focus on 3 game-changing insights.
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Resources
- QBR Research Report: Client Share’s buyer-supplier gap analysis The QBR Delusion.
- Part 2 Alert: Catch solutions here—James’ 3-step fix, overrated "best practices," and the question that unlocks client dialogue.
Your Next Steps
(Before your next review)
- Audit Your Deck: Cut 10+ slides (did the client notice last time?).
- Flip the Script: Start with "Here’s how we moved your goals forward"—not operational metrics.
- Time Tracker: Log hours spent prepping; if >1 day, rethink your process.
Fix Your Reviews!
- Join the KAM Club: Unlock QBR templates, workshops, and coaching,
- Connect with James: Follow James Ward on LinkedIn for more QBR solutions and best practices
Don’t miss Part 2: How to turn reviews into revenue engines—out now! 🔥
Feeling stuck in your career or eyeing a fresh start? That nagging sense that "it’s time for something new" isn’t just restlessness—it’s intuition pointing toward booming opportunities.
Forget starting from scratch; your key account management superpowers (strategic thinking, relationship-building, problem-solving) are golden tickets into 9 explosive industries. From AI-driven tech to green energy revolutions, discover where your skills are needed most in 2025—and how to pivot strategically without burning your résumé.
Let’s unpack the data-backed sectors hungry for talent like yours and turn uncertainty into your biggest career advantage.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) Pivot Power: Why burnout, layoffs, or boredom signal the perfect moment to explore high-growth industries.
- (1:11) Transferable Skills Unleashed: How strategic thinking, relationship-building, and commercial acumen open doors in ANY sector.
- (2:27) Top 9 Growth Industries for 2025: Renewable energy, healthcare/biotech, AI/tech, fintech, logistics/e-commerce, immersive tech (VR/AR), cybersecurity, business support services, property/construction.
- (3:40) Renewable Energy & Sustainability: Companies like SSE Renewables hiring KAMs for complex infrastructure projects.
- (5:06) Healthcare & Biotech: Aging populations + digital health innovations driving demand at GlaxoSmithKline.
- (6:06) AI & Technology: Salesforce/Darktrace seeking KAMs to bridge tech teams and business outcomes.
- (6:45) Fintech: Stripe and PayPal needing trust-builders for open banking/fraud solutions.
- (7:35) Logistics & E-commerce: Drone delivery + AI fulfillment roles at Kuehne+Nagel.
- (8:03) Immersive Tech (VR/AR): Consultative storytellers wanted for training/healthcare applications.
- (9:50) Cybersecurity: Advisory-style KAMs in high demand at Palo Alto Networks/CrowdStrike.
- (10:48) Business Support Services: Outsourcing boom creating SME-focused roles at Randstad.
- (11:26) Property & Construction: Green building/urban regeneration opportunities at Barrett Developments.
- (13:09) The 25-Degree Pivot Rule: Why shifting to adjacent industries beats 180-degree jumps.
- (17:28) Skill-Up Shortcuts: Free micro-courses + niche forums to "sound like an insider" fast.
Resources
(Tools to fuel your pivot)
- Gemini AI Industry Reports: Deep-dive UK/US sector analysis (linked in show notes)
- Coursera Micro-Courses: Free industry primers like fintech/AI/healthcare and others (certificates optional)
- KAM Club LinkedIn Optimizer: Auto-generate industry-agnostic profiles (members only)
- Consulting Firm Insights: Read PwC, Deloitte, McKinsey etc sector reports on emerging tech and trends
Your Next Steps
(Strategic shifts start today)
- Audit Adjacency: Identify 1–2 industries closest to your current expertise (e.g., retail → e-commerce platforms).
- Reframe Your Story: Scrub industry jargon from your LinkedIn/CV; highlight transferable wins ("Managed $1M portfolios in regulated environments").
- Skill Sprint: Enroll in one free sector-specific course (e.g., "FinTech Fundamentals" on Coursera).
- Lurk & Learn: Join subreddits/Slack groups in target industries; comment thoughtfully on leaders’ posts.
Ready to Launch Your Pivot?
- Grab the Reports: Download the full industry deep dives analysis for US & UK
- Join the KAM Club: Access resources like the LinkedIn Optimizer, pivot playbooks, and live coaching and more.
- Share Your Shift: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with your target industry—#PivotPower!
Remember: Your next career chapter isn’t about reinvention—it’s about redirection. You’ve got this. 🚀
That moment when you leap into solution mode—only to be met with blank stares or defensiveness—is more than awkward; it’s the "expert trap" in action.
If you’ve ever shortcut a client conversation because "you’ve seen it all before," only to realize you missed the heart of their struggle, you’re not alone. True expertise isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking the right questions.
Discover why slowing down, embracing curiosity, and prioritizing connection over correction transforms client relationships from transactional to trusted.
Let’s explore how to swap "I know" for "Tell me more," and turn your hard-earned experience into a superpower that builds rapport instead of walls.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The Blank-Stare Moment: Why jumping to solutions too fast leaves clients feeling unheard and undervalued.
- (1:00) Expert Trap Defined: How deep knowledge can accidentally sabotage deeper relationships—and why "helpfulness" backfires.
- (2:55) Cost of Overconfidence: When clients whisper, "Does he even get us?"—the trust erosion caused by skipped listening steps.
- (4:07) Active Listening = Secret Weapon: Why shutting up, pausing, and asking "What’s your biggest challenge?" unlocks richer insights than talking ever could.
- (6:14) Think Like a Newbie: How curiosity (not experience) reveals fresh perspectives—and why "not knowing" builds stronger alliances.
- (7:24) Quick Mindset Shifts: Swap "I know" for "Let’s explore together"—and prioritize questions over answers.
- (9:33) Redefine Smart: The real expert makes others feel heard, not outshone.
Resources
(Tools to fuel your growth)
- Active Listening Playbook: KAM Club-exclusive guide with checklists, video tutorials, and meeting scripts
- Expert Trap Quiz: Self-assessment tool to spot blind spots (KAM Club members only)
- "Curiosity Over Correction" Worksheet: Practical exercises to rewire solution-jumping habits (KAM Club members only)
Your Next Steps
(Break the expert cycle)
- Embrace Silence: In your next client call, pause for 30 seconds after asking, "What’s your biggest challenge right now?"
- Question Over Answer: Aim to ask 3x more questions than solutions offered in meetings.
- Take the Quiz: Uncover your expert-trap tendencies with the KAM Club’s self-assessment.
- Debrief Post-Meeting: "Did I fully understand before problem-solving?"
- Unlock the Tools: Join The KAM Club for the Active Listening Playbook, workshops, and live coaching with Warwick.
Ready to Listen Like a Pro?
- Unlock the Tools: Join The KAM Club for the Active Listening Playbook, workshops, and live coaching with Warwick.
- Share Your Shift: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with a win on how curiosity changed a client conversation!
Remember: Sometimes the strongest solution starts with saying, "I don’t know yet—tell me more."* 🙌
That sinking feeling when a client demands a discount at renewal time—sound familiar?
You know your solution delivers real value, yet the pressure to slash prices threatens your margins and undermines everything you’ve built. What if you could flip the script? Instead of caving, learn how to anchor price increases in undeniable value, turn negotiations into partnership-strengthening conversations, and protect your worth without apology.
Join the Anti-Discount Revolution and discover why raising prices isn’t just possible—it’s how you build lasting client respect and sustainable growth.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) Discounts = Long-Term Loss: Why instant "wins" erode margins, train clients to expect cuts, and commoditize your value.
- (1:44) Value > Price: When clients say "give us a deal," they’re really asking "prove your worth"—here’s how to respond.
- (3:26) Value Positioning Playbook: Quantify impact with metrics, share success stories, and tie solutions to strategic goals.
- (6:10) The "Why Pay More?" Framework: Six steps to justify increases (document results → reinforce original decision → surface change risks → anchor new price).
- (8:50) Strategic Concessions: Never discount without trade-offs (e.g., "Renew by month-end for 4% increase vs. 8%").
- (11:09) Anti-Discount Playbook: Start early, communicate transparently, offer tiered choices, and reinforce partnership.
Resources
(Tools to fuel your growth)
- The Expansion Sale Book: Must-read framework for renewal/upsell conversations (Link here)
- Pricing Strategy Guide: KAM Club-exclusive playbook with negotiation scripts and ROI trackers
- "Why Pay More?" Template: Ready-to-use worksheet (inside KAM Club’s Playbook Library)
- Renewal Conversation Course: Short video training based on The Expansion Sale
Your Next Steps
(Turn strategy into action)
- Audit Client ROI: Document 3 measurable wins (e.g., cost savings, efficiency gains) before renewal talks.
- Practice the Framework: Role-play "Why Pay More?" using a real client scenario.
- Offer Tiered Choices: Design "value-preserved" vs. "cost-reduced" options for hesitant clients.
- Ask This: "If we could prove this solution saves you $X annually, would the price feel justified?"
Ready to Win Renewals Differently?
- Join the Revolution: Get the full Pricing Strategy Guide inside The KAM Club—includes templates, workshops, and live coaching.
- Share Your Win: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with your anti-discount success story!
Remember: Your pricing isn’t just a number—it’s a declaration of your value. Own it. 💪
That nagging feeling you can’t shake—what if your next career leap isn’t up the ladder, but into leadership?
If you’re crushing targets as a key account manager yet wondering whether leading a team aligns with who you are (or who you want to become), you’re not alone.
Maybe you’ve heard whispers about your ‘management potential’ but secretly worry you’ll trade hands-on impact for endless meetings, or fear your stellar KAM skills won’t translate to leadership success.
Let’s unpack how to distinguish ambition from authentic desire, discover low-risk ways to ‘test drive’ management before committing, and—most importantly—how to confidently choose your path, whether it’s stepping up or thriving right where you are.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) Leadership ≠ Automatic Promotion: Why excelling as a KAM doesn’t guarantee success as a leader—and the critical mindset shift needed.
- (1:52) Skill Audit: Brutal honesty check—do you thrive in coaching, conflict resolution, and strategic vision?
- (3:39) Control vs. Empowerment: Why releasing perfectionism (like obsessing over bullet points!) is non-negotiable.
- (5:23) Test-Drive Leadership: Volunteer for projects or mentoring before seeking the title.
- (6:24) Leading Former Peers: Navigate promotion awkwardness by focusing on team success, not your authority.
- (7:53) Voice Your Ambition: How telling your manager “I want to lead” opens doors.
- (9:26) Individual Contributor Paths: Why rejecting leadership isn’t failure—and how to thrive without it.
Resources
(Tools to fuel your growth)
- Leadership Readiness Assessment: Interactive self-assessment tool (KAM Club members exclusive)
- HBR’s 10 Must Reads: Curated book of Harvard Business Review’s top leadership essays
- Leading High-Performance Teams: Practical online course with video modules/workbooks
- Account Manager vs. Leader: Thought leadership article on mindset transformation
Your Next Steps
(Assess your leadership readiness)
- Take the Leadership Readiness Assessment (KAM Club members only).
- Volunteer for a cross-functional project to practice delegation.
- Ask your manager: “What’s one skill I need to develop for leadership?”
- Mentor a junior colleague—start small with monthly coffee chats.
Ready to Lead?
- Unlock leadership training: Join The KAM Club for assessments, workshops, and coaching.
- Share your leadership journey: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with your biggest “aha!” moment!
Your greatest strength isn’t knowing everything—it’s being brave enough to learn. 🌟🧠
What if the secret to unlocking deeper client loyalty isn't in your product specs—but in your client's personal dreams?
Behind every business decision sits a human with untold ambitions, fears, and passions. Discover how shifting focus from spreadsheets to personal drivers transforms transactional relationships into unbreakable partnerships—and why ignoring these hidden motivators could cost you your most valuable accounts.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:53) The Human Behind the Title: Uncover 3 hidden driver categories shaping decisions (Bain’s B2B Elements of Value):
- Career: Reputation fears, network growth ("Will this tech adoption tank my credibility?")
- Personal: Work-life balance, stress reduction ("Will this simplify my 60-hour weeks?")
- Inspirational: Legacy building, social impact ("Does this align with my sustainability mission?")
- (3:00) Brass Band Breakthrough: How a client’s hobby revealed workload struggles → $consulting upsell opportunity.
- (4:28) Boundary Blueprint: "Friendly ≠ friends"—ask value-aligned questions without crossing lines (e.g., "What legacy do you want to leave?").
- (6:42) Ethics Check: Handle Machiavellian motives by asking: "Does this goal serve our partnership—or just their agenda?"
- (8:30) Rapid-Fire Relationship Builders:
- Focus on their legacy, not your product.
- Ask about passions, not just pain points.
- Celebrate their wins, not just yours.
- Be vulnerable, not perfect.
- Friendly ≠ friends.
- Solve for emotions, not just metrics.
- Align with their values, not just their budget.
- Undersell → overdeliver.
- Be curious, not pushy.
- Think long-term, not short-term.
- (11:02) The Double Bottom Line: IBM’s framework proving human-centric partnerships drive 37% higher retention (financial + social impact).
Resources
(Actionable tools for human-centered partnerships)
- Bain’s B2B Elements of Value: Decode hidden motivators driving client decisions
- IBM’s Double Bottom Line: Measure impact beyond revenue with social value
- Episode 49: Build trust through radical honesty
- Episode 50: Master expectation management with under-promising
Your Next Steps
(Transform ATMs into allies)
- Ask a personal goal question: "What’s one thing you’d love to achieve personally through this partnership?"
- Send a "win" celebration: Handwritten note/congrats for a client’s non-work achievement (e.g., charity run).
- Audit alignment: For a key client, ask: "Do their personal goals align with our shared vision?"
- Apply one rapid-fire tactic: Pick from Top 10 list (e.g., "Celebrate their wins" → post-meeting congrats email)
See the Human, Not the ATM
- Master client-centric partnerships: Join The KAM Club for conversation scripts and ethical alignment frameworks.
- Share your "human connection" win: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) showing how personal insights transformed a client relationship!
What if saying "yes" to every client request is secretly sabotaging your most important relationships?
We’ve all felt the pressure to promise the moon to win business, but overpromising erodes trust and burns bridges. Discover how swapping grand guarantees for radical realism builds unshakeable credibility, turns "no" into a strategic superpower, and transforms strained partnerships into loyal collaborations.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The Trust Trap: Overpromising turns clients into skeptics and damages long-term relationships ("Every future commitment gets scrutinized").
- (1:05) Ripple Effect: Missed deadlines create internal chaos for clients—costing you business when stakeholders lose confidence.
- (2:24) Radical Realism: Swap "yes-man" habits for:
- Transparent communication: "We’ve identified a delay—let’s solve it together"
- Achievable timelines: "Rushing compromises quality" (with gentle pushback)
- Proactive problem-solving: "Here’s how we’ve navigated this before"
- (6:01) Real-Deal Win: Case study on how admitting limitations won global client JLL ("Now we manage expectations—no surprises").
- (7:01) The Strategic "No": Reframe rejections as collaborations:
- "We can’t do X, but let’s crush Y to meet your goals"
- "That’s parked for now—I’ll update if priorities shift"
- (9:40) Overservicing Myth: Going "above and beyond" often backfires (Gartner’s "zone of wasted effort")—focus on reliability instead.
Your Next Steps
(Ditch overpromising today)
- Reset one promise: Audit commitments with "Would I stake my reputation (or my mom’s) on this?"
- Practice radical honesty: Share one challenge + solution in your next client meeting (no sugarcoating).
- Reframe a "no": Turn a past overpromise into a client-aligned pivot ("While we can’t X, we can achieve Y by Z").
Renew with Integrity!
- Master under-promising/over-delivering: Join The KAM Club for scripts, templates, and trust-building frameworks.
- Share your "radical realism" win: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with how honesty saved a client relationship!
What if your most powerful phrase as an account manager isn't "I have the solution" – but "I don't know"?Many of us feel exhausted by the pressure to be perfect, but here's why embracing strategic vulnerability changes everything. Discover how admitting uncertainty builds deeper trust, sparks collaborative problem-solving, and turns "I'll find out" into your ultimate credibility booster with clients.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:24) The Perfection Trap: Why pretending to know everything exhausts you and erodes trust.
- (1:17) Bluffing Backfires: How invented solutions damage credibility (and create implementation nightmares).
- (4:06) The Honesty Reset: Swap "faking it" for "I’ll find out"—clients value resourcefulness over omniscience.
- (5:17) 4Assumption Audit: Challenge your biases with humility-driven questions ("What blind spots am I missing?").
(7:39) Co-Learning Mindset: Treat clients as experts—ask "What’s one impactful lesson you’ve learned lately?" - (10:14) Vulnerability ≠ Oversharing: The fine line between constructive transparency and TMI (with real-world fails).
Your Next Steps
(Embrace the "I don’t know" advantage)
- Try the phrase: Use "That’s a great question—let me dig deeper and circle back" in your next client call.
- Journal assumptions: Note 1 preconceived idea before meetings—then test its accuracy afterward.
- Ask co-learning questions: In one conversation, probe: "What challenge should I know about that I might be overlooking?"
- Audit oversharing: Post-meeting, ask: "Did my transparency help the client—or burden them?"
Unlock Authentic Influence!
- Master strategic vulnerability: Join The KAM Club for live workshops and trust-building scripts,
- Share your "I don’t know" win: Tag Warwick Brown on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with how honesty deepened a client relationship!
Your greatest strength isn’t knowing everything—it’s being brave enough to learn. 🌟🧠
Renewals aren’t just paperwork—they’re your golden ticket to transform vendor relationships into strategic partnerships. Stop dreading the "money talk" and start leveraging renewals to deepen trust, align with evolving goals, and unlock growth.
Discover why timing trumps tactics, how to reframe price hikes as value accelerators, and why your client’s silence isn’t consent.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:33) Renewal ≠ Chore: Flip the script—use renewals to elevate partnerships, not just retain accounts.
- (1:57) Timing Is Everything: Initiate conversations 3-6 months early (clients plan exits before you know it).
- (4:14) Objectives That Win: Aim for multi-year deals, preferred status, or value-backed price adjustments ("We cut your costs by 15%—imagine year two").
- (6:24) Pre-Renewal Power Moves:
- Value Proof: Explicitly recap wins (don’t assume they remember).
- Insight Hunting: Resurface past client pain points to show progress.
- Internal Alignment: Mobilize teams before negotiations start.
- (9:50) Defuse Objections: Offer tiered pricing, phased rollouts, or service-level options (e.g., "Pay more for white-glove service or less for reactive support").
- (12:04) Decision-Mapping: "Who signs off?" Ask early—avoid invisible stakeholders sinking your deal.
Your Next Steps
(Turn "maybe" into "yes" this quarter)
- Schedule now: Book renewal chats 3-6 months out for 1 key account.
- Define YOUR win: Pick one objective (e.g., multi-year deal) and craft a client-centric pitch.
- Audit value gaps: List 3 specific wins you’ve delivered (e.g., cost savings, efficiency gains).
- Map decision-makers: Identify & engage ALL stakeholders before talks begin.
Resources
- Book: The Expansion Sale by Peterson/Reisterer (Renewal playbook)
- Article: 45 Best Questions to Uncover Client Needs (Read it here)
- Intercom’s 2025 CX Trends (AI’s impact on loyalty)
Renew with Confidence!
- Master strategic renewals: Join The KAM Club for templates, negotiation scripts, and live coaching:
- Share your renewal hack: Tag Warwick Brown on LinkedIn (@warwickkambrown) with your best "maybe-to-yes" tactic!
Your renewal isn’t an endpoint—it’s the launchpad for your next growth chapter. 🚀✍️
Bad news doesn’t have to break trust—it can build it. Discover how to transform dreaded client conversations into relationship-strengthening moments with a battle-tested 5-step framework.
From ripping off the band-aid (without bleeding out) to turning venting sessions into loyalty builders, learn why your response matters more than the mistake itself.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The Trust Test: Why avoiding bad news destroys relationships faster than the news itself.
- (1:32) Flip the Script: Clients don’t expect perfection—they demand transparency and accountability.
- (2:35) The 5-Step Rescue Plan:
- Prepare: Ditch your feelings—focus on their impact (not your nerves).
- Be Direct: "Rip the band-aid" with empathy → facts → context (no sugarcoating!).
- Solution First: Bad news + no plan = trust killer. Always lead with fixes.
- Listen Deeply: Let clients vent (interruptions = death).
- Follow Up: That "we’re fine" email? It’s a trap. Re-engage within 48 hours.
- (7:12) Warwick’s $20k Mistake: How emotional reactions torpedo credibility (and how to stay ice-cold).
- (9:03) Empathy Hacks: "I know this isn’t what you hoped for" + "Here’s exactly what we’re doing."
Your Next Steps
(Turn panic into partnership)
- Prep your next "ouch" talk: Use the 5-step framework (jot key points + rehearse!).
- Swap "I" for "we": Reframe one message as a shared challenge (e.g., "Here’s how we get back on track").
- Schedule follow-ups: Lock in post-bad-news check-ins to make sure the anything unsaid gets said.
- Debrief yourself: After tough convos, ask: "What would I do differently next time?"
Resources
- Book: Difficult Conversations by Stone/Patton/Heen (Master the emotional layers)
Turn Crisis into Credibility!
- Level up your tough talks: Join The KAM Club for live role-plays, scripts, and peer support.
- Share your win: Tag Warwick on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with your best "bad news turned breakthrough" story!
Bad news is inevitable—broken trust isn’t. Deliver with courage, not cringe. 🔥🗣️
Ever pitched a "perfect" idea only to face blank stares? The secret to winning buy-in isn’t in your data deck—it’s in flipping the script to focus on their needs.
Discover the 3 Cs framework (Clarity, Credibility, Connection), master the art of strategic questioning, and learn why stories beat spreadsheets every time.
Stop talking features—start solving problems.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The Buy-In Blind Spot: Why great ideas fail when you lead with your agenda instead of their pain points.
- (1:05) Flip the Script: "People don’t buy your idea—they buy how it solves their problem" (the "What’s in it for them?" litmus test).
- (2:25) The 3 Cs Framework:
- Clarity: Simplify complex ideas with analogies (e.g., "Your strategy GPS").
- Credibility: Blend data with stories—numbers inform, stories persuade.
- Connection: Tap into emotions (logic justifies, emotion decides).
- (5:24) Questions > Monologues: Swap pitches for collaborative dialogues (e.g., "What would 5 extra hours weekly mean for your team?").
- (6:06) Storytelling Mastery: Position your client as the hero—not your product (Philip Hum’s Story Selling Method).
Your Next Steps
(Turn theory into action)
- Reframe one pitch: Rewrite your next proposal opening around their goals (not your features).
- Craft a killer analogy: Convert a complex concept into a simple, relatable comparison (e.g., "This tool = your profit compass").
- Prep one open-ended question: For your next meeting, spark collaboration (e.g., "What does success look like here?").
- Test the 3 Cs: Apply Clarity/Credibility/Connection to a stalled idea this week.
Resources
- Book: The Story Selling Method by Philip Hum (story-driven persuasion framework).
- TED Talk: Simon Sinek’s Start With Why (purpose-driven pitches).
- Course: Influencing People (University of Michigan).
- Bain’s B2B Value Pyramid: 40 corporate value drivers.
Master Persuasion!
- Unlock more influence tactics: Join The KAM Club for workshops, templates, and live coaching
- Share your win: Tag Warwick Brown on LinkedIn (@warwickabrown) with your best "idea flip" story!
Your ideas deserve applause—not blank stares. Sell solutions, not slides. 🎯💬
Why do smart, capable key account managers stall their own success? Self-sabotage—those sneaky habits like procrastination, perfectionism, and fear—might be silently derailing your growth.
In this raw, personal episode, we expose the hidden patterns holding you back (yes, I’ve been there too), share eye-opening "aha" moments from a life-changing book, and give you a battle-tested 5-step plan to break free.
Ready to trade self-doubt for unstoppable momentum? Let’s climb that mountain.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The Hidden Saboteur: How procrastination masks deeper fears (like my midnight workshop panic).
- (2:41) Sneaky Tactics Exposed: Perfectionism, overcommitting, imposter syndrome—and why they feel "safe."
- (8:24) Root Causes Unpacked: Fear of failure vs. fear of success (yes, both sabotage you).
- (11:13) The Perfectionism Trap: Why tweaking bullet points for an hour is career self-harm.
- (13:22) Your 5-Step Escape Plan: Awareness → thought reframing → small steps → progress > perfection → embracing discomfort.
- (17:00) The Mountain Metaphor: Why your biggest barrier is you (and how to start climbing).
Your Next Steps
(Break the cycle today)
- Spot one sabotage pattern: Journal where you procrastinated/overthought this week (e.g., delayed client email?).
- Reframe fear into fuel: Replace “I’ll fail” with “This is my chance to grow” (workshop this daily!).
- Take one micro-action: Draft one imperfect slide instead of waiting for “perfect” time.
- Read Chapter 1 of The Mountain Is You (link below)—it’s your sabotage antidote.
- Share your struggle: DM me your biggest takeaway (@warwickkambrown on LinkedIn).
Resources
- Book: The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest (Get it here)
- Imposter Syndrome Article: Conquer Your Inner Critic
Join the Climb!
- Stop sabotaging, start thriving: Join The KAM Club for coaching, templates, and community support.
- Share your story: DM Warwick on LinkedIn or email hello@thekamcoach.com—your vulnerability helps others heal.
Your career mountain isn’t a barrier—it’s your launchpad. One step at a time, hero. 🧗♂️💥
What if one strategy could make or break your business in 2025? Spoiler: It’s Key Account Management (KAM).
Forget chasing new leads—2025 is all about deepening partnerships. Discover why companies with strong KAM programs are crushing market share and profitability, how to dodge common pitfalls like bureaucracy and tech overload, and why AI and sustainability are your secret weapons.
Ready to transform clients into growth partners? Let’s dive in.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) KAM’s Dominance: Why 2025 is the tipping point—hyper-competition meets relationship-driven growth.
- (1:11) Proven Results: Companies with KAM programs outperform peers in retention + profitability (backed by a 568-company study).
- (3:46) The KAM Trifecta: Customer obsession, leadership buy-in, and cross-team collaboration—non-negotiables for success.
- (7:12) Avoid These Traps: Bureaucratic processes, tech overload, and ignoring sustainability goals.
- (10:49) Future-Proof Trends: AI for predictive insights, green-aligned strategies, and hyper-personalization.
(12:07) You’re the Hero: Why KAMs are growth engines—solving problems, not just selling. - (13:22) Start Small: Audit accounts, set co-created goals, and shift from transactions to transformations.
Your Next Steps
(Actionable takeaways)
- Audit your accounts: Identify maintenance-mode relationships vs. growth opportunities.
- Host strategy sessions: Co-create quarterly plans with clients (20%+ spend boosts reported!).
- Streamline one process: Cut bureaucracy slowing KAM agility.
- Explore AI tools: Use predictive analytics to spot risks/opportunities early.
- Align with sustainability: Map one client initiative to their ESG goals.
Resources
- The Influence of KAM on Competitive Advanta Study: Download Here
- "A Love Letter to Key Account Management": Read the Article
Join the Revolution!
- Unlock more KAM strategies: Join The KAM Club for templates, playbooks, and coaching.
- Fuel the movement: Subscribe + leave a review! Your feedback helps us spotlight KAM heroes worldwide.
2025 isn’t just coming—it’s yours to own. Build partnerships, not pipelines. 🚀
Is your client demanding platinum service for brass-tier pricing? Do they expect midnight emails, personal favors, or free consulting—while treating your contract like a suggestion box?
You’re not imagining it: scope creep, boundary violations, and "urgent-everything" are silently burning you out and eroding partnership trust. Join Warwick Brown as he exposes the 8 red flags of client expectations (including the "incremental ask" trap) and shares battle-tested scripts to reset limits without torching the relationship.
Say goodbye to being a human workaround—and reclaim your sanity.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) Boundary Betrayal: Why clients treat your kindness like a weakness—and how you trained them to do it.
- (1:37) 8 Red Flags of Wild Expectations: Scope creep, 24/7 demands, personal favors, manual workarounds, free consulting, bypassing procedures, excessive meetings, doing their job .
- (5:06) The Ticking Time Bomb: How tiny "harmless" requests (like merging reports) explode into 2-year burdens.
- (7:17) Reset Toolkit:
- The Scope Doc: Define deliverables, responsibilities, and limitations upfront.
- Process Enforcement: Stop workarounds; redirect to proper channels.
- "Warning Shot" Tactic: Gracefully redirect once—then hold the line
- (8:08) Self-Service Jedi Moves: Tools like Guidde (AI video tutorials) and Loom (screen-share GIFs) to empower clients away from dependency.
- (9:23) Response Rhythm: Never be an "instant reply" person—schedule buffers even for 5-minute tasks.
- (10:46) Proactive Peacemaker: How one communication lapse nearly lost a client—and the fix that saved it.
Resources
- Boundary Blueprint: Make sure clients know what you do (and don't) with the KAM Charter Template (customizable, non-legal!).
- Self-Service Tools:
- Guidde: Create AI-powered tutorial videos
- Loom: Screen-recording app for quick explainers
Your Next Steps
(Reclaim control this week)
- Audit Your "Yes" List: Identify one recurring client ask that crosses boundaries (e.g., manual reports).
- Script Your Redirect: "I’ll handle this today, but next time use [portal/channel]—here’s a 60-second guide!"
- Buffer Up: Add 24-hour padding to non-urgent requests (no exceptions!).
- Explain Your Role: Customize The KAM Charter template and pick a client to review it with to set some boundaries.
Tame the Beast!
- Join the KAM Club: Get scripts, templates, and coaching to enforce boundaries confidently.
- Share Your Win: Tag Warwick (@warwickabrown) with your boundary-breaking moment—#ExpectationsTamed.
Hero Challenge: Implement one redirect tactic to reduce scope creep this week—then celebrate! 🎉
Tired of saying "yes" to extra work, unrealistic deadlines, and blame that isn’t yours—just to keep the peace? You’re not alone. Discover how to swap people-pleasing for empowered self-advocacy with battle-tested scripts, confidence boosters, and a no-bullshit blueprint for setting boundaries.
Learn why your values are your secret weapon, how to turn "pushover" into "respected negotiator," and why that promised promotion often vanishes when you don’t speak up.
Highlights
(Key insights with timestamps)
- (0:00) The People-Pleaser Trap: Why saying "yes" erodes your value—and trains others to exploit you.
- (1:37) 10 Red Flags You’re Being Undervalued: Extra work without recognition, micro-management, sacrificed work-life balance, taking blame for others’ mistakes.
- (3:56) Warwick’s Burnout Story: How silent compliance at Expedia led to 12 months of unpaid overtime and broken promises.
- (6:48) Your Values Compass: Journaling + morning pages to spot compromises before they crush you.
- (8:00) Confidence Hack for Introverts: Role-play tough conversations first—plus the book that rewires self-doubt (Networking for Introverts).
- (9:44) Boundary Scripts That Work:
- "I’m focused on X right now; I can tackle this by [date]."
- "I can’t take this on—here’s who can help."
- (11:02) The "Interruption Intervention": How Warwick stopped team hoverers with calendar boundaries.
- (12:49) Risk-Framing Magic: The exact argument that won Warwick extra headcount ("Unsupported clients WILL leave").
- (14:10) Free Coaching Alert: Join The KAM Club’s open office hours for practicing your pitch.
Resources
- Book Suggestion: Networking for Introverts (confidence-building playbook).
- Morning Pages: Journaling technique to reflect on your values and daily experiences.
Your Next Steps
(Start today—no permission needed)
- Spot Your "Yes" Weak Spot: Pick one recurring demand that drains you (e.g., after-hours emails).
- Script Your Pushback: Use Warwick’s templates above verbatim.
- Pre-Game Tough Talks: Role-play with a friend (or your cat!).
- Journal Your Win: Note how it felt to hold the line.
Stop Apologizing. Start Advocating.
- Find Your Assertive Voice: Join The KAM Club for live role-play workshops, boundary scripts, and 1:1 coaching to turn pushbacks into promotions.
- LinkedIn Action Prompt: Share one boundary you're setting this week at work—and tag Warwick (@warwickabrown) to celebrate your assertive step!
Silence serves others. Your voice serves your future. 🌅🗣️
Ever feel like you're drowning in a sea of clients with no way out? In this episode, we'll reveal surprising strategies to turn that chaos into control and even find time to be proactive.
Discover game-changing tips that will help you prioritize, streamline communication, and leverage technology to manage your client portfolio efficiently.
What you'll learn.
- Common issue: Account managers handling too many accounts.
- Key strategy 1: Prioritization – categorize clients based on potential revenue, risk of churn, and strategic importance.
- Key strategy 2: Streamline communication – implement a communication cadence and use standardized email templates.
- Key strategy 3: Leverage technology – use tools like TextExpander, Harper.AI, and Fathom for efficiency.
- Key strategy 4: Set boundaries – define working hours and response windows to manage client expectations.
Resources:
- Stephen Covey's "First Things First"
- TextExpander
- Harper.AI
- Fathom
Support the Podcast:
- Subscribe to the podcast for more expert tips on key account management.
- Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others discover the show.
- Visit TKCpodcast.com/041 for detailed show notes and additional resources.
- Join The KAM Club for more in-depth training, coaching and resources. Visit www.thekamclub.com for more info.
Are you a key account manager eager to dive into managing your clients, but find yourself blocked by a founder who won’t hand over the reins? This episode is tailor-made for you.
Join us as we explore effective strategies to navigate this tricky transition and gain the independence you need to lead.
What You'll Learn:
- Understanding Emotional Bonds: Dive into why founders cling to control and how you can connect with them empathetically.
- Trust-Building Tactics: Learn concrete steps to build trust and get that green light from founders.
- Effective Communication: Master the art of keeping founders informed without bombarding them.
- Showcasing Your Value: Discover how to spotlight your wins and solidify your worth.
- Seamless Transitions: Gain strategies for a smooth account handover that even the most cautious founders will back.
- Handling Difficult Situations: Get tips on managing tough accounts and soothing founder worries.
Step up and steer your key accounts from busy to boss. Master these crucial strategies and start leading with confidence.
Loved this guide? Subscribe for more game-changing insights and share with fellow KAMs. Elevate your skills further by joining our community at thekamclub.com for exclusive resources and personalized coaching.
ABOUT THE KAM CLUB: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.
- Join the Community: Visit thekamclub.com for exclusive content, training, and one-to-one coaching.
- Subscribe: Don't miss out on future insights. Subscribe to The KAM Club podcast now.
- Feedback: Loved this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!
- Stay in Touch: Subscribe to Account Minded newsletter at accountminded.me and follow us on Telegram at t.me/thekamclub
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Ever wonder how you can build trust with clients you rarely meet in person? This episode unveils simple CRM strategies that key account managers use to create strong, trustworthy relationships, even from afar. Tune in to learn how you can too!
KEY POINTS:
- Emphasize Long-Term Thinking: Approach every client relationship with a long-term perspective, thinking of it as a decade-long partnership rather than focusing on immediate transactions.
- Start Small to Build Trust: Begin relationships with small, manageable projects to build trust and credibility before moving on to larger deals.
- Simplify CRM Use: Use a simplified CRM system that focuses on the essentials—contacts, notes, and reminders—to avoid overwhelm and increase usability.
- Record Personal Details: Make note of personal details and follow up on them in future interactions to show genuine interest and care.
- Utilize Visual Reminders: Use photos or screenshots from meetings to help remember details and maintain a personal connection.
- Establish Regular Cadences: Set up a regular communication schedule to stay in touch with clients and ensure you are top of mind.
- Focus on Incremental Wins: Aim for small victories that demonstrate your reliability and deepen trust over time.
- Think Customer-First: Always consider the client’s perspective and potential concerns, especially in a remote setting.
- Keep It Simple: Reduce complexity in your CRM and relationship management strategies to make maintaining relationships easier and more effective.
RESOURCES:
- Parma.ai. Parma is a minimalistic CRM that helps you remember who your customers are, what they like, and when you last connected. So simple that you will actually love using it.
- Mark Kofman on LinkedIn. Connect with our guest Mark, founder and COO of Parma.
- Show notes. Visit tkcpodcast.com/038
ABOUT THE KAM CLUB: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.
- Join the Community: Visit thekamclub.com for exclusive content, training, and one-to-one coaching.
- Subscribe: Don't miss out on future insights. Subscribe to The KAM Club podcast now.
- Feedback: Loved this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!
- Stay in Touch: Subscribe to Account Minded newsletter at accountminded.me and follow us on Telegram at t.me/thekamclub
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Feeling overwhelmed and lost in your new Key Account Manager role? Don't worry, Agent Rookie KAM, this episode is your mission briefing. We'll equip you with five launchpad ideas to propel you past confusion and into the success stratosphere
KEY POINTS:
Be a news hound: Immerse yourself in industry publications and attend conferences to stay up-to-date and establish yourself as a trusted advisor.
Cultivate depth, not just breadth: Build strong relationships with key stakeholders within your client's organization.
Master the art of storytelling, not just a spreadsheet: Use data to tell compelling narratives that showcase the impact of your solutions.
Embrace the power of collaboration: Build relationships with colleagues from other departments to gain internal support and expertise.
Invest in continuous learning: Take courses, seek mentors, and be open to feedback to improve your skills and knowledge.
BONUS INTEL:
Uncover tactical tips for navigating handovers, taking initiative, and staying organized.
Learn how to manage your most important client: your boss.
Discover the secret to securing quick wins and building momentum in your first few months.
RESOURCES & LINKS:
Show notes: https://tkcpodcast.com/037
Notion 30/60/90 Day Success Plan template: https://store.thekamcoach.com/l/90dayplan
The Best 90 Day Success Plan Every New Account Manager Needs [+ Template]: https://www.thekamcoach.com/30-60-90-day-plan-for-account-managers/
Relationship Mapping for Key Account Management [+ Templates]: https://www.thekamcoach.com/relationship-mapping/
A Simple Guide to Data Analysis For Key Account Managers: https://www.thekamcoach.com/data-analysis-for-busy-account-managers/
ABOUT THE KAM CLUB: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.
Join the Community: Visit thekamclub.com for exclusive content, training, and one-to-one coaching.
Subscribe: Don't miss out on future insights. Subscribe to The KAM Club podcast now.
Feedback: Loved this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!
Stay in Touch: Subscribe to Account Minded newsletter at accountminded.me and follow us on Telegram at t.me/thekamclub
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Unlock the mysteries of key account management (KAM)! This episode tackles 5 common misconceptions, revealing the realities and challenges KAMs face. Buckle up for insights and action steps to level up your game
- Myth 1: KAM is all about maintaining relationships, not sales.
- Myth 2: Key account managers only handle a few clients.
- Myth 3: KAMs always side with the client, avoiding conflict.
- Myth 4: KAMs are isolated from the rest of the organisation.
- Myth 5: The role of key account management is becoming obsolete with AI and automation.
Resources & Links:
- Day in the Life of a Key Account Manager Video: youtu.be/g973DKj49JA
- What is Key Account Management Video: youtu.be/elFa2kcaQ_s
- The KAM Club: thekamclub.com
- Episode Show notes. tkcpodcast.com/036
About The KAM Club: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.
Join the Community: Visit thekamclub.com for exclusive content, training, and one-to-one coaching.
Subscribe: Don't miss out on future insights. Subscribe to The KAM Club podcast now.
Feedback: Loved this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!
Stay in Touch: Subscribe to Account Minded newsletter at accountminded.me and follow us on Telegram at t.me/thekamclub
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
Stop the turf war! Key Account Managers and Customer Success Managers aren't rivals; they're a power duo. Discover how their unique skills combine to drive unbeatable customer value. Tune in and unlock the secrets to their success.
KEY POINTS:
Distinct Yet Interconnected: Explore the essential differences and mutual goals of KAM and CS roles.
Revenue Growth vs. Value Delivery: How KAM's strategic partnerships contrast with CS's focus on maximizing product usage.
Bridging the Gap: Strategies for fostering better collaboration between KAM and CS teams.
The Debate on Customer Retention: Analyzing each role's contribution to customer loyalty and business expansion.
Towards Unified Success: Practical steps for integrating the efforts of KAM and CS for holistic customer success.
RESOURCES:
For more details and resources, visit the show notes at https://tkcpodcast.com/035
Interested in sponsoring the show? Get your message in front of a highly targeted and engaged audience. Learn more at https://tkcpodcast.com/sponsor
Stay tuned for more episodes that explore the intricacies of account management and how to excel in customer-centric roles within the tech industry.
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Ever wonder if your key account management skills could unlock doors in any industry? Dive into this episode as discuss transferrable skill across sectors, revealing tailored strategies for success no matter where you're at.
In This Episode:
- The Nuances of Key Account Management: Discover whether key account management skills are universally applicable across different industries or if customization is needed.
- The Core Similarities and Differences: Understand how key account management stays consistent yet demands adaptability in strategy across various sectors.
-
Industry-specific Strategies: Learn about the unique approaches required in SaaS, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.
- SaaS Focus: Insights on the importance of upselling and the need for agility.
- Manufacturing Emphasis: How CAMs ensure efficiency and reliability.
- Pharmaceutical Sector: The critical role of regulatory compliance and clinical knowledge.
- Adapting to a New Industry: Tips for key account managers moving into unfamiliar industry territories.
-
Exclusive Insights for Success:
-
Industry Research: The cornerstone of effective strategy.
- Customisation and Continuous Learning: Essential for staying relevant.
- Networking and Flexibility: Building connections and being adaptable.
- Resource Highlight: Grab your free copy of the 21-page Complete Account Manager’s Guide to Client Research, offering resources and checklists.
Resources:
- Visit our website tkcpodcast.com/034 for show notes and downloads.
- Grab your copy of the Complete Account Manager's Guide to Client Research to level up your industry insight.
- Subscribe to stay updated with the latest tips, tricks, and trends key account managers need to know.
- Join the ranks of elite key account managers. The KAM Club provides exclusive training and peer support to unlock your potential and accelerate your career as an exceptional key account manager. Everything you need to excel is waiting inside.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
Ever wondered if you're cut out to be a key account manager? In this episode, we dive deep into the qualities that make a good key account manager and reveal how you can unlock your potential in this dynamic role. Join us as we explore the essential skills, strategies, and mindset that set exceptional account managers apart.
Show notes at https://tkcpodcast.com/033
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Whether you're already in the field or dreaming of becoming a key account manager, this episode is packed with valuable insights and guidance to help you thrive. Get ready to test yourself and unlock your potential in the world of key account management.
[00:00] Introduction [02:53] - Relationship building [03:42] - Strategic thinking [04:31] - Communication skills [05:29] - Business acumen [05:58] - Problem solving abilities [06:45] - Collaboration and influencing skills [08:05] - Results orientated [08:50] Free key account management career development plan and courses [09:24] - The KAM Club [09:57] - The benefits of experience and mentorship [10:47] - Why you must be a lifelong learner to succeed in KAM [11:19] - The value of feedback and self-reflection [11:55] - Outro
RESOURCES
The KAM Club
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That's right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web - direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you'd like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- 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 KAM Club Store. Pick up some cute merch for the professional on the way up, including mugs, t-shirts and more.
In this episode
- Key Account Management Career Development Plan. A free Trello project plan to help you acquire the skills needed to be a successful key account manager.
- 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.
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
Key Account Management vs Sales: Different roles or two sides of the same coin? In this episode we take a provocative look at what sets sales and key account management apart. And the surprising similarities that unite them. Get ready to unravel the mysteries of sales and key account management, and learn the answer to the age-old question, "What is the difference between key account management and sales?"
Show notes at https://tkcpodcast.com/032
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Join us as we dive into the captivating world of sales and key account management. Discover the surprising similarities and differences that set them apart. From customer acquisition to customer retention, individual deals to overall relationships, and short-term objectives to long-term growth, we'll explore it all!
🕑 Timestamps:
- [00:00] Introduction: Unlocking the truth
- [01:08] Acquisition vs retention: The first distinction
- [01:34] Large customer base vs small customer base: Exploring the customer landscape
- [01:46] Individual deals vs overall relationship: A closer look at the focus
- [02:13] Long term vs short term objectives: Goals that shape the approach
- [02:39] Complexity of the sales cycles: Understanding the sales journey
- [03:23] Internal collaboration needs: The power of teamwork
- [04:10] Approach to customer advocacy: Elevating the customer experience
- [05:03] Different contribution to revenue: Key account management's impact
- [05:58] Customer value orientation: Going beyond transactions
- [06:53] About Apollo: Our sponsor's message
- [08:18] Similarities between Sales and KAM: Where they converge
- [08:26] Relationship building: Building bridges with customers
- [09:00] Revenue generation: Driving business growth
- [09:25] Customer focus: Putting the customer first
- [09:52] Communication skills: Art of effective persuasion
- [10:11] Results orientation: Measuring success
- [10:54] Summary: Bridging the gap
Don't miss out on this eye-opening episode that will transform your understanding of sales and key account management. Hit that subscribe button to stay tuned and elevate your skills! 🚀
RESOURCES
The KAM Club
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That's right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web - direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you'd like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- 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 KAM Club Store. Pick up some cute merch for the professional on the way up, including mugs, t-shirts and more.
In this episode
- Apollo.io. Search, engage and convert over 250 million contacts at over 60 million companies with Apollo's sales intelligence and engagement platform. Sign up for free.
- How Key Account Managers Can Overcome Internal Conflict. An episode from The KAM Club archives all about how key account managers can get the help the need from internal teams and what to do when conflict happens.
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
Episode Description:
Feeling a lack of enthusiasm for what you're selling? Don't worry, you're not alone. In this game-changing episode, we'll provide valuable insights and practical tips to help you rediscover your passion and excel in sales. From evaluating your mindset to celebrating success and embracing challenges, we've got you covered. Join us as we explore how to reignite your excitement, no matter what you're selling.
What You'll Learn:
- Discover strategies to find passion for what you sell
- Identify and assess your current mindset
- Evaluate your job and explore ways to enhance it
- Gain industry knowledge and stay updated
- Focus on the benefits of your products/services
- Get to know your customers and their needs
- Celebrate your successes to fuel motivation
- Surround yourself with positive people for inspiration
- Set realistic goals to stay motivated and achieve growth
- Learn from others in the field for continuous improvement
- Practice gratitude to cultivate a positive mindset
- Take regular breaks for rejuvenation and balance
- Develop new skills to stay competitive
- Learn about The KAM Club and its resources
- Connect with colleagues for support and collaboration
- Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth
- Find purpose and meaning in your work by connecting it to a larger vision
Tune in now to reignite your passion and unlock your full sales potential!
Show notes and transcript at https://tkcpodcast.com/031
LINKS MENTIONED
- So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
- The Perfect Close by James Muir
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
- LinkedIn Poll "Do you Need to Be Passionate About What You Sell?"
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
We're delving into the world of key account management and uncovering the top 10 common mistakes that can hinder your success as a KAM. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable insights to take your key account management skills to the next level. Whether you're looking to avoid these common pitfalls or enhance your existing skills, this episode is a must-listen for anyone in the world of key account management. Let's dive in and transform your approach to KAM!
Show notes and transcript available at tkcpodcast.com/030
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
From neglecting relationships to failing to listen, we're shining a spotlight on the pitfalls that many key account managers fall into. You'll discover the importance of building strong relationships with key stakeholders within the client's organization and why being proactive in identifying new business opportunities is crucial.
Communication is key, and we'll explore how failing to effectively communicate with internal stakeholders about account statuses or potential issues can impact your success. Plus, we'll discuss the delicate balance between being assertive and being too pushy when closing a sale, ensuring you maintain long-lasting relationships with your clients.
But that's not all! We'll dive into the importance of staying informed about emerging trends and technologies, as well as the art of truly understanding the problem before offering solutions. You'll learn to set realistic expectations with clients, avoid making promises that cannot be kept, and gain a clear understanding of what makes an account profitable or not.
And let's not forget the ultimate secret to success—putting the client's needs first. We'll discuss why being overly focused on your own goals and objectives can hinder your effectiveness as a key account manager.
Here are 10 common mistakes key account managers make:
- Not building strong relationships with key stakeholders within the client's organization.
- Not being proactive in identifying new business opportunities.
- Failing to communicate effectively with internal stakeholders regarding the status of accounts or potential issues that may arise.
- Being too pushy or aggressive when trying to close a sale, which can damage relationships with clients over time.
- Not taking enough initiative to learn about emerging trends or technologies that could benefit clients' businesses.
- Offering solutions before fully understanding the problem at hand
- Making promises that cannot be kept due to limitations in resources or capabilities
- Not having a clear understanding of why an account is profitable (or not).
- Not properly setting expectations with clients around timelines and deliverables.
- Being too focused on their own goals and objectives instead of the client's needs.
RESOURCES
The KAM Club
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That’s right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web – direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you’d like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- 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.
In this episode
- 15 Reasons Why You Might Be A Bad Account Manager.
- How Key Account Managers Can Overcome Internal Conflict.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
Craving a career that combines passion and success? Listen as we uncover the 15 awe-inspiring reasons why being a key account manager is an unbeatable choice.
In this episode you will gain valuable insights into the world of key account management. We'll explore the reasons why becoming a key account manager is not only an exciting professional choice but also a pathway to long-term success. From unparalleled opportunities for career growth and high earning potential to the chance to work with diverse industries and build strong relationships, this role offers a dynamic and fulfilling journey.
Join us as we discuss why being a key account manager could unlock your professional dreams.
- [00:50] Introduction
- [01:32] Opportunity for career growth and advancement within the organization
- [02:19] High earning potential through performance-based incentives and bonuses
- [03:01] Exposure to a diverse range of industries and clients
- [03:52] Opportunity to develop strong relationships with clients and stakeholders
- [04:49] Ability to work with and learn from experienced professionals in the field
- [05:50] Access to valuable training and development programs
- [06:45] About The KAM Club
- [07:23] Opportunities for travel and global experiences
- [08:10] Chance to work on high-profile projects and initiatives
- [09:03] Opportunity to make a tangible impact on the growth and success of the organization
- [09:37] Opportunities to work with cross-functional teams and collaborate with other departments
- [10:32] Ability to develop a deep understanding of clients' needs and challenges
- [*] Opportunity to develop and implement innovative solutions to meet clients' needs
- [11:05] Chance to work with cutting-edge technologies and tools
- [12:13] Ability to build a strong personal brand within the industry
- [13:10] Opportunity to build a robust professional network of contacts and connections.
-
[14:08] Outro
-
Apologies - on editing the podcast I realised I forgot to talk about the 12th reason, that you get to develop and implement creative solutions.
Show notes, including mentioned resources and compete transcript available at tkcpodcast.com/029RESOURCES
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That's right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web - direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you'd like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- 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.
- Life After Key Account Management? What Happens Next?
- Why Smart Key Account Managers Build a Personal Brand.
- How Much Money Does a Key Account Manager Really Make?
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with work and responsibilities. Many of us struggle to keep up with the demands of our jobs, which can lead to stress, burnout, and a decrease in productivity. Listen to the episode as we explore 15 ways to simplify your work and make your life easier. Get ready to learn some valuable tips that will help make your work life easier and reclaim your time and energy.
- [00:53] The inspiration for this episode
- [02:26] Prioritise tasks.
- [02:37] Focus on one task at a time.
- [03:03] Delegate tasks.
- [03:34] Use a task list.
- [06:07] Minimise distractions.
- [06:31] Take breaks
- [06:58] Learn to say done.
- [07:09] Continuously evaluate and improve.
- [08:12] Use templates
- [09:45] Manage time spent on email.
- [10:38] Get feedback.
- [11:00] Learn to say “not now”
- [11:47] Take advantage of technology.
- [12:21] Stay organized
- [13:09] Celebrate small wins.
Check out the show notes, including links and complete transcript at https://tkcpodcast.com/028
RESOURCES
The KAM Club
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That’s right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web – direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you’d like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- 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.
IN THIS EPISODE
- Readwise. Readwise makes it easy to revisit and learn from your ebook & article highlights. Sync your highlights from Kindle, Instapaper, Pocket, iBooks, and more. You can review the best parts with their email summaries and it also improves your recall through repetition and reminders. It also has a really nifty share feature that creates images from your highlights for social media (see example above)
- ClickUp. My preferred project management tool of choice. Simplify your work and get more done. The app combines to do lists with documents, whiteboards, dashboards, templates, automation and so much more. Get started for free.
- From To-Do to Done: How to Go from Busy to Productive by Mastering Your To-Do List. Excellent book by Maura Thomas on how to manage your tasks. I really like the author’s system for organizing and prioritizing tasks. Another tip I’ve adopted from this book is to highlight my completed tasks on my paper list instead of crossing them out. Gives you a better sense of accomplishment.
- TextExpander. I love, love, love this tool. TextExpander lets you create customizable snippets of text that allow your team to fly through repetitive tasks quickly by expanding the things you type regularly. I use this for everything from social media hashtags, to email signatures to chasing payment from customers!
- 16 Essential Chrome Extensions to Really Improve Your Workflow. Chrome extensions are a fantastic way to customise the functionality and behaviour of your browser to do just about anything. But.. finding a good chrome extension is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Until now. Listen to this episode of The KAM Club podcast to find out my favourite extensions to improve your workflow (and life).
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
In this episode of The KAM Club podcast we’re diving into the world of client-supplier relationships to uncover the top 13 things clients won’t tell their suppliers. From hidden agendas to unspoken expectations, get ready to discover the secrets that could transform your business partnerships.
Remember, often it’s not what your client’s say—but what they don’t say—that matters.
Find out why clients may not be eager to share information with their suppliers, and why it’s important that you find out. Knowledge is not only power, but helps you make important decisions about how to best work with your client to help them get maximum results from your partnership.
RESOURCES:
- Sponsor The KAM Club podcast. If you enjoy the show, consider sponsoring an episode. Imagine reaching a highly engaged audience of sales, key account management, and customer success professionals without having to leave the office. That’s right, I do all the heavy lifting for you, including writing the scripts and sharing your wonderful products and services with my audience.
- Subscribe to One Step Ahead. My weekly newsletter guaranteed to bring you actionable tips that grow client revenue and retention. No spam, just high quality career, business trends and productivity insights from across the web – direct to your inbox.
- Suggest a topic. Do you have a suggestion for a topic you’d like me to cover in a future episode of The KAM Club podcast? Fill out this brief form and you never know, your idea might feature on an upcoming show.
- Episode show notes. Get links to everything linkable, including the complete show transcrfipt.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-kam-club/message
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.
--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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. Sit tight I'll be right back.
- 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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
It's important to stand out from the crowd if you want to attract and retain clients. But you 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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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 ClubLearn more about the world's greatest community of key account managers from around the globe.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message
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.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kam-club/message