Moving into your first Sales Account Manager position is exciting and daunting at the same time. There’s new customers to meet, products to learn about and potentially your first time negotiating. But you have likely moved into sales because you love meeting people, your passionate about what you’re going to sell and you know negotiation is something that can be learnt. For me however, the best part is the buzz when you get the sale!
I have worked in multiple sales positions and have been promoted a number of times. Starting from Sales Support, Junior Account Manager, Account Manager, Key Account Manager and finally as a Sales Manager. I have also worked for small independent British brands where you are a big fish in a small pond. To large global companies where you are a small fish in a big pond. So keep this in mind when applying for Account Manager jobs, and what you think would suit you best. There are pros and cons to both.
If this is your first time in a sales role or a career change you are considering, read my top tips on how to prepare for your first Sales Account Manager role. So you know what to expect and can go in feeling confident.
7 Tips To Help You Prepare For Your First Sales Account Manager Role
1. Spend Time With A Sales Team/Account Manager
Before deciding I wanted to move into a sales position I spent a few days out on the road shadowing the sales team. This is a great opportunity if you can do it. As it will give you a glimpse into what your new work life could potentially look like. Being a Sales Account Manager is not always easy so make sure you know what you are getting yourself in for. You may even get a chance to meet your future accounts!
2. Know Your Product
You will struggle to authentically sell a product if you do not fully understand it or have a good base knowledge of that product. Your buyer will ask you questions so you need to be prepared. If you get asked a very technical question, it’s okay to say ‘I need to check and come back to you on that.’ But ideally you would have all the answers to hand in a product guide or at least stored inside your head somewhere. It goes without saying that you should never make an answer up.
If you are already passionate about the products you sell, this will make moving into a new Account Manager role 10x easier. I can remember a distinct difference in my product knowledge between selling sports bras, which I loved! Compared to men’s underwear which didn’t mean much to me.
3. Know Your Customer
A big % of being a Sales Account Manager is getting to know your clients. I don’t just mean their name and how long they’ve worked at the company. Get to know them on a more personal level but remember there is always a line.
You can usually gauge if your customers are open to telling you about their family life etc. Start with easy questions like what they got up to at the weekend. From there you will be able to learn about their hobbies. E.g ‘My wife made me take part in park run, when she knows I hate running!’. Take notes and you will remember for the next time you speak to them. This way, you’ll have something other than product to talk about. ‘Did you manage to beat your last 5k time?’. Relationship building is so important. Because when it comes down to difficult conversations, it’s easier to have them if you are more comfortable with your buyer.
The other part of knowing your customer is understanding who their end consumer is so you can tailor your product offering to them. E.g if you sell a range of products that are suitable for both genders but your client’s end consumer has a higher % of male customers, you do not want to waste your time or your buyer’s time presenting the full women’s range.
4. Know Your Numbers
Before any meeting with a client, do your due diligence because you need to be prepared.
- Gather a full sales history so you know what they have previously purchased from your company.
- Take a look at the best sellers across your company.
- You should also look at similar customers to them and see what they have been buying.
Knowledge is power and it’s going to put you into a great position when you present to your customer. It also helps give you a full picture of the marketplace which will come in handy when you pitch.
As a new account manager, you will need to learn about margins, discounts, wholesale prices and retail prices. Get clued up on this early on. It’s the basics of being a Sales Account Manager. But don’t stress, you don’t have to be a mathematician to be in sales. Just brush up on your excel skills!
5. Get Comfortable With Presenting
For some people, presenting is a breeze and comes very naturally to them. If that’s you then you’re lucky! For other people it is a skill that needs to be learnt. Even if you are comfortable with standing up in crowd and talking, as a Sales Account Manager physically selling a product is very different. And my key piece of advice is PREPARE and PRACTICE.
There is also a difference between presenting on a video call versus in person. It can be harder to keep a person engaged on a video call but presenting in someone else’s office can feel more daunting. You need to rehearse both scenarios.
6. Learn The Art Of Negotiation
Negotiating as a Sales Account Manager is a vital part of your role. The same as your buyer will have acquired these skills. It can sound daunting but your confidence will grow as you become more comfortable having these types of conversations with your buyers.
If you can sit in a meeting with an experienced Sales Account Manager you will begin to pick up tips on how to negotiate. Reading about it will help but truthfully, the best way to learn is by doing.
7. Under Promise And Over Deliver
There is nothing more annoying and disappointing to a buyer than a sales person that promises the world but doesn’t deliver. Much of sales and account managing is about trust and once that trust is broken with your buyer, it is difficult to earn it back.
If your buyer has a special request, as the Sales Account Manager it’s okay to say ‘I need to check with my manager and come back to you.’ You’ll earn more respect this way and the last thing you want is to make an agreement you shouldn’t and then have to tell your manager about it or let the buyer down.
You don’t actually have to under promise, but the advice here is just don’t over promise.
Taking on board my advice and putting it into practice will help prepare you for your new Sales Account Manager role. You can go in with confidence that you have the knowledge required to be a great account manager and now all you need is some experience. There is no feeling like presenting and securing your first order so enjoy it! Good Luck!
P.s If you want to start looking for Sales Account Manager, Linkedin has always been my go-to. It’s also worth contacting companies directly and shows initiative. A great skill to have in sales!
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