Creating a Dynamite Account Plan

Why do you need an account plan?

When you first decide to approach a company through an introduction, networking event, or from your daily routine, you will need to put together and account plan. This account plan will be part of your power page and it will contain information about your own personal approach to winning the account and a plan on when to follow-up. An account plan is like setting goals. You have the ultimate target and the steps to get where you want to be. One thing about the account plan is that sometimes it takes a long time to get from where you are now to where you want to be, in regards the company you are approaching; sometimes we never get there!

I put an account plan together and my target was a large corporation which shall remain nameless for now. The time between beginning the plan and actually fulfilling the plan was three years. I had to jump through a lot of hoops in order to get to the right people. The timing was also crucial, I had to gauge the best time of year (budget year) to approach the company, and also make sure I had the right knowledge to get in the door. In another case, I put a plan together for another large corporation, found a contact that I already knew from fundraising events, and picked up the contract in fourteen days. I basically knew where I wanted to go with the account and followed through.

Planning and goal setting can be onerous for most of us. It is especially difficult to set company and personal goals but it is extremely important to do them without fail. The only time I have really succeeded in gaining accounts is when I planned the process.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

---

Collection Agency Selection

Frankly, given the legal and regulatory requirements involved in attempting... Read More

Top 7 Small Business Tax Tips

Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to... Read More

A Business Tail: Veterinarian Foams at Mouth, Chases Tail, Learns New Tricks--Case Study

Many self employed professionals find themselves overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused... Read More

How Mastering 5 Essential Money Making Ideas Can Lead Your Business to Longterm Cashflow

Essentially there are 5 tremendously powerful methods to make money... Read More

How To Start A Blind Cleaning Business Quickly And Easily

Starting the blind cleaning business is one of the best... Read More

How to Wash Mobile Homes as a Business

Washing manufactured homes, mobile homes, can be a lucrative and... Read More

Finding the Right People for your Business

Where do you find the right people for a business... Read More

Getting Behind in Your Work? You Need a Virtual Assistant!

If you don't know what a Virtual Assistant (or VA)... Read More

Starting a Virtual Assistant Business

If you're organized, smart, capable and willing to work with... Read More

Become The Squeaky Wheel and Watch Your Business Skyrocket!

Providing high quality customer service is a must for any... Read More

A Great Logo Is A Marketing Must-Have. But Is It Affordable For Small Business Owners?

And is having a logo really that important?My answer to... Read More

Are You Making These Mistakes In Your Business?

You've probably heard the statistic that 95% of small businesses... Read More

The Advisory Board: A Business Owners Most Valuable Resource

As a company grows, the owner's role begins to change.... Read More

Personal Success - Take a Break from Business

Have Some Time to Yourself One of the most important... Read More

Mobile Car Washes and Shoe Policies

Mobile carwashing is hard work, it is tough on the... Read More

Dealing With a Crooked on the Take Government Worker

Many government department heads are on the take. Oh they'll... Read More

Got Stimulation?

An observation while returning home from a seminar: Getting away... Read More

Are You a Small Business Lone Ranger? Take My 10-Question Quiz To Find Out!

So what exactly is a "Small Business Lone Ranger?" A... Read More

Common Mistakes When Planning Your Medical Spa

Everything starts with a business plan: If you don't have... Read More

Creative Business Card Marketing

Announcements can be handed out as a business cardAnnouncements can... Read More

Franchisee; Vacation Managing

Do you own a franchised business? Over 400,000 franchised businesses... Read More

Power Tools for Business

How do we keep track of our business deals?If you... Read More

Setting Prices - Pricing Your Consulting Services

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PRICINGIn case you hadn't noticed, people can... Read More

S Corporation ? What Is It?

For many small businesses, the "S" corporation is the business... Read More

Competition in the Mobile Car Wash Industry

We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our... Read More

Truck Wash Business Case Study

Often smart entrepreneurs look for out of the way businesses,... Read More

The Number of Pages in the UFOC in Franchising is Still Growing Today

Today required franchise disclosure documents are over 200 pages generally.... Read More

Conquering Confidence Killers for Small Business Success

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing... Read More

Comparing Boston Area for a mobile car wash business

The Boston suburbs seem to be rich with possible locations... Read More

Small Business Vendors; Getting the Best Service

If you are a small business you know that you... Read More

Selling Your Business, Entrepreneurs Role

$elling $elling $ellingWhat makes a great sales person? Well, the... Read More

Why is My Restaurant Not Full Every Monday Night?

In a quest for customers and to keep those customers,... Read More

Finance Your Small Business: So Much Money, So Little Time

$37.4 million funded from venture capital today. $86.4 million funded... Read More