Playyyyy ballllll! Two words I’ve heard yelled across the ball field time and time again. Playing and coaching softball for over 20 years has taught me a lot about life. Like, the number of hotdogs you can eat before a game without throwing up. Or, how many times you can reopen your scab while sliding before it scars permanently. All valuable knowledge gained through years of experience.
Softball prepared me for many things in life, but I was surprised to find it was all just training for the day I became an Account Manager.
I’ve likened the role of the Account Manager to the coach of a team. Bill McCartney said, “All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.” Now I know what you are thinking… who the heck is Bill McCartney? Well, he was the head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1982-1991. Despite his lack of fame, his quote resonated with me. At DeanHouston, this is exactly what we hope to do with our customers: Make them better in areas they can’t better themselves.
So, how do we do that?
You’re in luck, for one time only, we’ve opened our Account Manager playbook to show you three game-time strategies we use to help our customers succeed. Why have we done this? Job security. AND because at DeanHouston, we go all in. A customer’s success truly excites us.
#1 – Always be asking, what’s on deck?
It’s hard to change. We get it. After years of practicing the same thing, a new coach comes along and tells you you’re doing it all wrong. That can be frustrating. But, as Account Managers, our only job is to make our customers better. We promise not to make you run laps, but we do promise to repeatedly challenge complacency.
Consumers’ buying patterns continue to change, so we continually change the way me market to them. Utilizing marketing automation to be first of mind when your customer is ready to buy can seal the deal. Optimizing your website for SEO ensures customers will find your product when they begin their search. Digital marketing has transformed drastically over the last decade, and it’s not slowing down. So, we encourage our customers to constantly ask themselves, “What’s on deck?” and “How can we improve?” Always being one step ahead of your competition means you’re no longer competing.
#2 – Go ahead, cork your bat!
This is the ONE TIME it’s okay to “cork your bat.” Setting yourself up for a home run requires the best equipment. As an Account Manager, we want to give you the tools to knock it out of the park every time. Staying ahead of the innovation curve is crucial to success. At DeanHouston, we pride ourselves on offering the latest and greatest technologies, like virtual reality. Traditionally, in the B2B space, it takes a little longer to adapt to ever-changing technology. So, be the first. Don’t look to your left or right to see what the competition is doing. Be the one at the trade show with the largest crowd. Be the one that sets the standard.
#3 – Know your goals and achieve them as a team
On any team, if you’re not working together, you’re not winning. The same is true for businesses. Departments can fall into silos with different sets of goals, all with good intentions, but nevertheless the company vision becomes unclear. Getting everyone on the same page is crucial. Account Managers can help align corporate goals and create the strategy used to achieve them. When everyone knows what the team is trying to achieve, individual goals start to line up with the company vision. And voilà, clarity is born.
So let’s play ball! We are ready to help improve, inspire and elevate your game.