--- name: account-planning description: Develop strategic account plans for key accounts including account analysis, opportunity mapping, stakeholder strategy, competitive positioning, growth planning, and execution tracking. Use when creating annual account plans, planning QBRs (quarterly business reviews), conducting whitespace analysis, mapping executive relationships, or building strategic account growth roadmaps. Triggers on phrases like "account plan", "strategic account plan", "account strategy", "key account management", "account growth plan", "white space analysis", "account expansion", "territory account planning", "QBR preparation", "quarterly business review", "executive alignment meeting", "account tiering". --- # Strategic Account Planning Develop comprehensive account plans to drive growth, deepen relationships, and maximize value in key strategic accounts. ## Account Tiering & Prioritization Framework ``` ACCOUNT TIER DEFINITIONS ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Tier 1 — Strategic Accounts (Top 10–15% of portfolio): Revenue threshold: >$100K ACV (current or projected within 12 months) Criteria: → Current revenue >$50K AND growth potential >$100K additional → OR strategic logo (brand value, reference potential, industry influence) → OR multi-year expansion potential >$250K across products/departments Coverage model: Dedicated named AE + Solutions Engineer + Executive Sponsor Engagement frequency: Bi-weekly minimum, quarterly executive alignment Planning cadence: Annual account plan + quarterly reviews + monthly check-ins Resource allocation: 15–20 hours/week per account across team Win rate target: >40% for new opportunities, >90% for expansion Tier 2 — Growth Accounts (Next 25% of portfolio): Revenue threshold: $30K–$100K ACV (current or projected within 18 months) Criteria: → Current revenue $15K–$50K AND expansion potential $50K+ → Strong ICP match with clear growth trajectory → Active buying signals (team expansion, new initiatives) Coverage model: Named AE + Solutions Engineer (shared pool) Engagement frequency: Monthly minimum Planning cadence: Semi-annual account plan + quarterly reviews Resource allocation: 8–12 hours/week per account Win rate target: >30% for new opportunities, >80% for expansion Tier 3 — Standard Accounts (Next 40% of portfolio): Revenue threshold: $10K–$30K ACV Criteria: → Stable customers with moderate expansion potential → ICP match but slower growth trajectory → Self-sufficient users with limited stakeholder depth Coverage model: Named AE (manages 40–60 accounts) + shared SE Engagement frequency: Quarterly minimum Planning cadence: Annual account plan + bi-annual reviews Resource allocation: 2–4 hours/week per account Win rate target: >20% for new opportunities, >70% for expansion Tier 4 — Self-Service Accounts (Bottom 20% of portfolio): Revenue threshold: <$10K ACV Criteria: → Small businesses or teams with limited expansion potential → Product-led growth motion (self-service, automated) → Minimal relationship required; digital-first engagement Coverage model: No named AE; automated engagement + CSM (shared) Engagement frequency: Digital touchpoints only (email, in-app) Planning cadence: No formal account plan; automated health monitoring Resource allocation: <1 hour/month per account (automated) Win rate target: >10% for upsell, >60% for renewal TIER MOBILITY RULES: → Tier upgrade: Triggered when account meets higher tier revenue criteria OR demonstrates strategic value (new department interest, executive engagement) OR competitor threat requires escalation → Tier downgrade: Triggered after 2 consecutive quarters below tier revenue OR champion departure with no replacement identified OR account signals disengagement (no meetings in 90+ days) → Review cadence: Quarterly tier review by Sales Ops + Sales Leadership → Annual tier reassignment: Complete portfolio review at fiscal year start PORTFOLIO SIZE BY COMPANY STAGE: ┌──────────────────────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬──────────┐ │ Company Stage │ Tier 1 │ Tier 2 │ Tier 3 │ Tier 4 │ ├──────────────────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼──────────┤ │ Startup (<$5M ARR) │ 5–10 │ 10–20 │ 30–50 │ 50–100 │ │ Growth ($5–$50M ARR) │ 15–30 │ 30–60 │ 60–120 │ 100–300 │ │ Scale ($50–$200M ARR) │ 30–60 │ 60–120 │ 120–250 │ 200–500 │ │ Enterprise ($200M+ ARR) │ 60–150 │ 120–250 │ 250–500 │ 500–2000 │ └──────────────────────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────┴──────────┘ TIER MANAGEMENT RULES: → No account below Tier 3 without an open opportunity should receive proactive outreach for >3 consecutive months without re-engagement trigger → All Tier 1 accounts must have a documented account plan updated within 30 days of fiscal quarter start → All Tier 1 accounts must have executive alignment meeting within 60 days of new fiscal year (or new relationship start) → Tier 1 accounts with revenue decline >20% YoY trigger automatic executive review within 14 days ``` ## Account Plan Development Process ``` ANNUAL ACCOUNT PLAN TIMELINE ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ T-minus 60 days before fiscal year start: → Sales Ops provides account portfolio data: - Revenue history (24 months) - Contract end dates and renewal terms - Current product/services in use - Health scores and support metrics - Pipeline summary (active opportunities) → AE reviews portfolio and identifies Tier 1/2 accounts for deep planning → AE schedules internal prep meetings: - Solutions Engineer: technical landscape review - Customer Success Manager: relationship and adoption review - Marketing: account-level campaign data - Executive Sponsor: strategic alignment discussion → Research initiated: - Company financials (earnings reports, growth trends) - Industry analysis (competitive landscape, regulatory changes) - News monitoring (executive changes, acquisitions, expansions) - Organizational changes (new hires, departures, restructuring) T-minus 45 days: → AE drafts account plan for Tier 1 accounts: - Account overview and relationship map - Current footprint and whitespace analysis - Revenue objectives and growth strategies - Key opportunities and timeline - Competitive positioning - Risk assessment and mitigation → Internal review session: - Present draft to SE, CSM, and Executive Sponsor - Validate assumptions and add insights - Identify resource requirements - Align on priorities and sequencing T-minus 30 days: → AE finalizes account plan incorporating feedback → Manager review and approval: - Validate revenue targets (must align with territory quota) - Assess resource allocation feasibility - Confirm strategic alignment with company objectives - Challenge assumptions and risk assessments → Plan uploaded to CRM with all supporting documentation → Executive alignment meetings scheduled for Tier 1 accounts T-minus 15 days: → AE prepares executive briefing materials: - Executive summary deck (10 slides max) - ROI analysis and business case - Success stories and case studies (relevant industry) - Roadmap preview (upcoming features/benefits) - Strategic recommendations → Internal rehearsal with Executive Sponsor and Manager → Confirm logistics: venue, attendees, agenda, pre-read materials Day 1 (fiscal year start): → Account plans active in CRM → Tier 1 accounts: begin executive alignment meetings → Weekly check-ins: 30 minutes per Tier 1 account → Monthly progress reviews: all Tier 1 and 2 accounts → Quarterly deep-dive: full account plan review and adjustment QUARTERLY ACCOUNT REVIEW PROCESS: → Week 1 of quarter: Revenue and pipeline review - Actual vs. target by revenue stream (new, expansion, renewal) - Pipeline health: coverage ratio, stage progression, win rates - Deal acceleration: identify deals at risk of missing quarter → Week 2 of quarter: Relationship review - Relationship map update (new contacts, departed contacts) - Engagement frequency assessment (meetings, calls, content shares) - Champion strength evaluation (active, passive, at-risk) - Stakeholder coverage gaps and multi-threading plan → Week 3 of quarter: Strategy adjustment - Account plan vs. actual execution assessment - Opportunity ranking review (prioritize by value and probability) - Competitive landscape update (new competitors, incumbent changes) - Risk reassessment and mitigation plan update → Week 4 of quarter: Planning forward - Next quarter objectives and action plan - Resource needs and escalation requests - Executive meeting scheduling (if not already planned) - Cross-functional coordination (Marketing, CS, Product) ``` ## Account Analysis & Intelligence Gathering ``` ACCOUNT INTELLIGENCE FRAMEWORK ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE (Enterprise accounts): Data sources: SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q), earnings calls, analyst reports Key metrics to track: → Revenue growth: YoY and QoQ trends (target: >15% for expansion) → Profitability: Gross margin, EBITDA margin (improving = budget available) → Cash position: Cash on hand, burn rate (strong cash = buying power) → Guidance: Forward revenue guidance (raised = optimism, lowered = caution) → Capex spending: Infrastructure investment (indicates tech buying) → R&D spending: Innovation investment (indicates tool adoption) Action triggers: → Revenue growth >20% YoY: Signal for expansion selling → New funding round: Signal for new budget allocation (reach out within 30 days) → Earnings miss: Signal for cost-cutting (pivot to ROI-focused messaging) → Executive leadership change: Signal for re-engagement (new priorities) STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE: Data sources: Company website, press releases, industry publications, Gartner/Forrester reports Key areas to monitor: → Strategic initiatives: Digital transformation, expansion into new markets, M&A → Technology investments: Cloud migration, AI adoption, security modernization → Competitive pressures: New market entrants, pricing pressure, customer churn → Regulatory changes: Compliance requirements, data privacy, industry standards → Customer trends: Demographic shifts, behavior changes, emerging needs Intelligence synthesis: → Connect strategic initiatives to product value propositions → Map technology investments to integration and displacement opportunities → Align regulatory changes to compliance and risk reduction messaging → Link customer trends to use case development ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Data sources: LinkedIn, company all-hands videos, Glassdoor, news articles Key areas to monitor: → Organizational structure: Department changes, new teams, consolidation → Leadership changes: New executives, promotions, departures → Headcount trends: Growth (hiring signals), contraction (layoff signals) → Office expansion: New locations, remote work policies → Culture signals: Employee sentiment, engagement scores, retention Organizational mapping: → Current state: Who reports to whom, department structure → Changes: New departments, reporting line changes, role eliminations → Impact: How changes affect buying process and stakeholder engagement TECHNOLOGIC INTELLIGENCE: Data sources: BuiltWith, Datanyze, Wappalyzer, job postings, tech blogs Key areas to monitor: → Current stack: CRM, marketing automation, ERP, data platforms, security → Recent additions: New tools purchased (expansion signal) → Tools being replaced: Job postings mentioning "migrate from X to Y" → Integration ecosystem: APIs, middleware, data pipelines → Technical debt indicators: Legacy systems, on-premise infrastructure Action triggers: → Competitor tool detected: Displacement campaign within 14 days → Complementary tool added: Integration selling opportunity within 30 days → Job posting for "migrate from [competitor]": Urgent outreach within 7 days → Cloud migration announced: Platform selling opportunity within 30 days ``` ## White Space Analysis & Opportunity Mapping ``` WHITE SPACE ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ WHITE SPACE DIMENSIONS: ┌─────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Dimension │ Analysis Method │ ├─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Product/Service │ Compare current usage to full product portfolio │ │ │ Identify modules/features not yet purchased │ │ │ Estimate value based on similar customer adoption│ ├─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Department/BU │ Map current deployment to department structure │ │ │ Identify departments not yet using solution │ │ │ Research department-specific use cases │ ├─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Location/Region │ Map current deployment to office locations │ │ │ Identify offices/regions not yet deployed │ │ │ Assess deployment complexity (data residency, etc)│ ├─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ User/Seat │ Compare current seats to department headcount │ │ │ Identify under-licensed departments │ │ │ Assess utilization (approaching limits = upgrade) │ ├─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ Feature/Tier │ Compare current plan to higher-tier features │ │ │ Identify underutilized features (upgrade signal) │ │ │ Assess feature adoption (low usage = training) │ └─────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ WHITE SPACE OPPORTUNITY SCORING: Each whitespace opportunity scored 0–100: Revenue potential (0–40 points): → Estimated annual value >$50K: +40 points → Estimated annual value $20K–$50K: +30 points → Estimated annual value $10K–$20K: +20 points → Estimated annual value <$10K: +10 points Probability of success (0–30 points): → Active interest expressed by stakeholder: +30 points → Relevant stakeholder engaged: +20 points → Use case validated by similar account: +15 points → No specific signal yet: +5 points Timeline alignment (0–20 points): → Budget cycle within 90 days: +20 points → Budget cycle within 180 days: +15 points → Budget cycle within 12 months: +10 points → No known budget cycle: +5 points Strategic alignment (0–10 points): → Aligns with account strategic initiative: +10 points → Aligns with industry trend: +7 points → Nice-to-have, not critical: +3 points Priority tiers: → P1 (80+): Actively pursue — assign resources, create opportunity within 7 days → P2 (60–79): Plan and prepare — research, build business case, engage in 30 days → P3 (40–59): Monitor and nurture — add to account plan, check quarterly → P4 (<40): Low priority — no active pursuit, revisit annually WHITE SPACE ANALYSIS REPORT TEMPLATE: Account: [Company Name] Current revenue: $[amount] ACV Current products: [List with usage metrics] WHITE SPACE OPPORTUNITIES: ┌────────────────────┬───────────┬──────────┬──────────┬─────────────┐ │ Opportunity │ Est. Value│ Score │ Priority │ Timeline │ ├────────────────────┼───────────┼──────────┼──────────┼─────────────┤ │ [Product X] add-on │ $45K/yr │ 82 │ P1 │ Q2 FY2025 │ │ Sales Dept. expand │ $60K/yr │ 75 │ P1 │ Q3 FY2025 │ │ EU office deploy │ $35K/yr │ 58 │ P2 │ Q4 FY2025 │ │ Enterprise upgrade │ $25K/yr │ 42 │ P3 │ FY2026 │ │ Marketing module │ $20K/yr │ 35 │ P4 │ TBD │ └────────────────────┴───────────┴──────────┴──────────┴─────────────┘ Total whitespace value: $185K/yr (3.7x current revenue) Pursuitable whitespace (P1+P2): $140K/yr (2.8x current revenue) ``` ## Executive Alignment Meetings ``` EXECUTIVE ALIGNMENT MEETING (EAM) FRAMEWORK ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Purpose: Strategic relationship building with customer's C-suite/VP-level decision-makers. Drives multi-year growth, secures executive sponsorship, and aligns both organizations on strategic outcomes. Frequency: Quarterly for Tier 1 accounts, semi-annually for Tier 2 PARTICIPANTS: Our side: → Account Executive (facilitates) → Solutions Engineer (technical credibility, if relevant) → Executive Sponsor (VP+ level, matches customer exec seniority) → Customer Success Manager (adoption and success metrics) Customer side: → Economic Buyer (VP/C-suite decision-maker) → Key stakeholders (department heads, technical leaders) → Champion (internal advocate) PRE-MEETING PREPARATION (T-minus 14 days): → Account review: Revenue, usage, health score, pipeline, whitespace → Business case development: ROI achieved, projected impact, benchmarks → Strategic context: Company news, industry trends, competitive landscape → Agenda development: 3–5 discussion topics aligned with customer goals → Pre-read materials: Executive summary deck, ROI dashboard, roadmap → Internal briefing: All participants aligned on goals, talking points, risks → Logistics: Venue (onsite preferred for Tier 1), timing, confirm attendees MEETING AGENDA (90 minutes): Block 1 — Review and Recap (20 minutes): → Recap of previous commitments and progress → Revenue and value achieved (quantified results) → Key wins and success stories → Metrics dashboard review (usage, adoption, ROI) Block 2 — Strategic Discussion (40 minutes): → Customer's strategic priorities and initiatives → Industry trends and competitive pressures → Emerging needs and challenges → Technology roadmap alignment → Partnership opportunities and joint value creation Block 3 — Forward Planning (20 minutes): → Expansion opportunities (products, departments, regions) → Upcoming initiatives and projects → Resource planning and investment decisions → Timeline and milestone alignment Block 4 — Commitments and Next Steps (10 minutes): → Action items (owner, deadline for each side) → Follow-up meeting scheduled → Executive sponsorship commitments → Escalation agreements POST-MEETING FOLLOW-UP (within 48 hours): → Send meeting summary with action items and owners → Update account plan based on new insights → Create/advance opportunities based on commitments → Internal debrief: capture insights, adjust strategy → Thank-you note to customer executive (personalized) → Track action item completion in CRM EAM EXECUTIVE BRIEFING DECK (10-slide max): Slide 1: Executive summary (one page, key metrics) Slide 2: Value achieved (ROI, quantified results) Slide 3: Usage and adoption (metrics, trends) Slide 4: Wins and success stories (2–3 brief examples) Slide 5: Strategic context (industry trends, competitive) Slide 6: Roadmap preview (what's coming, relevance) Slide 7: Expansion opportunities (white space summary) Slide 8: Recommendations (strategic, tactical) Slide 9: Joint commitments and next steps Slide 10: Appendix (detailed data, backup slides) ``` ## Integration Points - **Salesforce / HubSpot**: Account records, opportunity tracking, account plan storage, whitespace opportunity creation, engagement history, relationship mapping - **ZoomInfo / Clearbit / 6sense**: Account intelligence enrichment — firmographics, technographics, intent data, organizational changes, employee count tracking - **Gong / Chorus**: Conversation intelligence — extract stakeholder names, pain points, competitive mentions, and next steps from all account conversations - **Clari / Revenue.io**: Revenue intelligence — pipeline visibility, deal coaching, account-level forecasting, whitespace opportunity identification - **Gainsight / ChurnZero**: Customer health scoring — usage metrics, support ticket analysis, NPS tracking, adoption rates, churn risk signals - **Prolifiq / Altify**: Account planning platforms — structured account planning templates, whitespace analysis, action plan tracking, team collaboration - **Tableau / Looker**: Account analytics dashboards — portfolio performance, revenue vs. target, pipeline coverage, whitespace penetration rates - **Slack / Microsoft Teams**: Account team communication — dedicated channels for Tier 1 accounts, meeting coordination, intelligence sharing ## Edge Cases - **Account with no identified champion**: High-risk situation for Tier 1 accounts → Escalate to Executive Sponsor for executive-to-executive introduction → Review all prior conversations (Gong recordings) to identify potential advocates → Analyze engagement data: who opens emails, attends demos, downloads content → Conduct stakeholder interviews to understand internal dynamics → Consider customer success intervention: value-driven outreach to build relationships → Timeline: Champion identified within 30 days or account downgraded - **Competing with deeply entrenched incumbent** (3+ years relationship): → Identify incumbent weaknesses: pricing increases, service degradation, feature gaps → Find internal dissatisfaction: support ticket volume, employee sentiment, recent complaints → Build proof: case studies from companies who displaced same incumbent → Reduce switching risk: migration assistance, parallel run option, money-back guarantee → Target window: Contract renewal period (typically 12–24 month cycles) → Budget for longer sales cycle: 6–18 months vs. standard 3–6 months → Success rate: 15–25% for incumbent displacement (vs. 30–40% for open market) - **Account undergoing merger or acquisition**: → Immediate: Pause non-critical outreach, monitor integration progress → Assess impact: Which products/departments survive? Who gets laid off? → Identify new stakeholders: Acquirer's leadership, integration team → Evaluate expanded opportunity: Combined company may be larger Tier → Engage integration team: Offer solution to simplify consolidation → Timeline: Wait 60–90 days post-announcement before full re-engagement → Risk: Existing contacts may leave; rebuild relationships from scratch - **Account with declining revenue** (consecutive quarters of decrease): → Root cause analysis: Is it usage decline, feature gaps, competitive threat, or organizational change? → Executive intervention: VP-level outreach to understand concerns → Recovery plan: Specific actions to reverse decline (new features, additional support, strategic review) → Monitor closely: Weekly health score reviews for 90 days → Escalation path: If no improvement in 90 days, formal executive business review → Contingency: If account appears likely to churn, begin reference replacement planning - **Multi-national account with complex data residency requirements**: → Map data requirements by country: GDPR (EU), LGPD (Brazil), PDPA (Singapore), etc. → Identify local entity needs: Separate contracts, local pricing, local support → Engage legal early: Compliance review for each jurisdiction → Deploy regional champions: Local language support, timezone-appropriate engagement → Technology considerations: Regional data centers, local integrations, compliance certifications → Timeline: 3–6 months longer for international deployment planning - **Account where our champion departs unexpectedly**: → Immediate (24 hours): Contact departing champion for warm introductions to successor → Assessment (1 week): Evaluate remaining stakeholder relationships and deal risk → Re-engagement (2 weeks): Identify and engage potential new champion → If deal is in progress: Accelerate stakeholder meetings to build multiple threads → CRM update: Flag deal as at-risk, notify manager and executive sponsor → Timeline: New champion identified within 30 days or consider deal disposition