On-Demand Webinar: Unfiltered take on AI in Account Planning: Meet DemandFarm’s KAM AI
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It’s that time of year when we look back and say, “Wow, how did we survive all that?” There are good reasons to think 2024 has been less of a stroll and more of a high-stakes triathlon for Key Account Managers and Sales Leaders. A. The markets have played ping-pong—bouncing
The average B2B purchase now involves over 11 stakeholders, up from just 5 a decade ago. This means that for key account managers and sales teams, this means an org chart tool for Salesforce is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s essential. An organizational chart (org chart) integrated with your CRM helps visualize all the decision-makers, influencers, and gatekeepers in one place. This visual map of relationships lets you track each stakeholder’s influence and sentiment, identify champions vs. detractors, and plan your account strategy accordingly. A clear org chart within Salesforce can distinguish between a stalled deal and a strategic approach that closes a mega-deal. In fact, research shows that when sales teams map at least six supporters in an account, win rates can triple. Why are Salesforce-integrated org charts so important? Imagine trying to manage a Fortune 500 account without a visual of who’s who – it’s like flying blind. An org chart tool brings your CRM data to life: instead of a flat contact list, you get a dynamic diagram of reporting lines and influence networks. Key account managers (KAMs) and sales reps quickly see the chain of command (who the decision-makers are), the power structure, and even informal influence (“who trusts whom”) within the client organization. These insights let you optimize your account strategy – for example, by pinpointing which stakeholders to build relationships with, who might be a champion for your solution, or who could block your deal. Simply put, org chart tools for Salesforce empower sales teams to sell smarter, focusing on the right people with the right approach. Why Do You Need an Org Chart Tool for Salesforce? If you’ve ever tried to maintain a customer org chart manually (in PowerPoint or Visio), you know how quickly it becomes outdated and ignored. Here’s where a dedicated Salesforce org chart tool works: 1. Real-Time Updates & Single Source of Truth A tool like DemandFarm when integrated with Salesforce can pull live data from your contacts and accounts. That means when a new VP is added to the account or someone changes roles, your org chart reflects it instantly. No more stale org charts from last year’s kickoff. Modern relationship mapping tools “take the data sellers collect while working through a deal and enable it to be visualized” in an easy org chart format. 2. Relationship Mapping (Beyond Titles) A good org chart tool does more than show who reports to whom. It captures the influence, sentiment, and context around each stakeholder. For example, you might tag someone as a Champion (strong supporter), a Decision Maker, or a Detractor. You can visually distinguish power players from end-users. This adds a strategic layer on top of the hierarchy. You can “map champions, detractors, stakeholder power, and buying influence” right on the chart. Relationship maps go far beyond a basic org chart – they become a living strategy document for the account team. 3. CRM Integration & Automation Having the org chart inside Salesforce means your team doesn’t need to jump to another tool or maintain separate files. Everything lives in your CRM account record. Many tools even offer drag-and-drop building of charts using your Salesforce contacts, and some include AI assistance to suggest contacts. Demandfarm’s AI can detect go-to-market engagements and then prompt you to build robust org charts in seconds For instance, DemandFarm’s org chart tool is a 100% Salesforce-native app that lets you visualize complex hierarchies and develop engagement strategies all within Salesforce. 4. Identify Gaps and Opportunities An org chart tool can highlight “white space” in your account – e.g. departments or levels where you have no contacts. If you realize you only know managers but have no C-suite relationships, that’s a gap to fill. Some solutions even provide analytics or AI recommendations. By visualizing the stakeholder landscape, you can spot where you’re weak and take action (like asking your champion to intro you higher up). This leads to better account penetration and fewer blind spots. 5. Collaboration & Strategy Planning Because these org charts are in Salesforce, they can be shared across your team and updated collaboratively. Sales, account managers, customer success, and leadership can all view and contribute to the relationship map. Many tools include notes or planning fields right on the org chart, so you can log who owns the relationship with each person, or what the next action. This collaborative visibility means everyone is on the same page when strategizing on an account. For example, DemandFarm allows teams to capture “every ounce of deal-critical context and relationship intel” centrally. Top Salesforce Org Chart Tools in 2025 Several tools have emerged to help sales teams build org charts and relationship maps in Salesforce. Here are the top options – their features, pricing, pros/cons – to help you make an informed choice. Below is an unbiased look at the best org chart tools as of 2025 1. DemandFarm – Relationship Mapping & Org Chart DemandFarm is a comprehensive Key Account Management suite, and its Org Chart module is often regarded as the gold standard for Salesforce org chart tools. It’s a 100% Salesforce-native app that empowers sales and account teams to visualize Complex organizational hierarchies Create context-rich relationship maps, and Develop effective engagement strategies With DemandFarm you can do all this without leaving Salesforce. Standout Features of DemandFarm DemandFarm’s Org Chart tool automatically builds org charts from your Salesforce contacts, and leverages AI-driven relationship intelligence (via its “KAM AI” engine). In practice, this means the tool can suggest new contacts to add (e.g. “Recommended Contacts” based on intelligence) and even auto-generate parts of the hierarchy for you The interface allows easy drag-and-drop editing of the org chart. You can annotate each contact with key attributes like their role, influence level, decision-making power, and stance (e.g. Champion, Neutral, or Detractor). DemandFarm also lets you map out “who’s pushing, who’s pulling” on a deal – visually indicating positive or negative influence lines between stakeholders Engagement Matrix It tracks how often your team is
Growth in sales isn’t always about new leads. More often than not, the biggest opportunities are sitting within existing accounts—hidden in plain sight. The probability of selling to a new prospect hovers between 5-20%, while for existing customers, it climbs to 60-70%. That’s why whitespace analysis—identifying untapped opportunities within key accounts—is a critical part of any expansion strategy. But whitespace is tricky. It’s not just about knowing what a customer hasn’t bought yet—it’s about understanding why they haven’t. Are they unaware of the solution? Do they not see the value? Are they considering alternatives? Traditionally, account managers have mapped whitespace manually, piecing together insights from CRM data, spreadsheets, and intuition. The process is slow, and even the best teams miss key opportunities. AI is changing that—by making whitespace analysis faster, smarter, and more actionable. Why Whitespace Analysis Matters for Sales Teams? Whitespace analysis is mission-critical for any account management or sales team aiming to grow revenue. It’s essentially the practice of mapping out which products or services an existing customer has already purchased versus those they haven’t yet – thereby revealing the “whitespace” where new sales could occur. Without whitespace analysis, even the best sales reps risk missing low-hanging fruit in their key accounts. As one sales expert put it, focusing on current clients can uncover “untapped sales veins that spur growth”. It’s a strategic approach to “land and expand.” But doing it manually can be tedious and complex – which is why let’s see what AI brings to the table. Role of AI in Uncovering Whitespace Opportunities The old days of exporting CRM data to spreadsheets, manually cross-referencing products vs. account. It’s not the most fun job and many little details are missed while sifting through countless information. Today, AI can crunch those data sets in seconds and even surface insights no human would spot unaided. Here are some ways AI is changing whitespace analysis: 1. Faster Identification of Gaps AI-driven tools can sift through vast amounts of customer data – purchase history, usage logs, even support tickets or social media mentions – to pinpoint areas where a customer has unmet needs. Manually mapping product penetration is taxing, and why do the laborious job when AI can instantly highlight which relevant products/services a client hasn’t bought yet. This rapid analysis saves reps hours of research and surfaces opportunities they might miss. 2. Prioritization & Scoring Instead of chasing after all possible whitespaces that might not likely convert, AI helps you prioritize deals of potential value. Factors like customer fit, buying patterns, and even communication sentiment can be weighed to target the ripest opportunities This means your team’s energy goes to deals with the greatest ROI, instead of chasing every gap blindly. 3. Data-Driven Personalization Good whitespace analysis isn’t just about finding a gap – it’s about knowing why that gap exists. AI excels at finding patterns in customer behavior. It might reveal, for instance, that a client’s usage data shows a spike in one area, indicating they’d benefit from an upgraded module With these insights, reps can approach whitespace opportunities with a tailored pitch. Hidden needs or preferences become visible, enabling a personalized solution for the customer 4. Predictive Analytics Perhaps one of the coolest aspects is that AI can forecast future whitespace. Advanced tools analyze trends across the industry and your customer’s business to predict what they might need next. For example, if AI sees a certain product is gaining traction in similar companies, it might flag that as a future upsell for your account before the customer even realizes the need. This proactive approach gives you a head start on emerging opportunities 5. Automation & Efficiency: Finally, AI automates much of the grunt work in whitespace analysis. Gathering data from multiple systems, updating dashboards, and matching it against product catalogs – these are tasks an AI assistant or script can handle continuously AI doesn’t replace humans but makes them 10x more productive and enables faster revenue growth for your business. Top AI-Powered Tools for Whitespace Mapping Here’s a list of AI Whitespace mapping tools you can look at for your business. 1. DemandFarm DemandFarm is purpose-built for key account management, with whitespace analysis as a core feature to help KAMs scale. The White Space Planner visualizes which product lines a customer has versus gaps, directly within your CRM. With AI capabilities, these maps with fresh data and even suggest opportunities. DemandFarm gives complete visibility of your hidden whitespaces and helps maximize upsell and cross-sell in key accounts It integrates natively with Salesforce, so your team doesn’t have to swivel-chair between systems. DemandFarm also offers relationship maps and org charts, enriched by AI insights on stakeholder influence – super useful when strategizing how to approach a whitespace opportunity in a complex account. It also emphasizes methodology – aligning with sales approaches like MEDDIC or SPIN selling – which can guide reps in how to pursue the whitespace identified. With DemandFarm, organizations can boost upsell and cross-sell success rates by 30% or more. The AI engine identifies missing product alignments in each account, surfacing revenue opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed You can also check out Case studies and Customer Reviews for a better overview of the demandfarm. 2. Upland Altify Enterprise sales teams using structured account planning methodologies (e.g., MEDDIC, SPIN Selling). Upland Altify leverages AI to analyze customer data, identify whitespace, and guide sales teams with strategic account planning. While useful, it lacks DemandFarm’s deep visualization tools and seamless Salesforce integration. If you need a blend of strategy + AI insights, Altify is worth a look. But it lacks the depth needed for KAM tools. 3. People.ai People.ai takes a slightly different angle – it’s a revenue intelligence platform that captures all sorts of sales activity data (emails, meetings, etc.) and uses AI to drive account planning. The AI automatically logs interactions with different contacts and products, so the map is always up-to-date. While it helps sales teams understand where relationships need improvement, it isn’t
Managing B2B deals means dealing with buying committees – there’s rarely a single decision-maker. Visualizing the org structure of your prospect’s company helps you analyze who reports to whom, who the influencers and blockers are, and about the teams’ relationships. This visibility is pure gold. You can see key players in HubSpot, that can strategize: e.g., identify a VP who needs nurturing or spot a missing contact in finance who could veto my deal. According to Gartner, no executive will stick their neck out to overrule a buying committee – so therefore you need to win over the entire committee. With an org chart tool, you can map out everyone involved and plan engagement accordingly. Simply put: relationship mapping in HubSpot = higher win rates, larger deals, and fewer surprises. It’s a must-have for strategic sales and account planning. Top Org Chart Tools for HubSpot in 2025 Let’s dive into the top tools. We’ve ranked five org chart tools that integrate with HubSpot. We’ll see what each one does, key features, and how it helps with relationship mapping. 1. DemandFarm – AI-Powered Relationship Mapping for Key Accounts DemandFarm offers a comprehensive org chart and relationship mapping solution tailored for account-based sales. It integrates seamlessly with HubSpot, enabling users to auto-generate stakeholder maps using CRM data. Key Features: AI-generated org charts using HubSpot contacts Relationship intelligence: track influence, blockers, and champions Engagement analytics: heatmaps based on email and meeting activity Power mapping: visualize reporting lines and decision-making authority Integration with wider account planning modules (e.g., Account Planner) DemandFarm provides strategic insights beyond static org charts. Its AI capabilities help teams understand stakeholder influence and forecast potential deal risks. The tool is designed specifically for key account management and supports multi-stakeholder planning across sales, customer success, and marketing teams. Enterprise teams managing complex B2B sales with multiple stakeholders. 2. OrgChartHub A HubSpot-native app, OrgChartHub enables sales teams to create visual org charts directly from Company or Contact records within HubSpot. Key Features: Drag-and-drop org chart builder Integration within HubSpot UI Activity heatmaps for contact engagement Role tagging (e.g., Decision Maker, Influencer, Budget Holder) Support for placeholder contacts OrgChartHub offers a simple, user-friendly experience for teams just starting with relationship mapping. Its in-CRM interface ensures high adoption and fast setup. The heatmap feature provides quick insight into which contacts are being engaged effectively. It’s best for small to mid-sized teams looking for a lightweight, HubSpot-native org chart solution. Limitations: OrgChartHub lacks advanced AI functionality and deeper relationship intelligence. Its utility is strongest for straightforward use cases, but teams managing more complex accounts may find the manual chart-building and limited analytics less scalable. 3. Lucidchart Lucidchart is a general-purpose visual diagramming tool used for everything from flowcharts to org charts. While it does not natively integrate with HubSpot, it offers flexibility and polished visuals. Key Features: Extensive template library for org charts Real-time collaboration and commenting Drag-and-drop interface CRM integration via Zapier or manual data import Lucidchart is ideal for creating detailed, presentation-ready org charts. It supports collaboration across departments and offers high customization. While integration with HubSpot requires additional setup, its design capabilities make it a solid choice for visual mapping. Its great for teams needing flexibility and custom layouts beyond what HubSpot-native tools offer. Limitations: Lucidchart is not built specifically for sales use cases and lacks native HubSpot integration. Users must manually sync contact data or use third-party connectors, which can result in added complexity and data inconsistencies over time. 4. The Org Enrichment (The Org) This tool enriches HubSpot Company records with pre-built org charts from The Org’s public database of leadership hierarchies. Key Features: Auto-populated org charts for known companies Sidebar integration with HubSpot One-click import of new stakeholders into HubSpot The Org provides a fast way to gather intel on target accounts. While the charts are read-only, they offer immediate visibility into top executives and reporting lines. It works best as a research layer to supplement manual relationship mapping. It’s usable for ABM teams and researchers working on large accounts with publicly available org data. Limitations: The Org only provides data for companies in its public database, and its org charts are read-only. It does not allow for customization or real-time collaboration, limiting its usefulness for active sales planning. 5. Pingboard Originally designed for internal HR use, Pingboard can be repurposed by small teams to create org charts for external stakeholders. Key Features: Auto-arranged org charts Profile pages with notes and contact details Real-time updates and collaboration Export options for sharing Though not purpose-built for sales, Pingboard offers a quick, affordable way to start mapping stakeholder hierarchies. Its simplicity and visual clarity make it useful for startups or teams piloting relationship mapping. It’s best for small sales teams or startups experimenting with basic account mapping. Limitations: Pingboard lacks direct integration with HubSpot and does not support sales-specific attributes like buying roles or influence mapping. It requires manual updates, making it less scalable for growing sales teams Implementing an Org Chart Tool in HubSpot: Best Practices Choose the Right Tool: Consider team size, depth of features, and integration needs. Install and Sync: Use the HubSpot App Marketplace for native tools or connect via API/Zapier. Map Key Stakeholders: Start with known contacts, then add roles, influence lines, and tags. Collaborate Across Teams: Enable cross-functional teams to contribute to relationship maps. Keep It Updated: Schedule regular reviews and leverage AI for automatic updates. Conclusion Relationship mapping is no longer optional for modern sales and account management. As B2B deals become more complex, org chart tools help teams maintain visibility, manage risk, and accelerate pipeline progression. For HubSpot users, DemandFarm stands out as the most comprehensive solution, combining real-time CRM integration with AI-driven stakeholder intelligence. Whether you’re managing five strategic accounts or fifty, the clarity and insight provided by DemandFarm can help teams plan more effectively and win more deals. Ready to improve visibility into your key accounts? Book a demo with DemandFarm today and experience
In the past, account managers spent significant time on manual tasks like logging customer interactions, scheduling meetings, updating CRM records, and manually tracking stakeholder engagement. These repetitive processes left less time for building relationships and closing deals. Now, AI automates these tasks, eliminating data entry bottlenecks, prioritizing follow-ups based on engagement trends, identifying at-risk accounts, and even suggesting the best time to reach out to a prospect. AI-driven analytics can flag accounts that are at risk of churn by analyzing email response rates, recent product usage, and support interactions. It can also help predict the likelihood of a deal closing based on past sales cycles and buyer engagement levels. Why do you need an AI Account management tool? Key Account Managers (KAMs) handle long-term, high-value customer relationships where understanding stakeholder dynamics, expansion opportunities, and risks is crucial. However, much of their time is consumed by manual data entry, fragmented communication, and reactive decision-making, limiting their ability to focus on strategic growth. AI-powered account management tools eliminate these inefficiencies by: Automating administrative tasks such as CRM updates, meeting scheduling, and activity tracking, freeing up time for strategic engagement. Providing AI-driven insights into account health, whitespace opportunities, and stakeholder influence, enabling proactive decision-making. Enhancing relationship management by tracking engagement history, identifying relationship risks, and suggesting next best actions. With AI, KAMs move from reactive to proactive account management, ensuring they engage the right stakeholders at the right time and maximize customer lifetime value. How AI Supports Key Account Managers in Salesforce Workflows AI is transforming the way Key Account Managers operate by integrating intelligence across account planning, relationship mapping, and growth strategies. Here’s how: AI-Powered Account Reviews: AI analyzes past deal history, contract renewals, and engagement trends to highlight account risks or upsell opportunities before review meetings. Predictive analytics scores account health based on sentiment analysis from emails, sales activity trends, and stakeholder engagement levels. AI-Driven Relationship Mapping & Org Charts: AI automates relationship mapping inside Salesforce, identifying missing stakeholders and power structures based on previous deals. AI tracks influence and sentiment, highlighting champions, blockers, and neutral contacts so KAMs can build stronger advocacy within an account. Whitespace & Expansion Opportunity Analysis: AI scans existing accounts for product/service gaps, recommending targeted cross-sell and upsell opportunities. It compares similar accounts to predict potential product fit and suggests ideal solutions to pitch. AI-Driven Research & Competitive Insights: AI monitors customer news, funding rounds, leadership changes, and competitor movements to alert KAMs about critical events. Smart recommendations suggest when to reach out and which stakeholders to engage. AI-Enabled Coaching & Real-Time Prompts: AI provides contextual coaching based on previous deals, suggesting best approaches during live sales conversations. It delivers in-meeting nudges, such as reminding KAMs to engage a decision-maker before a renewal call. Top AI-Powered Tools for Account Managers in 2025 1. DemandFarm DemandFarm’s Salesforce-native suite empowers Key Account Managers with actionable insights to drive strategic growth. Instead of relying on static spreadsheets or disconnected CRM data, DemandFarm automates relationship mapping, whitespace analysis, and opportunity prioritization—giving teams a real-time, data-driven roadmap for account expansion. KAM AI module can comb through an account’s engagement data and deal history to identify untapped business areas or warning signs of churn, giving account managers a proactive roadmap. It also provides AI-generated org charts and relationship maps, automatically identifying influential contacts and suggesting who to cultivate. Integration: DemandFarm is built to work inside Salesforce CRM (100% native), meaning data flows seamlessly and users don’t have to leave their CRM to use it. For non-Salesforce CRM tools, DemandFarm offers a standalone (CRM-agnostic) version called Account Central. It also integrates with common sales enablement tools for pulling in data. DemandFarm stands out as a specialist KAM solution trusted by global leaders like HCL and DHL for managing complex accounts at scale. With deep customization, proactive support, and AI-powered insights, DemandFarm transforms how account teams uncover growth opportunities and mitigate risk—right inside Salesforce. 2. Prolifiq Prolifiq is a Salesforce-native suite of account management apps designed to support content-driven sales engagement and basic account planning. It recently began integrating AI to assess relationship strength and provide content recommendations (e.g., suggesting relevant case studies based on industry and deal stage). The platform includes: Prolifiq CRUSH: Focused on digital account planning with a structured framework. Prolifiq ACE: Designed for sales content management and engagement tracking. Pros: Salesforce-native solution, ensuring seamless CRM data flow. Affordable for mid-sized teams, making it a cost-effective option. Strong sales content engagement features, supporting marketing and enablement teams. Cons: Limited AI-driven insights—it primarily focuses on content engagement rather than deep relationship intelligence or whitespace analysis. Requires multiple modules to achieve full account management functionality. Weaker stakeholder mapping and influence tracking compared to DemandFarm’s AI-powered approach. While Prolifiq is a solid option for sales content management, it lacks the strategic AI-driven insights that help Key Account Managers map decision-makers, identify whitespace opportunities, and proactively manage stakeholder engagement. 3. Upland Altify Altify (now part of Upland Software) is another top account planning solution with AI elements. It provides a structured methodology for account plans, opportunity coaching, and relationship scoring. Altify’s AI can generate “strategy playbooks” suggesting the best actions on an account. Integration: Altify is Salesforce-native and available via the AppExchange, which makes integration straightforward for SFDC users. But non-native Salesforce integrations have broken or rigid workflows. Altify’s main drawback is customization based on different enterprises and their requirements. Unlike Demandfarm, Altify cannot be built for custom use-cases. Not just that, Altify has less emphasis on visual whitespace mapping compared to DemandFarm. It also requires additional training and setup to leverage its methodology fully. 4. Revegy Revegy is designed for teams looking for visual account planning tools that help map whitespace opportunities. It provides an easy-to-use visual interface for managing complex B2B accounts. Its relationship and whitespace maps offer insights into how sales teams can expand existing customer relationships. Revegy helps align cross-functional sales teams with a single view of key accounts. They
For years, Key Account Management (KAM) has been confined within the walls of CRM systems—Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and HubSpot. The logic was straightforward: if customer data already lives inside a CRM, why manage key accounts elsewhere? But this assumption, simple as it is, hides a fundamental flaw. CRMs are systems of record. They track transactions, monitor pipelines, and organize data. But Key Account Management is more than just structured data—it requires real-time insights from multiple sources. Conversations, stakeholder engagement, external market intelligence, and predictive signals all play a crucial role in shaping long-term growth. And there lies the friction. Key Account Management is not an extension of sales. It is a strategic function—an intelligence-driven discipline designed to uncover expansion, deepen relationships, and orchestrate long-term growth. A CRM is a tool. KAM is a strategy—one that must be dynamic, predictive, and cross-functional. Yet, for years, organizations have tried to force this environment into a rigid, transaction-focused system. The result? Account teams are left blind to expansion opportunities because their CRM does not integrate third-party intelligence tools like Gong, Chorus, and Outreach. Growth potential is capped by the inability to connect insights across multiple tools you use every day like CRMs, sales, and business intel tools. A systemic misunderstanding of what it takes to nurture and protect high-value accounts. Companies relying solely on CRM-native KAM tools experience a 37% lower revenue retention from key accounts than those using dedicated KAM platforms. CRM-native KAM is okay if you have very few accounts in the bag and are content with them. But if you want to grow your KAM program, expand your revenue, and build long-term relationships, CRM-based KAM is a recipe for disaster. The shift is imperative if you are serious about your KAM program. Read on to know why. The Silent Constraints of CRM-Native KAM A key account manager logs into their CRM, and prepares a quarterly business review. The system greets them with neatly arranged data—deal histories, revenue forecasts, and contact logs. But something is missing. Where are the external market forces shaping the account’s trajectory? Where are the unstructured insights—the informal conversations, strategic signals, and competitive shifts that influence decision-making? Where is the predictive analysis on expansion opportunities (white spaces), powered by AI? Who are the contacts (Relationship Intelligence) that remain unengaged, and have you engaged with the right stakeholders enough? Who are the true economic decision-makers driving strategic purchasing decisions? Where are the whitespace opportunities that could unlock additional growth? And how are you faring with the opportunities you’ve already identified—are they progressing, stalling, or at risk? More importantly, how well are you adhering to your sales methodology? Whether following MEDDIC, SPIN, or Challenger, the effectiveness of a KAM program depends on structured execution. The CRM does not provide these answers. And the key account manager cannot blame it because it was never built to provide those answers. Expanding key accounts requires intelligence beyond what is stored in structured records—insights from stakeholder conversations, buying intent signals from email interactions, and competitive shifts impacting strategic decisions. For companies managing high-value, multi-region, multi-business-unit accounts, the constraints of CRM-native KAM are no longer just inconvenient. They are actively eroding revenue potential. 1. The Invisible Revenue Ceiling: How CRM Limits Growth Key accounts do not exist in isolation. They span subsidiaries, cross geographies, and integrate into broader ecosystems. They interact with partners, competitors, and regulators—forces that exist outside the walls of any single CRM. Yet CRM-native KAM assumes that all relevant data is internal. All decision-makers reside within the same CRM instance. This assumption creates a ceiling on revenue growth. Account expansion is a self-contained strategic process. It depends on data, but that data needs to have an intelligence layer to make the most of it. Without multi-tool visibility, organizations lose track of data, decision-making becomes vulnerable, and expansion opportunities are compromised. Regional subsidiaries remain disconnected, and strategic white spaces remain unseen. A company may think they are managing a key account effectively—when in reality, they are operating within a fraction of its total potential. 2. The One-Door Problem: A Narrow, Internalized View of the Market Yet, CRM-native KAM assumes that key account intelligence is a closed-loop system—one that begins and ends with internal sales data. The reality is far more complex. Key account growth is driven by external forces: Market shifts that redefine customer needs. Partnership networks that dictate purchasing decisions. Competitive moves that threaten existing relationships. A CRM, by design, cannot incorporate these signals. 3. Competitive Innovation: The Market’s Verdict on CRM-Native KAM As CRMs introduce KAM-related features, it signals a growing recognition that managing key accounts requires more than structured sales data. The real shift, however, is happening outside CRM systems—where AI-driven platforms are integrating data from multiple tools, uncovering white space opportunities, and providing real-time strategic insights. Today, AI-Driven KAM Platforms Provide: Multi-Tool Integration – Offering a unified, real-time view of key accounts across not just CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics) but also customer success platforms, business intelligence tools, contract management systems, and external data sources. This ensures cross-functional intelligence rather than CRM-dependent visibility. AI-Powered Opportunity & Risk Intelligence – Beyond traditional expansion modeling, AI-driven KAM platforms use multiple AI agents—resource agents to surface white space, risk agents to detect early churn signals, and intelligence engines to identify at-risk contacts. In the future, these platforms will even build proactive account plans. Proactive Insight Generation – Instead of just aggregating static CRM data, AI-powered KAM platforms analyze fast-moving trends across 30+ enterprise tools, generating crisscrossed insights that would otherwise go unnoticed. This eliminates the “you don’t know what you don’t know” problem—alerting teams to strategic moves they might have missed. Market-Aware Intelligence – Capturing external signals such as competitive threats, partnership shifts, regulatory changes, and customer sentiment analysis—not as an isolated feature, but as part of a continuously evolving AI-driven ecosystem. The difference? While CRMs are evolving, even if they integrate some external data, they remain systems of record. AI-powered KAM platforms, on the other hand,
Sales teams live and die by their pipelines. But what if the very system designed to guide deals to closure is actually sabotaging them? According to research, nearly 79% of B2B deals stall due to poor opportunity management, and companies with structured sales processes are 33% more likely to be high performers. Despite Salesforce’s robust capabilities, many companies struggle to build a pipeline that truly reflects reality. Salesforce Opportunities are meant to provide clarity, yet too many organizations fall into the trap of rigid, one-size-fits-all stages that create confusion rather than confidence. The result? Inflated pipelines, missed forecasts, and lost revenue. In this deep dive, we’ll challenge conventional wisdom, explore common missteps, and lay out a strategic framework for Salesforce Opportunity Management that ensures your pipeline isn’t just a list of hopeful deals—but a reliable engine for revenue growth. 1. Opportunity Stages: Structure or Straightjacket? Most organizations default to the standard Salesforce opportunity stages, but here’s the problem: They often don’t match how buyers actually buy. They assume every deal follows a linear path. They fail to capture nuances between stalled, active, and at-risk deals. A better approach? Define stages based on your actual sales process, factoring in customer behaviors, deal complexity, and industry norms. Every stage should answer three questions: What does this stage mean? Avoid vague labels like “Qualification” without a clear definition. Does it mean a discovery call happened? A budget was confirmed? Make it measurable. What key action moves a deal forward? Stages shouldn’t be passive; they should reflect a buyer’s commitment—like a signed NDA, a scheduled demo, or an internal champion’s buy-in. How does this stage affect forecasting? Not all deals in the “Proposal” stage have the same probability of closing. Tie stages to real data instead of arbitrary probabilities. Example: Instead of generic stages like “Negotiation,” create something specific like “Legal Review Initiated”, tied to a concrete action. 2. The Pitfalls of “Happy Ears” Forecasting Pipeline reviews often become echo chambers—where sales reps overestimate deal progress because they focus on seller activity instead of buyer signals. The result? Bloated pipelines with unrealistic close rates. Fix it by: Implementing exit criteria for every stage. If a deal can’t meet the criteria, it doesn’t move forward. Using data-driven probabilities rather than blanket assumptions (e.g., “All deals in ‘Proposal’ are 60% likely to close”). Analyzing deal velocity—how long deals typically stay in each stage. Stagnant deals need attention or removal. According to CSO Insights, 47% of forecasted deals never close, primarily due to inaccurate pipeline management. Companies that enforce strong opportunity exit criteria see a 23% improvement in forecast accuracy. Challenge your team: In your last pipeline review, how many deals were in later stages but had zero real engagement from the prospect? Those aren’t deals; they’re wishful thinking. 3. Salesforce Path: The Underutilized Weapon Salesforce Path is an underrated feature that visually guides reps through the sales process. But most companies barely scratch the surface, using it as a static checklist rather than an interactive playbook. How to use it effectively: Add Stage-Specific Key Fields: Ensure reps fill in the most critical fields at each stage (e.g., Decision Maker Identified, Budget Confirmed). Provide Guidance for Success: Equip reps with talking points, objection-handling tactics, and customer stories for each stage. Gamify progress: Enable confetti celebrations for milestone achievements (like moving a deal to “Proposal Sent”). Companies that implement structured sales playbooks via Salesforce Path report a 15% increase in deal closure rates, as reps follow a more disciplined, repeatable approach. 4. Automate for Consistency (But Not at the Expense of Strategy) Manual data entry kills adoption. But automation, if misused, can also backfire—leading to overly rigid processes that don’t adapt to real-world sales scenarios. Smart automation ideas: Use auto-reminders for stalled deals: If an opportunity sits in “Qualification” for more than 14 days, prompt a follow-up task. Validation rules: Prevent reps from moving deals forward without essential data (e.g., a Next Step field with at least 20 characters). Einstein Opportunity Scoring: Leverage AI to prioritize high-likelihood deals and flag at-risk ones. The key? Automation should assist decision-making, not replace it. Your sales team’s intuition still matters. 5. The Truth About Opportunity Teams Sales is rarely a solo sport. Yet many orgs still treat opportunities as if they belong to a single rep. Salesforce Opportunity Teams allow collaboration by assigning roles (e.g., Sales Engineer, Legal, Customer Success) to each deal. But most companies underuse them. Why you should care: It ensures clear accountability on complex deals. It helps leadership understand who is influencing revenue. It prevents last-minute deal fire drills when key stakeholders are left out. If your team isn’t actively using Opportunity Teams, you’re likely underestimating the true complexity of your sales process. Companies using Opportunity Teams see a 20% reduction in deal cycle time, as collaboration speeds up approvals and customer buy-in. 6. Reporting on Opportunity Data: Make It Actionable Salesforce provides a wealth of reporting options, yet most teams fail to use them effectively. Instead of just tracking total pipeline value, focus on: Win Rate by Stage: Identify where deals die and optimize those stages. Stage-to-Stage Conversion Rates: Ensure reps aren’t prematurely advancing deals. Average Time in Each Stage: Shorten cycle times by pinpointing bottlenecks. Forecast Accuracy: Compare predicted vs. actual close dates to refine projections. Tip: Use Opportunity Field History reports to track changes in key fields and prevent forecast manipulation. Companies that regularly analyze these metrics improve forecast reliability by up to 28%, leading to better strategic decisions. 7. Improve Stage-to-Stage Movement with Data Instead of allowing reps to move opportunities at will, establish clear movement rules based on real buyer signals. Require proof points before advancing a deal (e.g., budget approval for the Proposal stage). Use AI-driven insights to detect deals that should move forward—or be removed. Coach reps on deal movement using historical data on what wins vs. stalls. Companies that rigorously manage stage progression see a 32% improvement in deal velocity and close
Marketing to everybody is like marketing to nobody. The first step in ABM is identifying your ideal customer profile.” – Ankit Sharma. In episode 13 of the Shift podcast, Dr. Karthik Nagendra, CMO at DemandFarm, interviews Ankit Sharma, VP Marketing at Netcore Cloud. Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of ABM in the digital age, exploring the strategies, technologies, and best practices that are reshaping the way businesses engage with their most valuable accounts. Ankit Sharma shares his wealth of knowledge, offering unique insights into the evolving landscape of ABM and how it continues to drive exceptional results for organizations in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business environment. In this episode, you’ll: – Learn the key strategies and tactics for implementing ABM effectively. – Discover the impact of AI, machine learning, and digital tools on ABM. – Explore the importance of sales and marketing alignment in ABM success. – Identify essential metrics for measuring the success of ABM campaigns.
In episode 12 of the Shift podcast, join Dr. Karthik Nagendra, CMO at DemandFarm, and Peter Hanford, Group Director of Digital Growth at Ebiquity Plc, as they explore how organizations can thrive in today’s ever-changing business landscape by embracing digital transformation for sales success. Discover the power of data-driven strategies that fuel intelligent decision-making and strategic planning. Uncover insights into: Forging Data-Driven Brilliance: Get to the heart of sales success by leveraging clean and structured data. Uncover how data is the key to unlocking growth opportunities. Empowering Seamless Automation: Dive into the world of technology and automation, streamlining data tasks and enabling sales teams to shine. Explore how automation paves the way for rapid client segmentation and co-creation. Embracing Customer-Centricity: Shift your focus from internal goals to solving client problems. Learn how collaborative planning based on client objectives can lead to dynamic and adaptable strategies. Tune in to The Shift today!
In episode 11 of the Shift podcast, Dr. Karthik Nagendra, CMO at DemandFarm, interviews Julie Lentz, Head of Retail Industry Media Sales for Google. Learn how organizations can develop a digital-first approach to sales that not only engages customers but also fuels revenue growth. In this podcast, you’ll learn: 1. The importance of balancing data and relationships in key account management 2. The significance of empathy and change management in driving digital transformation 3. How to use technology to improve digital selling 4. How to develop a digital-first sales strategy that engages customers and fuels revenue growth Tune in to The Shift today!
Have you wondered how to engage specific high-value accounts effectively? In episode 10 of the Shift podcast, Dr. Karthik Nagendra, CMO at Demand Farm, interviews Tejas Arur, Business Communication & Customer Engagement Strategist at Axtria Inc., about the key principles and strategies behind account-based marketing in a digital age. They discuss the importance of personalized and targeted marketing strategies, the role of data analytics and AI in account-based marketing, and the need for synchronization between account-based marketing and account-based selling. Don’t miss out on their unique perspective on: Are personalized and targeted marketing strategies vital in today’s digital landscape? How does data analytics and AI elevate your account-based marketing efforts? What’s the key to synchronizing account-based marketing and account-based selling? How can you create a seamless customer experience through multichannel and omnichannel strategies? Tune in to The Shift Podcast today!
Maximizing Customer Retention with Key Account Management Looking for valuable insights into growing your existing customer base? The Shift Podcast has got you covered! In episode #9 of The Shift Podcast Dr. Karthik Nagendra speaks to Sherrod Patching, VP CSM at Gitlab to delve into customer retention trends, strategies, challenges, and much more. Learn how to leverage customer success and account management teams to drive growth. In this podcast, you’ll get to: Understand emerging trends in customer success Align product features with customers’ top-level business objectives Address challenges in account planning and governance Leverage analytics and Big Data for customer success and account management Tune in to The Shift today!
Digital transformation has become an essential element for businesses to remain competitive in today’s ever-changing business landscape. It has provided many benefits, including increased productivity, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced sales performance. What has changed in the sales experience, since the ability to integrate digital tools seamlessly into the sales process has improved? In episode #8 of The Shift Podcast on Digital Key Account Management, Prasad Varahabhatla (Senior Director, Sales & Data Operations at Philips) and Dr. Karthik Nagendra (Chief Marketing Officer at DemandFarm) discuss what goes into streamlining the sales experience in digital key account management. In this podcast episode, Prasad shares his thoughts on 1) Integrating digital tools and platforms into the sales process 2) Increasing popularity of Rev Ops as a function and it’s future 3) Dealing with the entire customer journey from landing to renewing 4) Customer adoption and long-term value creation And much more…!
New York, 20th August 2024 – DemandFarm is thrilled to announce that our Org Chart solution has been featured in the “Top Salesforce Sales Apps & Solutions” list by SFApps.info. Org Chart by DemandFarm, a 100% Salesforce-native app, empowers sales and account management teams to visualize complex organizational hierarchies, create context-rich relationship maps, and develop effective engagement strategies—all within Salesforce. This recognition underscores the innovation and value DemandFarm provides to Salesforce users, helping account development teams manage client relationships with greater clarity and efficiency. About DemandFarm: DemandFarm enables companies to visualize, plan, and grow Key Account revenue directly within their CRM. With over 150 clients and 15,000+ users, including global brands like DHL, TaskUs, Slalom, and HCLTech, DemandFarm is trusted by enterprises to drive consistent growth through better key account management. DemandFarm offers three Salesforce-native products: Org Chart: Visualize complex hierarchies and manage stakeholder engagement. Account Planner: Standardize account planning and analyze competitive landscapes. Opportunity Planner: Implement and manage various sales methodologies with precision.
New York, 14th July 2023, DemandFarm, a leading player in account-based sales solutions, is proud to announce its recognition in the Forrester Research report “The Account-Based Selling Technologies Landscape, Q2 2023.” The report evaluated over 30 account-based selling technology providers and highlighted DemandFarm’s ability to help companies achieve their account-based goals by providing a comprehensive suite of features that enable them to align their sales, marketing, and customer success teams. “We are thrilled to be recognized by Forrester for our account-based management capabilities,” said Abhijit Gangoli, CEO & Co-Founder of DemandFarm. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to helping our customers achieve their account-based goals and driving revenue growth. We are proud to be part of the account-based selling technology landscape and look forward to continuing to innovate and deliver value to our customers.” Forrester defines account-based selling technologies as: “Strategic account mapping and alignment technologies that help organizations’ account planning and execution efforts by revealing complex relationships; identifying white space; supporting opportunity planning efforts; and enabling collaboration that makes it easier to identify, win, retain, and grow business with key accounts.” Forrester’s report highlights the popularity and increasing importance of account-based selling (ABS) in recent years. ABS platforms allow sellers to gain visibility into account potential, streamline account planning processes, and increase sales rep efficiency. The report notes that ABS has evolved from a set of tools focused mainly on embedding a sales process or methodology to a market that uses data governance and AI to provide more meaningful insights and predictive actions for complex sales motions. The expanding landscape of ABS technologies can leave buyers with too many vendors to choose from. However, it is important to select the right ABS vendor based on business goals, vendor size, type of offering, geography, and use case differentiation. Moving forward, ABS technologies are expected to undergo further evolution, with a growing focus on investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and closer integration between marketing and sales tech stacks. Businesses that invest in these platforms can expect to see increased performance from their sellers, deeper insights into account potential, and a more sustainable and predictive sales process.The platform is expected to underpin collaboration spaces that bring together internal and external stakeholders to increase alignment and opportunity potential. About DemandFarm: DemandFarm helps companies visualize, plan and grow Key Account Sales. It helps companies manage key account selling inside their CRMs to centralize sales knowledge, find missed opportunities and create consistent growth across their organizations. With 250+ clients and 25,000+ users since 2016 customers like TaskUs, Slalom, Contentful, Zebra, AGS Health, Emids, Duke Energy, Mindtree, Cloud Academy trust DemandFarm with their key account planning.
New York, Sep 22, 2023: DemandFarm continues to stand out in Digital Key Account Management space. Review site G2.com has recognized DemandFarm consecutively in the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer 2023 report. This is a sign of DemandFarm’s continued leadership in the B2B Digital Key Account Management space. DemandFarm has been awarded the ‘Best Support’ badge for excellence in customer satisfaction across its 25000+ user base. DemandFarm has consistently scored with above-average ratings on its Quality of Support provided (95% against an average of 91%) and Ease of doing business with ( 98% against an average of 93%). 89% of users are likely to recommend DemandFarm to others G2 is a review site that enables organizations to find the appropriate software and services to satisfy their needs by accessing over 1 million reviews. To read more reviews about DemandFarm, check out the G2 website here: https://www.g2.com/products/demandfarm/reviews#reviews
The Great Place to Work® Assessment is considered a ‘Gold Standard’ in workplace Culture assessment. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace. Our company has earned this recognition based on a rigorous assessment independently conducted by Great Place to Work® Institute India. We stood out with above-average assessment scores in our category of companies under 100 employees in all the dimensions that we were being surveyed under – Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride and Camaraderie. We are building a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture™ and we thrive due to a remarkable team who are passionate and driven.
DemandFarm is happy to announce that it complies with international Information Security Management System standards. The ISO/IEC 27001:2013 has been awarded for meeting internationally-recognized requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving Information Security Management System within a company. DemandFarm now assures you with a higher quality and higher level of trust, reduces the risk of cyber attacks and information security breaches. With the ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certification, DemandFarm has also followed the privacy extension. You can now trust DemandFarm even more when it comes to managing personal information and adhering to international standards of privacy regulations. Examination Scope: Information Security Management System (ISMS) Certification: ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (link to certificate) Examination Scope: Information Security Management System (ISMS) Certification: ISO/IEC 27701:2019 (link to certificate) We are committed to ensuring information security at all levels and maintaining the certifications!
Pune, July 21, 2022: Review site G2.com has recognized DemandFarm as a Leader in the Summer 2022 Reports. This is a validation of DemandFarm’s continued efforts in championing Digital Key Account Management and at being leaders in CRO. Additionally, DemandFarm was also awarded the G2 ‘Users Love Us’ badge for excellent customer satisfaction across its 25000+ user base. G2 is a review site that enables organizations to find the appropriate software and services to satisfy their needs by accessing over 1 million reviews. Here are some of the reviews that G2 users have left as a testament to DemandFarm’s excellence in Digital Key Account Management: “The flexibility of the tool and the deployment team. Demand farm allows you to shape the account plan to the needs of your business while offering best practices to guide you along the journey.” – Tom C, VP Global Sales Operations, Enterprise (>1000 employees) “The integration of the different modules makes it a valuable instrument for organizations to manage, monitor and adapt customer planning. It gives a total, transparent overview of all activities based on relationships with the different players in the power base.” – Bennie P, Sales Director, Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) To read more reviews about DemandFarm, check out the G2 website here: https://www.g2.com/products/demandfarm/reviews#reviews ABOUT DEMANDFARM DemandFarm is a pioneer in the Digital Account Planning space with a productized solution approach for strategic account growth. Since 2016, DemandFarm’s SaaS-based products have enhanced Digital Account Planning for account and sales teams across the world. This is made possible by two primary products – ‘Account Planner’ and ‘Org Chart’, built around our proprietary Account Centric Sales Effectiveness framework. Both, ‘Account Planner’ and ‘Org Chart’, are native to Salesforce and connected to leading CRMs and sales tech platforms. Find out more about what DemandFarm has to offer here: www.demandfarm.com
Download DemandFarm’s White Space Analysis Template to identify growth opportunities within key accounts. Uncover unmet needs, spot expansion potential, and drive revenue with this easy-to-use strategic planning template. Identify Growth Opportunities: Spot untapped potential within existing accounts by visualizing product–need gaps. Prioritize High-Impact Areas: Focus on whitespace segments with the highest revenue and strategic value. Align Teams Around Expansion Strategy: Give sales, marketing, and customer success a clear view of where to focus efforts. Accelerate Strategic Account Planning: Cut through complexity and make planning faster, clearer, and more data-driven. Improve Cross-sell & Upsell Success: Uncover aligned products or services your client isn’t yet using—but should. Easy to Use & Customizable: Editable format designed for fast adoption, tailored to your account structures. Built by KAM Experts: Leverage insights from a platform trusted by enterprise leaders in strategic account management.
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See how DemandFarm is redefining account planning in the era of AI, and finally making it possible for key account management teams to focus on selling. Catch seasoned KAM practitioners Jeremy King – Lead, Strategic Growth @ TrendyMinds and Harsh Sanklecha – AVP, Customer Success @ DemanadFarm share their unfiltered take on what’s game-changing, what’s just noise and what’s on the horizon for AI-driven account planning. Agenda: AI’s role in the evolution of account planning tools Top three AI trends that’ll shape account planning in 2025 and beyond Demo of DemandFarm’s KAM AI Watch the webinar on-demand:
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The truism “creating value for your customers will eventually create revenue for your company” perhaps rings loudest in the targeted, relationship-heavy, high-value space of account-based selling. In Key Account Management (KAM), as we aim to move from being a vendor for our key accounts to a strategic partner who can co-create value, the single most dominant value that can drive this transformation is – customer-centricity. Unrelenting, obsessive, customer-centricity. In this webinar, Forrester analyst Steve Silver, Carter Cathey – SVP, Global Sales at Aytm, Sean Moran – Partner at ZS, and Joshua Gregg – Ex-President at DemandFarm discuss – Why you should make sales and customer success teams the gatekeepers of customer-centricity – Why revenue growth from your key customers requires a healthy amount of obsession in ABS – Leveraging technology for collaboration, co-creation, and personalization to deliver customer experience and drive sales performance – Aligning compensation models with a customer-centric culture Watch the webinar on-demand:
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In the fast-paced world of B2B sales, Account-based Selling (ABS) has become the go-to strategy for sales leaders. However, at the core of ABS is an often-overlooked perspective–selling to the humans behind the steely structures that make up their accounts lists. Only a handful of companies and sales leaders are laying down relationship targets, and an even smaller slice plots a course to hit them. The consequence? It’s 2024 and relationship mapping still remains ad-hoc, with account managers struggling to identify the right people and initiate meaningful conversations. This experts-led webinar discusses a panacea for all these challenges – Omphalos, DemandFarm’s Spring Release: 1. How an organization’s Account Based Selling (ABS) maturity affects their approach to relationship mapping 2. 5 challenges that make it hard for your AMs to identify the right people, initiate meaningful conversations, and stitch back their efforts to the larger business goals. 3. Live demo of how you can make methodical relationship mapping the norm across your key accounts portfolio with our Spring Release. Watch the webinar on-demand:
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Recent economic headwinds have spurred organizations to rethink key account management (KAM). B2B companies are keen on swapping hit-or-miss approaches with repeatable processes that guarantee retention and growth. The wedge in this pursuit? Static plans and lack of clarity on how to standardize best practices across their key accounts. A ~27% increase in cross-sell and upsell opportunities isn’t far-fetched if you know how to standardize key account planning best practices at scale. In our webinar featuring Forrester Analyst Steve Silver on Mar 28, we discuss: 1. A definitive road map for implementing key account management (KAM) best practices. 2. What should your ideal KAM tool look like? 3. If you are just beginning your KAM journey, what best practices should you spend time on? 4. How long should your KAM implementation go on for? (See a real-world case study from our recent implementation) 5. What short, mid and long term metrics should you be tracking as a best practice? Watch the webinar on-demand:
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What happens when three industry leaders gather on a Zoom call? You get expert commentary, game-changing insights, hilarious anecdotes, and valuable lessons that will reshape your approach to customer interaction! Join Joshua Gregg – President, Americas at DemandFarm, as he catches up with Maria Dominguez – PM Global Account Management, DHL, and Russ Sharer – CSO, Brooks Group, for an unfiltered conversation. They’re delving into the nitty-gritty – the triumphs and challenges, the well-guarded secrets, and those not-so-secret gems – of Strategic Account Management (SAM). It’s all about nurturing those high-impact relationships that could be the game-changers for your business. Key takeaways: Strategic Thinking: Discover how to turn transactional customers into strategic thinkers who seek your advisory expertise. The Digital Revolution: Explore cutting-edge digital tools that bridge gaps, showcase value, and cultivate collaboration. From Sales to Trust: Learn the art of becoming a trusted advisor by building trust, showing value, and becoming indispensable. AI and You: Delve into the power of AI-driven insights and automation in streamlining your approach and enhancing customer interactions. Navigating Implementation Challenges: Explore real-world stories and strategies for successfully implementing digital tools, aligning personalities, and overcoming cultural barriers. Cultivating Customer-Centric Culture: Discover the vital role of a customer-centric culture in effective tool adoption and fostering meaningful customer relationships. Watch the Webinar On-Demand:
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Key Account Management Maturity Framework Focusing solely on acquiring new business often leads to missed opportunities within existing key accounts. In fact, key account management (KAM) can drive significant growth—improving deal closure rates by up to 25%. Yet, many companies remain trapped in reactive KAM practices, which are often as ineffective as having no program at all. DemandFarm’s KAM Maturity Assessment Guide offers a comprehensive framework to help organizations evaluate their KAM maturity, identify strengths, uncover areas for growth, and highlight expansion opportunities. Before strategizing ways to increase revenue from key accounts, it’s essential to understand your current KAM position. This guide will help you: Measure essential KAM metrics Understand the key components of KAM maturity modeling Implement actionable steps to strengthen long-term client relationships
Why should B2B organizations adopt KAM Technology With recent economic headwinds tightening everyone’s purse strings, driving growth from existing customers is in vogue. As acquisition becomes increasingly expensive, cross-sell and up-sell initiatives are the latest poster child(ren) of B2B revenue growth. Why? – Gartner research has shown that account-based upsell campaigns have increased Lifetime Value by 150%. – Studies show personalized product recommendations can increase revenue by up to 300% and conversion rate by 150% As successive good experiences compound, you move from being their vendor to a strategic partner, increasing the value of your recommendations. More businesses are following suit, taking a closer look at their key accounts to identify strategic accounts with revenue potential. As prospects go from “opportunities” to “accounts,” you realize that the strategies, processes, and activities for key account management significantly differ from those for lead management. Without a dedicated KAM solution, your melange of disparate tools and quick fixes isn’t just wasting your time, it’s eating your growth. And in today’s economic climate, you really can’t afford that.This ebook covers 1. signs that you’re CRM isn’t enough to handle your key accounts 2. when should you consider buying a dedicated KAM tool 3. what the actual impact of a KAM tool looks like on a real company It doesn’t matter where you are in your KAM journey – a beginner or a veteran – if you’re invested in maximizing revenue growth from your existing customer base, this is a must-read.
Amidst economic fluctuations in 2024, B2B companies are increasingly focusing on strengthening their KAM portfolio. As their organization’s biggest revenue contributors, the increased importance attached to key accounts has increased the adoption of KAM tools. The pandemic-led digital transformation has irrevocably transformed the key account management landscape. Hybrid work environments demanded new frameworks for collaboration, and technological advancements have helped snowball this digital transformation trend into a competitive advantage. The decision to incorporate a KAM tool in your tech stack is a significant one, and choosing the right tool for your organization can be a complex process involving multiple stakeholders and balancing critical parameters. This ebook aims to be a comprehensive toolkit detailing: 1. A quick test to understand your KAM readiness 2. How you can define your KAM goals 3. A framework to recognize the functionalities (in a tool) most critical to your organization 4. Factors you’ll need to consider before making your buying decision 5. A comprehensive checklist template to evaluate KAM tools
Sales opportunity planning is a complex process that entails following several steps and requires a comprehensive guide. It’s built around a multi-step sales cycle with several stages that include research, qualification, and strategy development. All these stages are aligned to meet the common goal of realizing the full potential of a prospective sales opportunity. The success and future of any sales organization hinge on the cohesive planning and execution of each step, that is collectively known as sales opportunity management. The best and most effective sales opportunity plans are created and aligned around creating value for the buyer. It also enables managers and sales teams strategize, plan, execute, and monitor a multistage sales process. Compared to managing a sales pipeline where metrics like revenue and margin take center stage, opportunity planning is a more complex process that is planned and executed around the customer. To understand the different facets and layers of this strategy, let’s look at the 8 steps of sales opportunity planning. 8 Steps of Sales Opportunity Planning Step 1: Identifying the Opportunity The journey starts with identifying the sales opportunity that is nothing else but a qualified sales lead. By meeting the necessary criteria, this lead presents the opportunity for business potential. You need to ask yourself some pertinent questions in order to identify valuable sales opportunities, such as: Are your existing customers seeking existing services or products that your competitors are not able to provide? Are there any new services or products that you can provide and gain market traction? Are there any customers that you may have not considered that are now available to you? This process plays an important role in qualifying leads and sifting opportunities from dead ends. After identifying a set of opportunities, you can rank them on the basis of cost, potential benefit and complexity to implement. Tools such as organizational charts and product roadmaps can play an important role in prospecting and lead generation. They help you to decode the prospect’s organizational structure and identify key decision-makers and stakeholders. In fact, product roadmaps are a great asset for sales teams to understand a product’s future capabilities and how they can match with the prospect’s needs. Learn More: How to do Opportunity Management in Salesforce CRM Step 2: Understanding the Prospect’s Needs The buyer is the kingpin of the planning sales opportunities and the success of any plan hinges on understanding the prospect’s needs. Sellers must invest all time and energy into this crucial stage by meticulously researching the prospect’s pain points and goals. One way to identify opportunities for value creation is by conducting thorough customer discovery interviews. To gain a clear view of available opportunities, you must document the history with your customer and add possible future ones to the list. Sales teams must invest in tools such as customer strategy maps to align their objectives and initiatives match with capabilities of the solution they are offering. These maps are a repository of the culture of customer organizations, their goals and possible challenges. With this vital information, your sales force can identify potential areas where you can provide value that boosts the customer’s plans. Learn More: What are White Space Opportunities? Step 3: Building the Sales Team The next step in sales opportunity planning is to assess your organization for the business capabilities required to go after the opportunity. This crucial stage involves assembling a cross-functional sales team with the right skills and expertise. Roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined within the team and equally important is to ensure clear communication and collaboration among team members. Apart from tracking the activities of your sales team, keep your ear close to the ground to gain insights from other team members. Innovative ideas and solutions may come from their personal insights into potential value for the buyer. A valuable or crucial tip may change the game and help sales teams close a sale, or resolve a difficult issue. Step 4: Crafting the Value Proposition Once you have a clear understanding of the buyer’s needs and your team is in place, you can focus on crafting your solution and building the value case. At this stage, it’s important to create a compelling value proposition that is tailored to the prospect and addresses the prospect’s specific needs and pain points. Another aspect of crafting the value proposition is showcasing the unique selling points and benefits. Ideally, each component of your proposition should be linked to the value it provides for the buyer. These points will help you appeal to the buyer’s needs and create effective value messaging. Another important point to consider at this stage is how you compare with the competition from the buyer’s perspective. Understanding the buyer’s view of your competition will help you create a value proposition that highlights your strengths. Moreover, this value proposition can also cater to buyers that are not serviced well by your competition. Your value proposition can appeal to those needs the buyers that the competition does not service. Step 5: Creating a Customized Sales Strategy We have crossed the half-way mark of the sales opportunity plan and now is the time to develop a detailed sales plan, including timelines and milestones. You need to know the buyer’s buying process and match it to your sales process to create a customized sales strategy. It’s important to gather all valuable insights your team can contribute to formulating a winning sales strategy. Based on their success with customers, sales winners are likely propose winning ideas and also alert you about what does not work. By incorporating insights and inputs, you can create a customized sales strategy to meet specific goals and objectives. Formulating a sales strategy also entails anticipating objections and challenges and preparing response strategies for each. The final action plan must map out the steps you need to take during the entire process to close the sale. Step 6: Presenting the Solution Strategies Planning a winning strategy is one thing but presenting a
Account Planning Readiness Assessment: Developed by Forrester Assess your organization’s readiness for effective account planning with this downloadable checklist by Forrester. Evaluate crucial elements such as organizational culture, collaboration, data analytics, and customer insights. Receive actionable guidance and industry expertise to enhance your account planning capabilities and drive long-term success. By utilizing the Account Planning Readiness Assessment Checklist, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in account planning. This self-assessment facilitates informed decision-making and aids in prioritizing initiatives that will drive improved customer engagement, revenue growth, and long-term success.
The Future of Strategic Account Management Unlock the secrets to strategic account management and stay ahead of the curve! Our research team is thrilled to announce the release of our latest report, Shaping the Future of Strategic Account Planning: Insights, Opportunities & Strategies at the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) Annual Conference 2023. Find out what sales leaders from over 100 organizations had to say about their objectives, investments, and challenges in strategic account planning. Be the first to learn the trends and best practices in strategic account planning by reading our latest report. Let’s shape the future of strategic account planning together!
