Kim Yell Reeves outlines four core competencies for relationship managers: crafting mutual success plans tied to business outcomes, leading valuable meetings, shifting from vendor to strategic partner, and mapping customer relationships. She argues true relationship management means becoming a trusted advisor who anticipates needs and influences decisions before contracts are signed.
Hi, I'm Kim Yell Reeves, an executive in residence here with Sales assembly, focused on relationship management. You know, once upon a time, I thought I was killing the game as a relationship manager. I thought as long as I was responsive, helpful, and hitting my numbers, that I was killing it. The truth is, I left a lot on the table for the customer, for the company and my pockets. So let's talk about it. Our customers need so, so, so, so much more than a point of contact. They need a partner. Someone who can anticipate their needs, someone who can create plans that align their goals to actual business outcomes. And someone who is so invested in their success, you know, that person who's there far beyond when the ink dries on those contracts, that's what they need. But there's a major flaw. The way most of us were trained was in managing accounts, not leading accounts. You know, we did things like focus on upsells and renewals and expansion and growth. And you're like, yes, yes, yes, isn't that my job? Kind of. But let's not miss the forest for the trees. The big idea here is that we want to become true trusted business advisors. We want to garner that influence in inside of their companies, that we are the person they call before they make that decision, before they make that big move. And once we land in that position, then we have nailed it. And that is what we're going to tackle here in the relationship management certification through four key areas. The first area is by creating mutual success plans. This is all about creating measurable plans that align our goals with our customers actual success. The second area that we'll focus on is leading productive and organized meetings so that every moment that we spend with our customer adds value that is engaging and that it is actually oriented, moving them closer to their end game every single time. Third, you will become more of a partner than another vendor. This is all about how you show up as a strategic advisor and adding value far beyond just the product. After all, there's tons and tons of research that say this is why customers stay or why they go. And finally, we're going to learn how to map and grow customer relationships. How to take an honest look at assessing the existing relationships. Are they strong enough, Are they integral enough? And then how to learn how to deepen the engagement there. And in doing so, there's a little bonus. You're going to become amazing influencer inside of your own organization. And if you already are, you're going to get a couple more tips and tricks that are going to make you even more of a powerhouse. What am I talking about? Becoming a better communicator, Aligning internal resources and teams and becoming a tremendous customer advocate. You know, getting those resources you need to get those deals across the line. All right, if you can't tell, I'm excited, and I can't wait to work with you in this journey and watch you bring these principles to life. And you're their very own customer. So with that said, let's get it.
