The 17 Best Account Management Books to Master Client Journeys
Embarking on an account management journey? You’re in the right spot. With decades immersed in both practical account management and the literature that goes along with it, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of a good book in refining strategies and elevating client relationships. Each book in the upcoming curated list is a gem of wisdom I've personally explored, applied, and seen tangible results from—enabling a smoother journey for you through the nuanced trails of account management.
17 Best Account Management Books
Explore my curated list of the best books for account management, chosen for their depth and ability to solve relevant professional challenges. These are all on Amazon.
- The New Successful Large Account Management by Robert B. Miller and Stephen E. Heiman
- Rethinking the Sales Cycle by John R. Holland and Tim Young
- Key Account Management: The Definitive Guide by Diana Woodburn and Malcolm McDonald
- Key Account Management and Planning by Noel Capon
- Key Account Management: Tools and Techniques for Achieving Profitable Key Supplier Status by Peter Cheverton
- Mastering Account Management: 102 Steps for Increasing Sales, Serving Your Customers Better, and Working Less by Dan Englander
- Implementing Key Account Management: Designing Customer-Centric Processes for Mutual Growth by Dr. Javier Marcos, Mark Davies, Dr. Rodrigo Guesalaga, Dr. Sue Holt
- The New Strategic Selling by Stephen E. Heiman, Diane Sanchez, and Tad Tuleja
- Selling to VITO by Anthony Parinello
- The Lost Art of Closing by Anthony Iannarino
- The Great Client Partner: How Soft Skills Are the True Currency in Client Relationships by Jared Belsky
- The Challenger Customer by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman
- Cracking the Sales Management Code by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana
- A Practitioner's Guide to Account-Based Marketing by Bev Burgess and Dave Munn
- Key Strategy Tools: The 80+ Tools for Every Manager to Build a Winning Strategy by Vaughan Evans
- Super Strategist: The Art and Science of Modern Account Planning by Lesley Bielby
- Malcolm McDonald on Key Account Management by Malcolm McDonald
Overviews Of The 18 Best Account Management Books
1. The New Successful Large Account Management by Robert B. Miller and Stephen E. Heiman
Summary:
This bestseller book provides a comprehensive approach to maintaining and establishing beneficial, long-term customer relationships for businesses managing large accounts.
What You'll Learn:
Understand how to navigate through the challenges and intricacies of managing large accounts and ensure sustained profitability and customer retention.
Why You Should Read It:
For any business professional overseeing large accounts, this book serves as a guide to not only securing big clients but also maintaining those account relationships effectively.
Quote From The Book:
"Get the basics right and you can use your skills and techniques more effectively."
About The Author:
Robert B. Miller and Stephen E. Heiman have contributed significantly to sales strategies, particularly large account management. You can learn more about Stephen on his LinkedIn.
2. Rethinking the Sales Cycle by John R. Holland and Tim Young
Summary:
“Rethinking the Sales Cycle” reveals how to align sales efforts with the decision-making processes of the customer to create and win sales opportunities.
What You'll Learn:
Readers will learn strategies for aligning sales initiatives with customer purchasing processes and approaches to accelerating sales cycles effectively.
Why You Should Read It:
Sales professionals and managers can glean insights into synchronizing sales processes with customer purchasing decisions to optimize sales outcomes.
Quote From The Book:
"Success in sales is not about selling; it's about helping buyers buy."
About The Author:
John R. Holland and Tim Young have established themselves as experts in accelerating sales cycles.
3. Key Account Management: The Definitive Guide by Diana Woodburn and Malcolm McDonald
Summary:
Woodburn and McDonald’s guide dives deeply into the concept of key account management, providing structured insights and strategies to effectively manage key accounts.
What You'll Learn:
You’ll acquire structured methodologies and strategies to manage key accounts proficiently and retain profitable customer relationships.
Why You Should Read It:
Those who engage in business-to-business (B2B) sales and key account management will find this book invaluable in providing structured approaches to managing and retaining key customers.
Quote From The Book:
"Key Account Management is a strategic decision by the supplier, made to invest resources in the coordinated and synergistic way in interactions with a limited number of customers."
About The Author:
Diana Woodburn and Malcolm McDonald have made notable contributions to the field of account management and marketing. You can engage with Diana on LinkedIn for more profound insights into strategic marketing and account management.
4. Key Account Management and Planning by Noel Capon
Summary:
Noel Capon elevates the concepts of key account management and planning by providing insightful strategies to retain, service, and manage critical client accounts, thereby enhancing profitability, customer experience, and loyalty.
What You'll Learn:
Gain knowledge on how to develop structured plans for managing strategic accounts, ensuring sustained profitability and robust client and business relationships.
Why You Should Read It:
For professionals in sales and account management, this book serves as a practical guide to handling major clients while ensuring consistent account growth and profitability.
Quote From The Book:
"Organizations that adopt key account management to only defend against customer demands give away profitability."
About The Author:
Noel Capon is recognized for his profound contributions to marketing and account management literature and practices. Further insights into his works and expertise can be gleaned from his LinkedIn profile.
5. Key Account Management: Tools and Techniques for Achieving Profitable Key Supplier Status by Peter Cheverton
Summary:
Peter Cheverton articulates in-depth techniques and tools to help businesses become profitable key suppliers through effective account management strategies.
What You'll Learn:
Readers will uncover tactics to attain a coveted position as a key supplier, incorporating strategic management approaches that ensure long-term account profitability.
Why You Should Read It:
This book is essential for professionals desiring comprehensive insights and tools to establish their company as a crucial supplier through adept key account management.
Quote From The Book:
"KAM (Key Account Management) is not something you do to clients; it’s work you do with them."
About The Author:
Peter Cheverton, with his vast expertise in key account management and B2B marketing, enriches professionals with applicable tools for robust account management.
6. Mastering Account Management: 102 Steps for Increasing Sales, Serving Your Customers Better, and Working Less by Dan Englander
Summary:
Dan Englander provides a thorough guide consisting of 102 actionable steps aimed at enhancing sales, delivering superior customer service, and optimizing work efficiency in account management.
What You'll Learn:
Explore a plethora of steps and strategies to incrementally and substantially enhance your sales figures, customer service, and account management efficacy.
Why You Should Read It:
If refining your approach to account management, improving client service, and amplifying sales while optimizing work processes is your aim, this book is your toolkit.
Quote From The Book:
"Remember: data-driven selling means you can manage what you measure."
About The Author:
Dan Englander has carved his niche in sales, account management, and business strategy, contributing actionable insights through his writing. Engage more with Dan through his LinkedIn, Twitter, or on his website.
7. Implementing Key Account Management: Designing Customer-Centric Processes for Mutual Growth by Dr. Javier Marcos, Mark Davies, Dr. Rodrigo Guesalaga, Dr. Sue Holt
Summary:
This essential reading acts as a meticulous guide for executing Key Account Management (KAM), emphasizing crafting account management processes that are fundamentally customer-centric, fostering symbiotic growth for both sellers and their key clients.
What You'll Learn:
Explore intricate yet effective processes for creating and implementing a customer-centered approach to KAM that yields collaborative growth.
Why You Should Read It:
For those seeking a roadmap to deploy KAM effectively, ensuring that practices and strategies are primarily customer-focused and mutually beneficial, this book serves as an invaluable guide.
Quote From The Book:
"The choice of KAMs is strategic: not all customers deserve the investment in time and resources that KAM entails."
About The Author:
Dr. Javier Marcos, with a rich background in sales and customer management training, drives impactful knowledge transfer through his publications and teachings.
8. The New Strategic Selling by Stephen E. Heiman, Diane Sanchez, and Tad Tuleja
Summary:
"The New Strategic Selling" unfolds strategic sales tactics, honing in on the concept of Win-Win outcomes, revealing the methodology to steer sales strategies toward customer success for sellers and clients’ competitive advantage.
What You'll Learn:
Understand and adopt the strategy of creating mutually beneficial sales outcomes, ensuring that both seller and client derive value.
Why You Should Read It:
This book is a must-read for those aspiring to navigate sales endeavors where every deal closed signifies a victory for both vendor and customer.
Quote From The Book:
"The only thing worse than losing good business is winning bad business."
About The Author:
Stephen E. Heiman, known for his compelling insights into strategic selling, provides ample food for thought to sales professionals.
9. Selling to VITO by Anthony Parinello
Summary:
Anthony Parinello, in "Selling to VITO," delves into tactics for reaching and securing sales with top-tier decision-makers, providing a strategy to navigate through the hierarchies to the Very Important Top Officer (VITO).
What You'll Learn:
Learn how to identify, approach, and effectively sell to the C-suite and high-ranking officials within organizations.
Why You Should Read It:
If the goal is to understand the psyche and expectations of top-level decision-makers to tailor your sales approach effectively, this book is a noteworthy guide.
Quote From The Book:
"Get to VITO and you'll hitch a ride on the fastest, surest vehicle to sales success."
About The Author:
Anthony Parinello, a seasoned sales trainer, and author, enlightens sales professionals with practical strategies to target and win over top decision-makers. Engage with Anthony through LinkedIn for additional insights.
10. The Lost Art of Closing by Anthony Iannarino
Summary:
"The Lost Art of Closing" extends a nuanced perspective on the critical aspect of making sales: securing closing commitments without pressuring clients, but rather by assuring that their needs are meticulously met.
What You'll Learn:
Understand a conscientious approach to securing client commitments, ensuring that their needs and wants are meticulously met and respected.
Why You Should Read It:
The book is essential for professionals aiming to perfect their closing skills while maintaining a client-centric approach, ensuring profitable and ethical sales.
Quote From The Book:
"Closing isn’t something that you do to a client. It’s something you do for and with a client."
About The Author:
Anthony Iannarino, a respected sales leader and speaker, generously shares his practical sales wisdom and insights with professionals. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn or via Twitter.
11. The Great Client Partner: How Soft Skills Are the True Currency in Client Relationships by Jared Belsky
Summary:
Jared Belsky brings forward the significant role of soft skills in client relationship management, articulating that true client partnership goes beyond technical expertise and is deeply rooted in emotional and interpersonal skills.
What You'll Learn:
Gain insights into how leveraging soft skills can profoundly enhance client relationships and drive successful partnerships.
Why You Should Read It:
For individuals seeking to deepen client relationships by mastering soft skills, this book provides invaluable strategies and narratives.
Quote From The Book:
"Great client partners are not afraid to say ‘I don’t know.’ But they follow it up with ‘but I will find out.’"
About The Author:
Jared Belsky, with a rich history in managing and leading agency endeavors, provides keen insights into relationship management. Connect with Jared on LinkedIn.
12. The Challenger Customer by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman
Summary:
"The Challenger Customer" unveils a comprehensive approach to dealing with challenging customers, emphasizing that driving true change and purchases involves not merely confronting but understanding and navigating the complex inner dynamics of customer organizations.
What You'll Learn:
Learn strategies for identifying, understanding, and effectively engaging with challenging customers to drive sales and mutually beneficial outcomes.
Why You Should Read It:
It offers a granular exploration of dealing with challenging customers, ensuring sales professionals navigate through complexities with tact and strategy.
Quote From The Book:
"The best suppliers aren’t those that reduce negative tension in the buying process but those that are able to create positive tension by challenging customers to think differently about their business and to take action on previously unrecognized opportunities."
About The Author:
Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman collectively bring an abundance of sales and customer management expertise.
13. Cracking the Sales Management Code by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana
Summary:
This book takes an analytical approach to sales management, providing a systematic framework for managers to enhance sales performance by focusing on behaviors and processes that can be predicted, measured, and managed.
What You'll Learn:
Explore a structured approach to sales management, utilizing metrics and practices that catalyze systematic improvements in a sales team's performance.
Why You Should Read It:
If systematic, metrics-driven management approaches appeal to you, this book's structured guidelines will serve as a valuable resource in refining your sales management strategy.
Quote From The Book:
“Not all metrics are created equal. Managing activities is the secret to managing sales results.”
About The Author:
Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana bring their extensive experience in sales and training to the table, offering impactful insights based on real-world experiences. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn and Twitter and Michelle on LinkedIn for updates.
14. A Practitioner's Guide to Account-Based Marketing by Bev Burgess and Dave Munn
Summary:
This book extends a comprehensive guide to Account-Based Marketing (ABM), delving into strategies that streamline business practices to focus on engaging and converting specific high-value accounts, based on real-world application and results.
What You'll Learn:
Discover strategies, frameworks, and insights that facilitate efficient and effective ABM practices for engaging high-value accounts.
Why You Should Read It:
Those in pursuit of a strategic, account-specific marketing approach will find the pragmatic and proven insights provided by this book immensely valuable.
Quote From The Book:
"ABM is not a campaign; it's a strategic, long-term programme that supports the lifetime value of high-value accounts."
About The Author:
Bev Burgess and Dave Munn, both seasoned professionals in the marketing domain, share their nuanced expertise and learned insights through this guide. Connect with Bev on LinkedIn and Dave on LinkedIn.
15. Key Strategy Tools: The 80+ Tools for Every Manager to Build a Winning Strategy by Vaughan Evans
Summary:
Vaughan Evans presents an arsenal of over 80 strategic tools designed to empower managers to forge winning strategies. It's a compendium that ranges from classic strategic concepts to modern approaches, promising a well-rounded resource for strategizing successfully in a corporate landscape.
What You'll Learn:
Get a deep dive into an extensive array of strategic tools that cater to various managerial scenarios, enhancing strategic planning and implementation.
Why You Should Read It:
If a toolkit that spans a wide spectrum of strategic account management approaches appeals to you, Evans’ compilation here will be an indispensable addition to your managerial toolkit.
Quote From The Book:
“The best strategies, those that both stand the greatest chance of succeeding and stand out from the crowd, are those that are not just analytically driven, but are creative too.”
About The Author:
Vaughan Evans is an established strategy consultant with an inclination toward empowering successful key account managers with actionable strategic tools. Learn more insights about him on his LinkedIn.
16. Super Strategist: The Art and Science of Modern Account Planning by Lesley Bielby
Summary:
Lesley Bielby weaves art and science into account planning, delineating a refined approach that harmonizes creativity with structured planning in the modern marketing and strategy landscape.
What You'll Learn:
Dive into strategies that beautifully mesh creativity and systematic planning, enhancing the efficacy and impact of account planning.
Why You Should Read It:
For those inclined towards a balanced approach in strategic planning that encompasses both creative and analytical elements, this book promises insightful reading.
Quote From The Book:
Quote unavailable – do explore the book for nuanced insights directly!
About The Author:
Lesley Bielby integrates her rich expertise in strategy and planning into this guide, providing readers with a nuanced exploration of modern account planning. Get new updates straight from her on her LinkedIn.
17. Malcolm McDonald on Key Account Management by Malcolm McDonald
Summary:
Malcolm McDonald delineates a focused approach to Key Account Management (KAM), offering systematic, strategic insights and tools that facilitate the effective management and growth of crucial accounts.
What You'll Learn:
Learn to navigate the intricacies of KAM with a structured approach that ensures sustainability and profitability.
Why You Should Read It:
This book is pivotal for those involved in KAM, seeking structured insights and strategies from a seasoned professional in the field.
Quote From The Book:
Quote unavailable – consider exploring the book directly for a firsthand look at McDonald’s expertise!
About The Author:
Malcolm McDonald, a profound name in the field of marketing and account management, channels his extensive expertise into his writings, providing invaluable insights to professionals in the field.
Which Account Management Books Do You Recommend?
We invite you to contribute to this curated list with your valued insights. If there are account management books that have enlightened your professional journey and are not mentioned here, please share them in the comments.