Anon12345

Account Manager

How to approach a new role (First time AM)

So I landed my first proper quota carrying position. Previously I worked as a CSM and BDR positions at a small startups with no monthly quota

Looking for advice from the more experienced. How would you approach your first few weeks?

Learn the product quickly and then try to get selling ?

Try to get ontop of some deals even before you have a full understanding of the product ?

Open to suggestions :)

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

What kind of training and ramp has this company provided you/plan to provide you?

Find a top rep in your role and ask to shadow them and be under their wing for a bit. That’s a fast track to understanding the ins and outs.

Anon12345

Account Manager

Awesome idea, thanks. So I have a 2month ramp at 80%. Any sales made during this time of course will count to quota.
I've heard 3 months is more standard but I was willing to risk it for the opportunity.

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

Why we're in sales. We ain't scared to bet on ourselves. Good luck!

Filth

Politicker

Live Filthy or Die Clean

As much product as humanly possible. If you can interact with your support staff and have them give you a crash course and make a solid friend you'll be ahead of the curve and an ally for those times you need to outside the process for a special fire that needs put out. Make sure you try and use it yourself and try and break stuff and work on fixing it. Most of what you do as an AM is delegate tasks, coordinate next steps, and lay out expectations for product and timeline. In between those, you upsell.

While you are learning and getting your hands dirty with the product start doing QBRs/Intros with all your clients. Don't come in with an agenda of sales, come in with the goal of establishing who you are and what you are going to do and how to best work with you, while learning how each of your clients wants to be handled. In these meetings you have the opportunity to have the client explain EXACTLY how they use the product now and document that so you have the right lens when they have needs or they are looking for more value/product in the future. Also, really hammer how you work - is it best to email you? text you? what is your response cadence - do you respond "received" move it to the right people and then you'll have updates for the clients 48hrs later? Set yourself up for success while being honest on how everyone can have success together.

After you talked/met with all clients and know the product at least basically - it's time to schedule on sites and weekly/monthly/quarterly cadences. People always push back but it's the best way to get sticky and truly understand where you can sell more and support the client's use of your product. If you don't stick them in a room with you for an hour or two they will be distracted and give you half truths. My advice is go to each client once a year unless you know they are worthless or they just never ever open their doors (grab an executive to give more credence to your visit if they push back initially before you give up).

You are now a babysitter and a defense attorney with a small bit of salesman. It's a hybrid role and the sooner you understand that every client is different and some are just going to suck and some you'll love and how to navigate between them and the in-betweens - you'll find the room for growth and the ones worth putting time into b/c they give you more MRR/ARR and those that just cry all day and need a place to vent.

Happy hunting - I made the transition 2 years ago and it's a fucking roller coaster but it's a fun ride.

Anon12345

Account Manager

Thanks for the detailed response and advice! Great reminder about the intros, these worked amazingly as a CSM and really helped build genuine relationships
Your point about listening is also super important, so easy to forget to listen to customers sometimes.
Regarding the on-sites, as a CSM I found these really helped build relationships and see the problems upfront, where the customer is most comfortable. This position is working with SMB accounts, between 30-100k USD in value. Are onsites common for these types of accounts? Considering it would require EMEA travel
Thanks again! For sure will make note of your advice

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Damn Filth. You should be PAID

Filth

Politicker

Live Filthy or Die Clean

haha I need that positivity today @CuriousFox. Much appreciated and I love helping people :D

LambyCorn

Arsonist

A mfkn E

I was in a same position last year! Went from freelance BDR to actual AE - first thing, learn the product, second learn the problems the product solves and what it means to the customer, third learn from others!

Anon12345

Account Manager

Sounds like a plan

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

Find out what the expectations are… all of them. Hours, KPIs, meetings, etc. Then, exceed them all every day while learning what it is that you’re selling. Be a beast, but a respectful beast. Don’t ever be scared to ask questions, but show that you’ve made an effort to understand on your own.

Be the guy that you think makes the best hire. Then stay that way forever. Good luck!

Anon12345

Account Manager

Cheers! Some great tips here

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

2 month ramp sounds like a very short sales cycle and they expect you to burning up the phones in short order. I would ask your new manager who you can shadow, who can help mentor you, and who you should be watching as a good role model. They know you're new and will probably give you a bit of leeway, but with the short ramp they won't give you much.

Think back to when you were a CSM and BDR - what did the top performers do?

Anon12345

Account Manager

Thanks!

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Anon12345

How to approach a new role (First time AM)

13 comments

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