Key Account Management: Marketing’s Impact. An interview with Bev Burgess
- 01-02-2012
- Customer Connection, Most Recent Blogs
- Bev Burgess, solutions marketingCustomer Connection, KAM Programs, KKey account management, Marketing technology, customer engagement, solutions selling, top accounts,
- 1 comments
Recently, SI interviewed Bev Burgess, a B2B services growth specialist, on the topic of marketing’s role in Key Account Management (KAM) programs. Bev is Director of UK-based consultancy The Capsicum Group, and a recognized expert in the process of applying strategic marketing insight to grow key accounts. She has assisted many technology-based corporations across Europe successfully implement an account-based marketing (ABM) model.
Bev gained wide recognition for her marketing acumen in the technology sector through the book that she co-authored in 2010 titled “Marketing Technology as a Service”. More recently, she published an article in Velocity, the Strategic Account Management Association’s members’ magazine, titled “Steria: Why Account Managers Need Strategic Marketing”, which described her experiences in working with one of Europe’s largest technology-enabled business process outsourcing companies.
Matt Leary, a Principal at SI and an expert in KAM and ABM, recently had an opportunity to talk with Bev about her opinions on a range of topics, including the importance of selling high value solutions through KAM programs.
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Whether driving account research, helping expand engagement with key customer executives or driving the adoption of complex solutions, Bev’s feedback and experience certainly support our research findings that marketing is essential to the success of KAM programs.
If you’re interested in reading the full interview with Bev and get her opinion on several other key issues related to KAM programs, click here...
Check out SI’s recent posts on KAM programs:
Comments (1)
Through this Q&A recap, it is evident that Bev is experienced in her realm of things and is very happy to share, as I experienced when she was a guest speaker for one of our classes. Bev not only provides insights but also realistic actions to take to become a better solutions marketer, for example, when she expressed adapting to your client's jargon which will actually help the process of writing up the client's value proposition. When transitioning to a solutions company, one of the most important changes is utilizing business value messaging and a simple step of using the client's wording can make that clear to a client of what really makes their offering different. Initially, I was surprised regarding the use of co-selling, and based on the answer, it seems rather common. But, after reading Bev's answer, partner coordination seems like a way to have another differentiator and provide further value where the client and first solutions company both gain fortes from a third company.