Whale Hunting With Global Accounts: Four Critical Sales Strategies to Win Global Customers

Whale Hunting with Global Accounts is a must-read for anybody who has accounts that are going global because you risk losing your domestic business if you don’t pursue the global opportunity.Typical sales training focuses on discovering the customer’s vision and probing for relevant problems. But that presumes that customers know what outcomes they can achieve, know what it will take to achieve them, and know how to build enough consensus in their company to make a big change possible. Trouble is, most global accounts don’t know these things. They are better at identifying existing problems than visualizing a completely different solution.You can’t simply sell your solution to fill a problem or need. Instead, you need to bring your ideas of what is on the horizon, what’s new, and what’s possible. It’s not about selling. It’s about creating a viable vision with your clients about what is possible by changing.Another key question is, “Is your current company’s structure set-up to win a global account?” All too often, roles, responsibilities and compensation are not set up for winning global accounts. Because the decision cycle takes longer it’s about continuously bringing value to clients – new and different ways that help them get better over time.Before reading this book I thought I had a pretty good understanding of how to sell big deals. But Barbara Weaver Smith has provided a clear path I need to follow going forward. That path has four strategies:• How to improve my knowledge of the customer’s business & market• How to structure roles and responsibilities to win a global account. Global accounts want to meet some of your company’s subject matter experts, not just the lead salesperson• The process I need to follow before, during and after each sales call on a global account• The customized vision I need to create for the accountThis book is about differentiating your company from your competitors through superior customer knowledge of your salespeople, which they deliver every day in their interactions with specific members of the global account buying team. If your company needs to become more proactive on global accounts Whale Hunting with Global Accounts is a book that can provide the structured path you need to transform your business!

This book is such a rare Gem! I think the best gift in this book is the genius of interviewing expert global sales practitioners to provide current and relevant advice and challenges from their unique perspectives. In one of the sections it says: "Today's successful sellers in global accounts are highly talented leaders of a team of colleagues who follow a fluid process that requires insight and wisdom." This book is a MUST READ...Homayoun Sadeghi, MDSadeghiMD.comAuthor The Art of Healthy Living: A Mind-Body Approach to Inner Balance and Natural Vitality

This is an excellent book for business leaders seeking break-through strategies for developing global accounts. Barbara Weaver Smith provides a logical, concise, clear path for what's involved in terms of holistic leadership, global strategy and team execution of strategy at the account level. In our increasingly global, competitive business ecosystem, Whale Hunting with Global Accounts is a must-read resource for leaders, regardless of the size of their company. I know that I will be recommending the book to several of my key accounts.

Barbara Weaver Smith demonstrates again that she knows how to get and keep the big account and this time it's on a global scale. This book is great for any business, big or small, and I even recommend it as a text in college sales and entrepreneurship programs.

Interesting for anyone taking part in sales process as well as working on a project and seeking ways to extend the business with the customer.Easy to read. Spot on advice. Exploring all the various aspects of the complex whale hunting craft.

Barbara Weaver Smith does it again! In her new book, Whale Hunting with Global Accounts: Four Critical Strategies, she weaves in foundational concepts from her timeless book, Whale Hunting: How to Land Big Sales and Transform Your Company but adds a global bent. By capitalizing on the experience of fourteen experts (I was especially honored to be part of this elite group) she is able to analyze and address the many issues associated with landing and supporting global customers. If your company plans to expand your sales reach into global markets, I would suggest digesting every word of this book – it will save you countless hours and springboard your efforts to building a successful and sustainable global sales program. -Lisa D. Magnuson, TOP Line Account™ Deal Coach, Top Line Sales

If you are working with global account or want to be, you simply must read this book. Barbara is so knowledgeable about what it takes to grow with your existing accounts that are going global as well as how to hunt for new global accounts. There are several things I enjoyed about this book and the first is that Barbara spells out the process and strategies you will need. She also interviewed 14 global sales experts that give sound advice. It's easy to read and you will be able to put the things in this book into action. Even if you only have one global customer now, you need this book. The world is changing and companies are going global, you can too.

Although the book is about selling (to large accounts), this is really a bible for doing account management well, when you're dealing with large complex global accounts.