Going High and Wide in Strategic Accounts with Jane Thompson
In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with Jane Thompson of BigPanda to unpack the art and science of selling into strategic accounts. Jane shares hard-won wisdom on navigating multi-divisional enterprises, building champions across layers of influence, and translating technical capabilities into board-level business value. If you want to elevate from tactical selling to true strategic impact, this episode delivers the roadmap. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00:45] Focus beyond standard research—find personal executive insights to connect meaningfully. [00:01:15] Strategic sellers must bridge technical solutions to business outcomes. [00:02:00] Map value by stakeholder: technical director, VP, CIO—tailor it to each. [00:03:30] Selling to multi-divisional organizations requires managing multiple champions, needs, and value props. [00:04:15] Ecosystems are interdependent—solutions impact multiple departments. [00:05:00] Use the “M and W Effect” to navigate accounts vertically and horizontally. [00:06:00] Prevent single-threading—schedule multiple meetings at once and communicate openly. QUOTES [00:01:20] “Anyone can go read a 10-K, but go find personal tidbits that help you build a champion at every level.” [00:01:55] “You have to translate what you do into business issues—or you’re not going to be a good strategic account rep.” [00:02:40] “If you think in a strategic sense, mapping value by stakeholder becomes second nature.” [00:04:00] “It’s a skill to unify multiple divisions with multiple stakeholders into a single ROI conversation.” [00:05:10] “If you’re not moving up and down in the org chart, you won’t make it in strategic accounts.” [00:06:05] “Be transparent—reach high and wide without being sneaky. It works if done right.” Listen to the full conversation through the link below. https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/selling-into-strategic-accounts-with-jane-thompson Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0 Check out John McMahon’s book here: Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Force Management is hiring for a Sales Director. Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q02Zb8WG0 Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging