My Customer Profiles

1. Begin this field exercise by identifying the customers in your territory that meet the following criteria:

 Top 3 customers by sales volume:

 An additional top 2 customers based on service needs:

 An additional customer that is a new customer within the last 12 months:

Now, make sure that there are no more than two corporate accounts on the list. If there are more than two corporate accounts, select the next customer that meets the criterion so that you have at most two corporate accounts in your final list.

2. Meet with the sales rep for each of the six customers to complete the following chart, which you will recognize as containing the parameters that define an ideal customer.

1 My Customers

Customer: ______Customer:______Account Size $$ (EAV $$)

Market Segment (in Key Markets)

Geographic Fit with Support Team

Multiple Applications within Current Product Line Position in Buying Cycle

Compelling Event

Unique Solutions with Value to Customer

I.S. Potential $$ (EAV $$ Add On)

Existing Customer with Another Product Line Multiple Site Locations

Internal Sponsor Influence

Executive Credibility @ Prospect

2 My Customers

Compelling Event

3 My Customers

Compelling Event

4 3. Review the data in your charts and draw your own conclusions about what constitutes a best, good, and weak customer in your market. Note those conclusions on the chart on the following page. Explain below where your conclusions about your market differ from the general definitions in the Customer Matrix Composite you printed earlier.

5 My Ideal Customer Profile

Good Better Best Account Size $$ (EAV $$)

Market Segment (in Key Markets) Geographic Fit with Support Team Multiple Applications within Current Product Line Position in Buying Cycle

Compelling Event

Unique Solutions with Value to Customer I.S. Potential $$ (EAV $$ Add On) Existing Customer with Another Product Line Multiple Site Locations

6 4. Fax or email your work to your supervisor. Then meet with your supervisor, in person or on the phone, to discuss your conclusions. Be sure to explain how you drew those conclusions from the data you collected about customers in your market. Make notes below on your discussion.

5. Now rank the six customers in order based on the criteria for your market, 1 being the best fit and 6 being the weakest fit. Note your reasons for the rankings.

6. What surprised you about the criteria or your ranking of the customers?

7 7. Schedule a coaching session with your most experienced sales rep to review your ideal customer characteristics, and compare those characteristics to the rep’s five largest accounts. Summarize below how well or poorly those customers fit the ideal customer profile for your market.

 Customer 1:

 Customer 2:

 Customer 3:

 Customer 4:

 Customer 5:

What conclusions can you draw from this analysis of the rep’s top customers?

8 8. Fax or email your work to your supervisor. Then meet with your supervisor, in person or on the phone, to discuss your rankings, any surprises, and your conclusions from analyzing one rep’s five largest accounts. Make notes below on your discussion.