[GTM glossary](/glossary.txt) Account planning ABM # Account planning In short Account planning is the ongoing process of researching a key account, setting goals for it, and deciding how the team will pursue them. It covers who to engage, which opportunities to chase, and what to do in the next weeks and quarters. It is the process; the account plan is the document it produces. Planning matters most for accounts where the potential revenue justifies dedicated time, such as strategic customers and top-tier targets. ## The account planning process ### 1. Choose the accounts Pick the accounts worth planning for, usually those at the top of an account tiering model. Planning every account spreads effort too thin. ### 2. Research Gather facts on the company's strategy, financial direction, leadership, tech stack, and recent news. Review your own history with the account: deals, usage, support issues. ### 3. Set goals Define what success looks like, such as a signed first contract, a renewal, or an expansion to two new teams, along with a date. ### 4. Map stakeholders Identify who is involved in decisions and how strong your relationships are. ### 5. Choose plays Select a small number of specific actions, such as an executive briefing, a pilot, or a joint workshop. ### 6. Assign and review Give each action an owner and a date, then review progress on a set rhythm. --- ## Who takes part The account owner leads, but good planning pulls in others. Marketing contributes campaigns aimed at the account, sales development helps open new contacts, and customer success adds usage and satisfaction data. --- ## Example Say a team has twenty strategic accounts. Each quarter the owner of each account spends an hour updating a one-page plan and the team spends a meeting reviewing the five accounts with the biggest changes. Over the quarter the plans reveal two accounts with no contact in finance, and the team fixes that gap. --- ## Common mistakes * **Treating it as a one-off exercise:** Accounts change. Plans need a regular review. * **Planning without data:** Opinions about an account are weaker than facts from usage, CRM history, and recent news. * **No link to daily work:** If plans do not shape outreach, meetings, and campaigns, they are shelfware. * **Doing it alone:** Plans that sales writes without marketing or customer success miss resources and context. --- ## Account planning vs. account plan The plan is a document. Planning is the repeating routine of researching, deciding, and updating it. --- ## Account planning FAQs **What is account planning?** Account planning is the recurring process of researching an important account, setting goals, mapping stakeholders, and choosing actions to win or grow it. The output is usually a short account plan that the team reviews and updates regularly. **How do you do account planning?** Choose which accounts deserve a plan, research each one, set a dated goal, map the stakeholders, pick a few specific plays, and assign owners. Then review progress on a regular schedule, such as monthly for top accounts or quarterly for others. **Why is account planning important?** It focuses time on accounts with the most potential and replaces ad hoc outreach with deliberate steps. Planning also reveals gaps, such as missing stakeholders or unaddressed risks, before they cost a renewal or a deal. **How often should you update an account plan?** Review top-tier accounts monthly and others quarterly, and update the plan after major events such as a leadership change, a funding announcement, a renewal date approaching, or a lost champion. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [Key account management](/glossary/key-account-management.txt) * [Key account strategy](/glossary/key-account-strategy.txt) * [Major account](/glossary/major-account.txt) ## Similar phrases * [Account plan](/glossary/account-plan.txt) An account plan is a written document that sets goals, stakeholders, opportunities, risks, and next actions for winning or growing one specific customer or target account. * [Account mapping](/glossary/account-mapping.txt) Account mapping is the process of identifying the people, roles, relationships, and business context inside a target account so sales and marketing know who to engage and how. * [Account management](/glossary/account-management.txt) Account management is the practice of owning customer relationships after the sale to retain accounts, grow their spend, and keep customers satisfied. * [Account prioritization](/glossary/account-prioritization.txt) Account prioritization is the practice of ranking target accounts by fit, timing, and potential value so sellers and marketers spend limited effort on the companies most likely to convert. * [Account tiering](/glossary/account-tiering.txt) Account tiering groups target accounts into tiers by fit and potential value, so the highest-value accounts get the most personalized effort.