enterprise-account-planning

Enterprise Account Planning

Strategic account planning and execution for enterprise deals. Turn complex sales cycles into systematic wins — or at least know when they're dying before you waste months.

When to Use

Triggers:

• "How do I plan this enterprise deal?"
• "This deal has been in motion 3 months, why isn't it closing?"
• "Should I create a full account plan or simplified version?"
• "How do I know if this deal is actually moving?"
• "MEDDICC qualification"
• "Building a mutual action plan"

Context:

• Strategic deals above your average ACV
• Multiple stakeholders involved
• Sales cycle exceeds 60 days
• Complex buying process (legal, procurement, security)
• Enterprise or mid-market accounts

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Core Frameworks

1. If Your MAP Hasn't Been Updated in 3 Weeks, That Deal Is Dead

The Pattern I've Seen:

The Mutual Action Plan (MAP) is the single best indicator of deal health. Not pipeline stage. Not verbal commitments. Not "they love the product."

The MAP tells you everything:

Healthy deal:

• MAP updated weekly
• Customer adding their own action items
• Both sides completing tasks on schedule
• New stakeholders appearing in MAP
• Dates moving up (not pushed out)

Dying deal:

• MAP last updated 3+ weeks ago
• Only your side has action items
• Customer tasks marked "pending" for weeks
• No new stakeholders engaged
• All dates in the past

Why This Happens:

When a deal is real, the customer wants it to happen. They're doing work. They're involving stakeholders. They're moving through their process.

When a deal is dying, you're doing all the work. They're "too busy." They'll "get back to you next week." The economic buyer is "traveling."

The 3-Week Rule:

If your MAP hasn't been updated in 3 weeks, the deal is dead — you just don't know it yet. I've never seen a deal close with a stale MAP. Not once in 11 years.

What to Do:

Week 1 of silence: Send MAP update: "Here's what we've completed. What's your status on [specific customer action]?"