What does a B2B account manager do? - Top Question From Google:
A B2B account manager maintains and grows relationships with existing business clients. Their job is to ensure customer satisfaction, understand the client’s goals, resolve issues, and uncover new opportunities for revenue, whether through upselling, cross-selling, or renewals. They’re not just support, they’re your strategic partners in long-term growth.
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Introduction:B2B Sales Training for Account Managers
Account managers are often viewed as relationship-builders, not salespeople. But the truth is, they’re on the front lines of revenue growth. They’re the ones who uncover opportunities, handle tricky renewals, and keep long-term clients engaged. And yet, they rarely get the kind of targeted sales training that helps them thrive in this role.
So, if you are looking to equip your account managers with the confidence and skills to sell through trust, not pressure, this practical guide is for you.
We’ll explore why you should invest in training your account managers and how you can get started.
Do your account managers even need B2B sales training?
When people think of sales training, they usually picture new business reps dialing cold leads or practicing elevator pitches. But what about the folks managing existing clients? The ones who ensure those hard-won deals turn into long-term relationships?
That’s where you need well-trained B2B account managers. They’re the glue between your company and your clients. And while they may not always be chasing new leads, they play a critical role in revenue growth, client retention, and long-term success.
The truth is that most account managers aren’t trained to sell. They’re hired for their people skills, organizational chops, and industry know-how. But when it comes to guiding commercial conversations, renewals, upsells, and pricing changes, they often have to figure it out on the fly.
Good B2B sales training can change all that. It gives your account managers the confidence, tools, and mindset to lead strategic conversations without sounding like they’re just trying to hit quota. And when training is tailored to their role, it also enhances your client experience.
The evolving role of a B2B account manager
Gone are the days when account managers were simply “relationship keepers.” Modern B2B AMs are expected to don various hats, including:
- Act as strategic advisors to their clients
- Uncover and develop new revenue opportunities
- Navigate complex client organizations
- Collaborate across departments (sales, support, product)
Clients expect more from your AMs, too. They want account managers who understand their business, not just someone who checks in every quarter. They want insights, proactive support, and someone who’s genuinely invested in their success.
This shift means your account managers need more than charm and good intentions. They need training on how to spot commercial opportunities, ask better questions, and guide clients through change. They need to know how to sell, but in a way that feels consultative and trusted. Not pushy or desperate. Just helpful and strategic.
Key skills you should strive to build in your account managers
Sales training for account managers isn’t about turning them into closers. It’s about giving them tools to grow their revenue through relationships.
Here’s what that looks like:
Active listening and needs discovery
Reps who listen well ask better follow-up questions and uncover more useful information. Clients often won’t say “we need X” unless prompted. SO, your training should focus on how to ask open-ended, business-focused questions that reveal challenges, priorities, or new needs.
Strategic cross-selling and upselling
Selling in a B2B setting is so much more than just about pushing add-ons. It’s about aligning additional products or services with your client’s goals. Training should teach your account managers how to spot the right moment, build a case for expansion, and present it as a value-add, not a pitch. Roleplaying this type of conversation with your AMs helps build confidence.
Objection handling (from existing clients)
Objections in account management often sound different than those in new sales. Clients push back on pricing, scope creep, or perceived value. Your AMs need to be trained to respond in a way that maintains trust and protects revenue. Handling pushback from a long-term client is a delicate skill, and you can cultivate in through training.
Renewal conversations
Too many AMs treat renewals like an admin task. But done well, they’re an opportunity to reinforce value, uncover dissatisfaction, and reset expectations. A solid training program shows your reps how to lead those discussions confidently and proactively. Renewals should feel like a continuation of partnership, not a one-sided ask.
Account planning and opportunity spotting
B2B sales training for account managers should include targeted exercises in the following:
- Map the client’s organization
- Track goals vs outcomes
- Build growth roadmaps
- Identify key milestones and upcoming challenges
Training should help your AMs shift from reactive problem-solvers to proactive strategists.
Sales training that actually helps account managers
Traditional sales training often doesn’t fit your account managers. They don’t need help with cold emails, now do they? What they really need is help with growing trust while still driving revenue.
Here’s what a good training targeted at your sales managers should include:
Role-specific scenarios
Practice renewal conversations. Objection handling with long-term clients. Introducing a price increase without ruining the relationship. Training should reflect real-world moments that your account managers actually face.
Account development frameworks
Give your AMs structured ways to:
- Review account health
- Map stakeholders
- Build quarterly growth plans
- Track client goals and match solutions
A lot of high-performing teams, including those supported by Klozers, blend traditional sales skills with customer success and account development frameworks. That’s where the real growth happens.
Collaborative training formats
Lecture-style learning may not be the best approach for training your AMs. Instead, use the following approach:
- Peer-led sessions
- Live deal reviews
- Shadowing top AMs
- Group role plays
This helps AMs learn by doing, not just by reading slides. It also reinforces a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
On-demand learning libraries
Sometimes, the timing of a training session doesn’t match the timing of a need. Having a library of bite-sized lessons (e.g., how to navigate a renewal, how to prep for a QBR) can be incredibly helpful.
How to reinforce sales habits after training?
Training your AMs is only the first step. Without reinforcement, most of it fades. According to a HubSpot report, a whopping 90% of the sales training has no lasting impact without reinforcement.
Here’s how to keep new habits alive:
Regular coaching
Have team leads or sales managers host weekly check-ins focused on one or two skill areas. For example: “How did you handle pricing pushback this week?”
You can also rotate topics to keep it fresh. Some weeks focus on account planning, other weeks on stakeholder mapping or post-sale follow-up.
Use KPIs that reflect account growth
Another great way to boost retention is to set up performance metrics beyond retention. Some of the great KPIs you can track include:
- % of clients with QBRs completed
- Cross-sell rate by account tier
- Net revenue retention
- Expansion revenue per AM
These KPIs give account managers real goals to aim for and help sales leaders spot coaching opportunities.
Build a knowledge bank
Encourage your AMs to document good email templates, talk tracks, and objection responses. Store these in a shared space so newer team members can benefit too. Update it regularly with real-life wins and strategies.
Recognize and celebrate wins
Did someone handle a tough renewal perfectly? Or turn a frustrated client into an upsell? Share that story.
It reinforces behavior and builds a learning culture. Recognition can be public (like in Slack or at team meetings) or private, but either way, it matters.
Balancing client success with revenue growth
This is where it gets tricky. Some account managers worry that “selling” will damage the relationship they’ve built with their clients.
That’s why training should emphasize value-based conversations. The best account managers:
- Tie solutions to client outcomes
- Ask strategic questions
- Educate rather than pitch
They focus on solving real problems, not pushing more products. They make revenue growth feel like a win for the client, not a win for the company at the client’s expense.
Sales training can help your AMs position solutions as part of their client’s success journey, not as an upsell for the sake of it.
Many high-performing teams train their AMs to frame every conversation around shared goals. This keeps trust high while still driving growth.
And let’s not forget: retaining a client is almost always more cost-effective than acquiring a new one. Helping your account managers become confident commercial advisors isn’t just a nice thing to do, but a smart business move.
Your AMs are revenue drivers, treat them that way
Account managers are often the unsung heroes of revenue growth. They manage the churn risk, keep customers engaged, and, if trained well, spot new opportunities faster than anyone else.
If you’ve been investing in training your sales development reps but overlooking your AMs, now’s the time to rebalance.
Start small. Choose one or two skill areas to focus on this quarter. Set up regular check-ins. Celebrate the reps who lead with insight, not just charm.
Your account managers are already having the conversations. Sales training just helps them make those conversations more impactful, and that’s where the real revenue lives.
Actionable Tip
Run renewal role-play sessions every quarter with your account managers. Use real client scenarios and practice handling pricing pushback, scope creep, or dissatisfaction. This keeps skills sharp and turns renewals into growth opportunities, not admin tasks.
Final Thoughts
Account managers aren’t just caretakers of existing clients, they’re growth drivers. With the right training, they can turn renewals into opportunities, objections into deeper trust, and everyday conversations into long-term revenue.
Investing in B2B sales training for account managers isn’t about teaching them how to push harder. It’s about giving them the tools to ask smarter questions, spot opportunities early, and position solutions in a way that feels like partnership, not pressure.
Companies that equip their AMs this way don’t just protect their client base. They unlock consistent growth, stronger retention, and a team of trusted advisors who bring real commercial value to every interaction.
