Strategic Accounts & Gap Selling

In this episode, Dave Irwin sits down with Keenan, author of Gap Selling, to explore why traditional sales approaches fail in enterprise account management. Keenan explains why buyers don’t act unless their current state is untenable and how account teams can drive change by focusing on diagnosing problems instead of pushing solutions. They discuss the psychology behind decision-making, the importance of business acumen, and how account teams can become trusted advisors. If you’re in sales or account management, this episode is packed with actionable insights to elevate your approach.

Guest: Keenan, CEO and Founder of A Sales Growth Company

Key takeaways:

1. People buy when the pain of staying the same is greater than the effort to change—salespeople must highlight this gap.
2. Enterprise account teams need to map decision-makers, including those who can say “no” but not “yes.”
3. Trust is built by deeply understanding the customer’s business, not just selling a product.
4. Many buyers don’t fully understand their own problems—great account executives help them figure it out.
5. Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) should focus on whether the customer is achieving business goals, not just product usage metrics.