Account Killer #1 — Strategic Anticipation: The Discipline That Drives Differentiation

Anticipation is often never designed into how account teams work. That’s what keeps vendors reactive and trusted partners rare.

The best account leaders don’t just react — they anticipate. They know what matters to their clients before the client has to ask.

In the first Account Killer, we explored how hope replaces strategy when teams operate reactively. This week, we look at the antidote — anticipation.

It’s the same in strong relationships — whether personal or professional. Most of us have people we trust, but not all of them are the partners we wish we had. The difference is anticipation.

In business, it’s the same principle. Trusted partners don’t wait to be told what’s changing — they stay aligned with the client’s world, helping them prepare for what’s next.

Most account teams aren’t careless — they’re overloaded. They’re managing issues, servicing requests, and responding to the noise of the day. The problem isn’t effort. It’s awareness. They rarely have the time, space, or mindset to anticipate.

That’s why so many relationships stay transactional. They never make the shift to strategic or trusted partner. Anticipation takes intentionality — the discipline to step back, see trends and patterns that shape impact the clients objectives.

The best teams don’t rely on instinct alone. They’ve built anticipation into the way they think, plan, and engage.

In Perception Selling, I describe four ways to do this — four disciplines that turn anticipation into action:

• Unrecognised Problem — Help the client see a challenge they didn’t realise they had, or reveal the true scale of one they thought was solved.

• Unanticipated Solution — Show them a way forward they hadn’t considered.

• Unseen Opportunity — Expose the gain they’re leaving on the table.

• Broker of Capabilities — Bring the full strength of your organisation to expand how the client defines success.

These are not sales tactics. They’re anticipatory disciplines.

Anticipation isn’t about being clever or manipulative; it’s systemic professionalism. But it’s also about authentic differentiation — being seen as someone who adds value beyond delivery. When you don’t anticipate, you blend in. When you do, you stand apart.

Client expectations evolve fast. They want partners who see the road ahead, not just the one behind. Anticipation sustains differentiation. It’s what keeps you relevant in the client’s mind long after competitors start circling.

The first step toward losing a strategic relationship isn’t poor performance — it’s becoming indistinguishable.

Hope waits. Strategy plans. Anticipation leads.

It’s the difference between being a vendor and being a trusted partner. And it’s the discipline that keeps your relationships differentiated, relevant, and secure.

📘 Missed last week’s edition? Relationship Management: Hope Is Not a Strategy →

📅 Next week: Killer #2 — When Competitors Are Already Inside Your Relationships.