ADPs That Actually Drive Growth

Let me guess, you have Account Development Plans (ADPs) in place, great?

Now, tell me, when was the last time they were updated?

Last month? Not bad. And what did you do with that new insight? You put it into the action plan. Brilliant!

You're so close, now who has followed through with executing that plan?

No one… oh.

So much effort, for no return. And this happens way too often, which is why ADPs can be seen as pointless admin rather than a strategic growth initiative.

ADPs should be your blueprint for account health and growth. But they only work if you use them intentionally, not as a one-off exercise that gets filed away, but as a living, breathing document that drives action.

Here are five things you can implement straight away to make ADPs work harder for you.

1. Block out time

Whether you choose two hours every month, or half an hour every week. Make sure it is blocked out in your diary, and you commit that time to doing the relevant research to update your ADPs and action plans.

2. Run two SWOTs, not one

Don't just analyse your client's business landscape. Map your relationship landscape too. Where are you strong? Where are you vulnerable? If one person holds all the relationships, that's a threat.

You then use those insights to address how to fix it and put it into your action plan.

3. Layer your actions

Not every action starts with "sell more." Sometimes the first step is to strengthen relationships, map stakeholders, or shift how the client sees you, from supplier to advisor. Build your 3-month and 6-month actions so you're laying foundations before chasing growth.

4. Measure more than revenue

Revenue is important, but if we get fixated on just financials we miss everything else that is happening in the account. So yes, track revenue and growth, but also measure:

• Number of stakeholders engaged
• Meeting cadence (QBRs, planning sessions)
• Referrals, testimonials, retention status

These tell you whether your account is getting healthier, not just bigger.

This week's challenge

Pull up one of your ADPs. Ask yourself: is this guiding our actions, or just gathering dust?

Because growth should never be left to chance.