12 Aug What I’ve Learned About Account Management in the Past Year
As I sit down to write this blog, it seems pretty surreal that I’ve been a full-time employee at 898 Marketing for a whole year. As a senior in college, I vividly recall sitting on my bed during winter break frantically applying for any job with “Marketing” in the title, totally unsure of where I would be or what I’d be doing in five months. Needless to say, I’ve found the perfect place, and have learned quite a bit about account management in the past year. So, I’d like to offer a few tips on effective account management based on what I have learned since becoming a full-time 898 Marketing employee in 2019.
Transparency is Key
As an account manager, being completely honest with the client and your own company is absolutely critical. You’ll need to be aware of what your team is working on, what stage in the execution process they are on, and be able to honestly communicate that with the client. Conversely, you’ll need to be completely aware of what your clients’ needs are, and be able to share that information with the team. It’s also important to know how your client is performing from a business perspective, so you can accurately gauge how effective your marketing campaigns and strategies are, and make adjustments. You must be able to communicate needs and information between the two entities honestly and effectively.
Know a Little About a Lot
In order to be more transparent with your client, it’s important to know about the various departments within your team. As an Account Manager, you should be able to do, or at least understand, a little design, social media, video production, SEO and web development, and any other areas your agency handles. Knowing a little bit about a few different fields not only makes it easier when communicating with your client, but it could also help your team’s efficiency. Being able to take small projects off of your team’s hands frees up time for them to work on larger projects, and keeps everyone focused.
Constant Communication
Constant communication goes hand-in-hand with transparency as well. Making sure you maintain constant communication between you and the client is important for a positive relationship. Talking to your client consistently throughout the week allows you to be aware of what is going on inside the business, and what their needs are. At 898, we talk about becoming the “they,” meaning that we become so engrossed in a company’s business that they consider us a part of their company, and they become part of ours. This is perhaps the most important aspect of account management, as it keeps everyone from both sides on the same page and working as efficiently together as possible. It’s another great strategy for tracking the success of your clients’ business, and the success of your campaigns.
The truth is, these are just a handful of the things I’ve learned about effective account management over the past year. However, in my opinion, they are the most important for you and your clients’ shared success. If you maintain regular communication and transparency with your clients, and immerse yourself in your business by understanding what your teammates do, the relationship between you agency and clients will be as strong as ever. I hope these strategies help you in maintaining strong relationships with you and your clients!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zach Patton is an Assistant Account Manager at 898 Marketing. As an Account Manager, Zach’s responsibilities include strategic development, creative concepting, market research and analysis, social media management, and content creation. Zach is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of John Carroll University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.