Transparency: The Golden Rule of Account Management
- Zach Patton
- March 10, 2022
- 898 Marketing, Account Management, Blog
- Account Management, transparency, Zach Patton
- 0 Comments
From a young age, we constantly hear from our parents and teachers alike about the importance of “The Golden Rule.” To be quite honest, I still hear it in passing from parents when I walk through the park or grocery store. There is a good reason for this, as the message is simple and applies to everyone at every age, regardless of your background, where you grew up, or any other circumstance. Who can disagree with the simple, yet impactful, phrase, “Treat others as you would like to be treated?” But did you know that this is not the only Golden Rule? In fact, there are many Golden Rules across dozens of contexts, even in account management. When working directly with clients, The Golden Rule is even simpler, just as impactful, and more direct than the one we are accustomed to. Account management’s Golden Rule is transparency.
“No Surprises”
In the Account Management Department at 898 Marketing, we adhere to a simple phrase that reminds us how to maintain transparency with our clients: no surprises. This phrase, quite literally, reminds us that our clients should be aware of all projects at all times, and how those projects are progressing. In order to do this effectively, weekly client meetings are held to report on the items that have been completed, elements that are currently in-progress, and pieces that we are waiting on or need from the client. This way, everyone is informed, knows what is being worked on, how those projects are progressing, and what timeframes are. The client needs to be informed, and keeping them aware of everything achieves this.
Transparency Builds Trust
Simply put, being transparent with your client leads to increased trust. When trust is built between you and the client, possibilities open up, allowing you to try new creative executions, improve collaboration, and develop an even stronger working relationship. The client has put part of their business in your hands, so they must be able to trust you to manage it. Maintaining transparency helps build that trust.
Continuous Communication and Collaboration
It is important to remember that, no matter how much your client trusts you, you must always be communicative with your business partner. As mentioned previously, weekly meetings and regular check-ins are an easy, effective way to do this. Collaboration is also effective because in order to create effective campaigns and creative executions, you need to be aware of how those will function from the client’s perspective. Maintaining a regular communication schedule and collaborating with the client is a great way to be transparent and build trust.
In account management, transparency is perhaps the most important part of our job. From building trust to creating more effective campaigns, transparency has many benefits for both you and your client. The Golden Rule that we all know stresses the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated. If you were the client, wouldn’t you like to know how your agency is planning and working to grow your business? The best way to do this is by being transparent.
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