How to keep top account management talent AND cut training costs

'Train the trainer' isn't new.

But it is fairly new for agency owners who want to keep 'rising star' account managers but have tighter training budgets.

Let me explain.. 

Why 'train the trainer'?

Ambitious account managers / directors are hungry for self-development and/or career progression.

I hear agency owners say: 

• They are being 'pushed' to promote an account manager in their team

• They worry they may lose a top performing account manager to a competitor

• They want to provide career development opportunities

'Train the trainer' in practice

Many people join my one year Account Accelerator[TM] with a 'train the trainer' hat on.

i.e. they are the agency's 'rising star' or a Client Services Director who goes through the programme and then shares the learnings with the wider team e.g. they run internal 'lunch n learn' sessions. 

Benefits of 'train the trainer' for the agency and individual

The agency:

• Invests in one individual who shares knowledge with whole team

  • Reduces overall spend on training

  • Whole team benefits from new knowledge

• Locks in the individual for the duration of the training programme

  • Reduces staff turnover

  • Keeps top talent

  • Avoids recruitment costs

• Gives this individual an opportunity to perform

  • They practice their presentation skills in front of their agency team

  • They're elevated in front of their peers (a good step towards promotion)

  • It allows them to demonstrate their continued dedication to the company

• Keeps the agency 'current'

  • Learns what strategies are working for other agencies

The individual: 

• Has a professional-development opportunity

  • Teaching others embeds their own learnings

  • Fulfils their intrinsic motivation for career progression

• Raises their profile within the agency

  • Teaching their team provides an opportunity to practice leadership

• Networks with their peers around the world

  • Joining the Account Accelerator[TM] has opened up a peer group in the US, UK and South Africa to share the latest client retention and growth strategies

The programme is attracting more rising star account directors as well as Client Services Directors (and Managing Directors) than ever before.

Listen to this episode of the Creative Agency Account Manager podcast "Mastering client centric account growth in 2025" to hear from some of them.