Many agencies work on a 'project by project' basis with their clients.Unlike retainer relationships, there's a burst of work for the account manager - and then things go quiet until the next brief.
It's not that you've lost the account, it just means there's a period of time where there's no live project going on.
When projects go quiet, most account managers naturally shift their focus and attention to other active projects.But the best ones stay in touch during these gaps.
The cost of staying silent
If you're not keeping in touch you risk becoming invisible.And given your client's name is on the prospecting list of your agency competitors, some account managers discover when their client does re-surface, they're working with new agencies for work their agency could have done.
The 'fancy a catch up' cringe moment
The best account managers create a deliberate "keep in touch" strategy that adds value rather than asking "fancy a catch-up?" (because let's face it, who has time for that?)Also, according to a survey by Relationship Audits and Management the average marketing client spends 7% of their working week managing all their supplier relationships - so you are a micro moment in your client's day!
Here are three ways to keep in touch that avoid the cringe:
1. Share competitor news Send a brief note about a client's competitor - a new product launch, share price movement, or senior appointment - with your insight on what it might mean for their business. This demonstrates you're thinking about their market position, not just your next invoice.
2. Spot relevant solutions Found a new piece of technology or identified a trend that could solve a client challenge? Share it. For example, if you've discovered a tool to address their website's slow image loading speed, they'll appreciate your proactive problem-solving.
3. Personalise when appropriate Depending on relationship strength, sharing something related to a client's personal interests can be powerful. A new vegan restaurant in their hometown, or an article about their favourite sport - these touches show you see them as more than a budget holder.
Tools to make this effortlessI still rely on Google Alerts with specific keywords to receive daily updates (then I share relevant insights in my weekly newsletter). But I've also been using Perplexity Pro's "Task" feature recently, which opens directly in the AI tool and allows me to ask follow-up questions - making research even faster.
Why this matters more than ever More client engagements are becoming project based (see McCann's CEO announcement about moving to a 'project-based' future) so account managers who proactively add value between engagements are the ones who secure the next brief - and the one after that.
So here's my question for you: Do you have a systematic "keep in touch" approach with your clients? Or are you leaving valuable opportunities on the table during the quiet periods?
