When you start an agency, typically you start with project management. As a small, agile team it makes sense for project managers to be responsible for client management.They are highly skilled in delivering your services on time and on budget. As an agency grows and more clients are acquired, it becomes unsustainable.

Why do account managers miss new account growth opportunities in client meetings? Often it’s because they haven’t asked the right questions. Or they’ve asked some of the right questions but didn’t have the confidence to probe deeper in their questioning.

Agency owners often tell me their account managers aren’t leading client meetings confidently.

You can’t just expect clients to treat account managers as ‘trusted advisors’ because trust has to be earned. 

Agency owners tell me they’re frustrated because their existing client accounts aren’t growing. But their account managers either aren’t doing anything about it – or aren’t doing it consistently.

Results of a study have come out called "Building trust and revenue with existing clients". The Jan 2023 study was US-based so if you have US clients, you’ll find this compelling. But even if you don’t, hopefully it’ll make you think about your client’s budget.

Many agencies are using generative AI tools but some are concerned about:Client confidentiality i.e. anything you feed into a an AI tool relating to your clientCopyright and ownership (of inputs or outputs)Contractual agreements and AI policies

Agencies use generative AI tools to make internal workflow more efficient and teams more productive. In the latest episode of the Creative Agency Account Manager podcast, Konrad Sanders CEO of The Creative Copywriter shares 3 use cases

I’ve been exploring how AI can help agency account managers. Here are three apps you can get started with straight away that’ll help you in your role.

There are a few 'red flag' moments every agency account manager needs to look out for. These are points in the client relationship when your account is at risk. Not only are red flag moments important to try to anticipate, when they happen it's the account manager's job to act swiftly.

In a recent discussion in the Linked-in Account Manager Group I asked Account Managers "Can you recommend some of the best questions you ask your clients"

The role and skills required of an Account Manager vary from industry to industry and job to job, but cross section of professionals I surveyed were fairly unanimous on what they believed the most important Account Management skills were.

As a podcaster myself, sometimes it's great to sit on the other side of the 'virtual' desk! I was delighted to be asked by Nathan Anibaba of the Agency Dealmasters Podcast to chat to him about all things account management.