Blog
Practical, straight-talking advice for agency account managers who want to retain client relationships and grow accounts.
Expect clear frameworks, real examples and simple tools you can put to work immediately - from running tighter client meetings and QBRs, to spotting growth opportunities and handling tricky conversations.
Selling your agency in 2024, with Jonathan Baker
Welcome to episode 110. This episode is for you if you're an agency owner either interested in buying agencies to grow, or selling your agency at some point.
Why the agency business model isn't working, with Michael Farmer
Welcome to episode 109. My guest is Michael Farmer, a management consultant who has been looking at the agency business model for over 30 years.
The trouble with account managers
I read as many reports I can about the state of agency account management and it makes for grim reading.
How to manage a remote agency team, with Gustavo Razzetti
Welcome to episode 108. Are you struggling to manage a remote agency team? If so, you're going to get a lot of value from my conversation with Gustavo Razzetti, CEO of Fearless Culture and author of ‘Remote, Not Distant’.
Why do we need account managers anyway?
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.
How to price to maximise profit, with Alfie Wenegieme
Welcome to episode 107. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re pricing your services in the right way, this one is for you. Alfie Wenegieme, Managing Partner at Cactus, joins me.
How to Sell, with Marcus Cauchi and Benjamin Dennehy
Welcome to episode 105, I have invited two of my most popular podcast guests back for a second time, sales trainer legends; Marcus Cauchi and Benjamin Dennehey.
Agency project management and service delivery, with Joanne Reid, Cactus
Welcome to episode 104. In this episode, I talk all things agency project management with Joanne Reid, Managing Partner for delivery at Cactus.
How to get account managers to ask better questions
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.
Do account managers really know what it takes to run an effective client meeting?
Agency owners often tell me their account managers aren’t leading client meetings confidently.
From ‘order taker’ to trusted advisor: raising the value of account management with agency leadership support
You can’t just expect clients to treat account managers as ‘trusted advisors’ because trust has to be earned.
Why do account managers need entrepreneurial skills?
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.
How to escape the daily grind of agency ownership, with Karl Sakas
Welcome to episode 103. This episode will be particularly relevant to agency owners who want to become less hands-on in their agency and just step away from the day to day operations.
Bonus episode 5 of 5: How to get account managers adding value to your agency from Day 1 (and reduce churn)
In this episode, I share the key things you need to do to get your account managers adding value from day one and reduce churn. And this comes back to many of the things we've discussed already in this podcast series. I speak to so many agency owners who feel frustrated by high staff turnover.
Bonus episode 2 of 5: From 'order taker' to trusted advisor - raising the value of your account managers (and why it's vital)
In this episode we're looking at how to raise the value of creative agency account managers by taking them from an 'order-taker' to a trusted advisor.
Bonus ep. 1 of 5: Why your account managers need entrepreneurial skills (and how this will grow your agency)
Welcome to the first in a series of five bonus podcast episodes. I've created this podcast mini series to show you how you can develop an entrepreneurial mindset in your agency account managers.