Today more than ever, businesses face a multitude of tough marketing decisions necessary to make each and every day due to an ever-changing, fast-paced technological landscape. In particular, pin-pointing the best marketing partner vendor can be a downright brutal decision.
When you narrow the list of potentials down to a select few, don’t forget to carefully vet account management practices. Account management is the backbone of great client/agency relationships and can be the key to long term success. So, before you pull the trigger, sign that contract and start onboarding a new marketing agency, run through this line-up of best account management approaches courtesy of Revel Creative Group.
*Relationship-Driven: The main aspect of any account manager’s role is to manage relationships. Account managers are the vital conduit between a business and their client. Clients have to trust that their account manager has their best interests at heart, while the firm needs to know their account manager will stay in sync with overall corporate goals. Make sure your chosen firm has dedicated, seasoned account managers at the helm.
*Industry Savvy/Knowledgeable: A good account manager is fluent in the industry and has a strong handle on their clients’ brand, competition, key differentiators, weakness, and vulnerabilities. Does your point-of-contact at the chosen firm offer the level of industry fluency necessary?
*Communicator: Effective and clear communication is crucial and necessary for virtually everything an account manager does from conducting presentations, to summarizing meetings, email communications and phone conversations. Test-drive your potential vendors’ communications prior to signing them on.
*Flexible yet Tenacious: The ability to seamlessly change course, bounce-back and devise new solutions after set-backs is paramount. Make sure the firm you choose serves up an account manager that can ebb and flow as projects mature vs. one with their own rigid agenda.
*Multitasker: The ability to manage multiple projects, teams, deadlines and budgets simultaneously and calmly is key. Ask for customer referrals and take the time to question them specifically about the vendor’s project management juggling capacities.
*Accountable: Accountability starts with an account manager. Contact the firm’s past and present clients to determine whether not they follow through on promised deliverables from internal teams, client teams and hired vendors.
*Calming Influence: When challenges arise, the best account managers are those with the ability to generate calm amidst a project storm. They are efficient at fielding complaints and rallying internal teams to find solutions. Find out in advance who your account manager will be, request a few meetings to get to know them prior to signing contracts.
*Prioritization/Delegation Skills: Account managers rarely stop. Here is a good dose of reality–you will not be their only client. Make sure the account manager assigned to your brand is one of the great ones who know how to prioritize workloads efficiently and delegate tasks to team members to streamline workflow to ensure you will get the support your brand needs.
*Flexibility/Accessibility: Account managers are the ones who get in early and stay late. Flexibility and accessibility are key attributes. Be clear up-front with your firm of choice what level of access you require and decide together how to be sure it can actually happen.
To speak with Revel Creative Group key account managers for more tips to ensure success, please contact: Janine Robertson Revel Creative Group 206-354-9093 janine@revelcreativegroup.com http://www.revelcreativegroup.com
