Account Management | Agency ADvisor

Know When to Walk Away – And Know When to RUN!

August 29, 2016 / No Comments

Have you ever heard of the song from Kenny Rogers called “The Gambler?” The song is about gambling – on the outer surface. However, I believe it may have many deeper messages than what you see at first glance. Here are a few lines that makes me think about client relationships and agencies.

“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em

Know when to fold ’em

Know when to walk away

Know when to run”

There are times – especially the lean times – the the advertising/design business – that we take on business just because it is cash flow. It sure is nice to have the cash, but are we really helping or hurting the business?

Pursuing business is both arduous and time consuming. Winning the business can be rewarding and the additional income is always a plus!

However, for the sake of keeping a healthy shop, we sometimes need to learn to walk away from potential new business. Sometimes, we need to know when to RUN! Continuing to pursue mismatched clients can be harmful to the maral as well as the bottom line of our shop.

Here are four signs to be on the lookout for that may let you know when it is time to fold ‘em and run!

Too specific directions given about layouts, typefaces, colors,size and shape. Another major indicator. This client is going to be a micro-manager of your work. You no longer are the specialist,but the one who just implements what the client sees as the right way.If it works, they will take the credit and explain that you just implemented their ideas. If it doesn’t work, you will get blamed.
This is their first attempt at working strategically.In other words, they are marketing virgins. These types of prospects are not hard to spot. They will shift their focus and their goals back and forth. They are the type that will ask you to throw as many balls in the air at a time and then see how many you can catch.
It absolutely has to be done right now.If this happens while you’re pitching the business, do you really think it’s going to get better? Do you really believe that this is the only time this client needs something yesterday? Yes, all clients will need this expediency from time to time, but if they are looking for it at the prospecting stage,before warned!
There are more than more of the clients’ people than the agency at the first meeting. This is a huge billboard that thereis not one decision maker, but a committee. What this means to you if you pursue the relationship is missed deadlines andchanges in the scope of projects midstream.

If you decide to walk away from a prospect, do so tactfully. While the relationship with this client/contact may not be a fit right now, there is always tomorrow. You never want to burn any bridges – you may choose to cross that bridge someday.

Instead, compliment them for the decisions they have made. Let them know you believe they are currently in good hands and ask if you can check back in at a later date.

Your goal should be to do business with companies and people who want to build quality relationships with you. Those who appreciate your professional advice and creative executions. There are many new business opportunities to seek. Have patience until you find the right prospects with whom you and your agency want to work.

What are your “Run Away” client experiences?

Demystifying Traffic Management Systems – Part 1

August 22, 2016 / No Comments

There’s no doubt that agency management software is mandatory in today’s Marketing/Creative Industry. No other tool will track a jobs progress, monitor employee workload, create and aggregate multiple project schedules, track budget for various projects, and safely store documents and images – all at the same time.

Agencies struggle in a pile of unopened emails and missed deadlines because they are not utilizing a traffic management system to their benefit.

I have heard many reasons why agencies do not use these systems (like Advantage and Workamajig). In this post, I will demystify just a few of these for you.

1. A traffic management system will solve all of our workflow and process problems.

You must define your process. If you do not know what your processes look like, your system will not know either. Remember, computers are only as smart as the user. They do not know what you do not tell them. Briefly, this means identifying every type of project that enters your shop and then breaking them down into phases and into detailed steps that need to be accomplished to complete the phase.

2. I do not have time to use a Traffic Management System.

If set up correctly when you begin, a traffic management system will work almost automatically. This means creating templates for every “size” of each job. These should identify all of your typical steps and time frames. By doing the heavy work initially, you are making it easier to manage projects as they come in. These templates allow you to tweak schedules for individual situations.

3. If I buy a Traffic Management Systems, it should be ready to run our projects.

There are no industry standard templates available for sale to the highest bidder. You have heard that it is about the journey and not the destination. We all get to the same result – the finished project. How we get there is what makes your agency unique and efficient. Focus on how you can do it better with your culture, clients and staff.

4. Once I set up our system with templates, I will not have to do that again.

Your templates are never finished. This is the most dynamic part of what we do – how we do it. Technology is always changing. We always find ways to become more efficient.

5. We have tried other Traffic Management Systems, and they do not fit what we do. We are different from any other agency.

Traffic Management Systems are efficiency tools: just as a socket wrench is a tool. However, if you try to use a socket wrench designed in metrics on a non-metric socket, it will not work. If you try to use a Traffic Management System designed for someone else’s workflow, it too will not work. Getting it set up for your agency in the beginning is critical to its success.

Over the past 14 years I have heard of many obstacles for utilizing traffic management systems. This is just the first of many to come where I hope to help you solve any mysteries you may have.

Feel free to share your traffic management dilemmas here and I’ll do my best to help you solve it!

Anticipatory Service: An Easy Way to Retain Your Clients

April 5, 2016 / No Comments

Merely providing service is no longer sufficient. In today’s competitive environment, retaining clients require client leaders to start providing anticipatory services and showing they take a vested interest in their clients’ success.

Being proactive raises the perceived value of what you offer. Your clients feel you pay attention and focus on them and their needs. I once had a client tell me “If a client has to ask us for something – we have failed.”

There is a slight difference between being proactive and anticipatory. While there is a gray area between the two, anticipatory service is a step above proactive service. Being proactive is noticing something and responding to it-like refilling a glass of water that’s half full in a restaurant. Anticipatory service is about being one step ahead – the waiter notices you are drinking your water quickly and brings a pitcher to your table. It is intuitive. It is not just noticing something. It is anticipating something. For example, you call a client, and he responds by saying, “I was just getting ready to call you.” In other words, you were one step ahead.

Anticipating your client’s needs is like a game of chess. The best chess players don’t just think of the very next move they have to make. They visualize what the next four or five moves are going to be and anticipate how their opponent will react to each move. Similarly, you should always try to be at least one or two moves ahead of your clients, anticipating what they might want or need.

The cost of keeping your clients is significantly less than acquiring new accounts. Providing anticipatory service is a very effective and inexpensive way showing you are client-focused and strive to deliver an incredible client experience.

Great creative execution helps win the business. Exceptional Client Leadership keeps it.

What are ways that you have or could provide your clients with anticipatory services?

Why your Clients leave and how to keep them

March 30, 2016 / No Comments

Research has identified 3 reasons why your clients may leave you:

68% leave because they are unhappy with the service they receive.
14% are unhappy with the product or service.
9% decide to use a competitor.

A recent study conducted by Bain & Company (published in Harvard Business Review) revealed that acquiring a new customer costs six to seven times more than retaining an existing customer. And those businesses which boosted customer retention rates by as little as 5% saw increases in their profits ranging from 5% to 95%!

The research proves that keeping your existing clients will increase your profitability. But how can you ensure retaining your existing clients?

There are the typical ways to ‘try’ to keep your existing clients. You can “Google” the topic and find pretty apparent ways. The difference between Client Service and Client Leadership is that Client Leaders go beyond the common Client Service techniques.

If you want to be one of the few (yes space if very limited) to learn over 30 proven tactics that have been practiced in over 660 North American agencies, click here.

One way to build client loyalty is to be the expert. Not just the expert of advertising and marketing. Becoming a trusted advisor to the clients day-to-day business challenges. Become recognized as an integral part of your client’s business success.

Building trust has been proven to grow commitment. Studies show that one way to build trust with your client is to develop ‘shared values.’

But what are shared values?

Cultivating shared values means taking an interest in your clients and their business. The typical way of doing this is to do some research on their business, understand how you play a role in their day-to-day activities, and use that information to strengthen your relationship. Anyone can do this. But what Client Leaders do that the Account Managers do not?

Client leaders ask one simple question of their clients that Account Managers don’t.

At least once a quarter, a client leader asks their client “What differentiates you from your competitors?” With that knowledge, client leaders find ways they can assist them in strengthening that point of differentiation. Then, they follow up with their clients to let them know what opportunities they have identified. This extra effort shows that they have shared values and are genuinely interested in their business.

Merely providing service is no longer sufficient. In today’s competitive environment, retaining clients require client leaders to start building shared values with clients and showing they take a vested interest in them and their success.

This is the reason we have developed a 2 day workshop specifically designed for Advertising Account Executive/Managers. This workshop is jam packed with new ideas, secrets and proven tactics in Client Leadership successfully practiced in over 650 agencies. And, we are sharing it ALL with you in this 2-day workshop. Don’t miss it! Click Here for more information, a detailed agenda, and to reserve your space.

Connie Burtcheard – Your Workshop Leader

May 11th & 12th, 2016

Registration is Now Open

See the 2-Day Agenda

Early Bird Registration, before April 15th – $1,295 for both days!

Have additional attendees from your agency? Let us pay for their room!
Additional registrations from the same agency get $200 off – $1,095 for both days. (The savings pays for their room!)

After April 15th: $1,895 for both days.

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Defend your Creative Work without getting Defensive

February 24, 2016 / No Comments

How often do you present work to your clients – work that is entirely on target – work that you are incredibly proud of – only to be shut down by the client who “Hates It?”

Getting a client excited about an idea is a significant step in getting a concept accepted. But nearly all creative work will generate some observations or “opinions” from a client or prospect. How an account person handles that feedback goes a long way toward whether or not that concept will be accepted.

The chances are good that you have presented work you and your team are proud of, and then someone with none of your professional skill, knowledge, or expertise judges it in an instant – often based on vague or subjective criteria. They don’t know much about art, but they know what they don’t like.

It is only natural for criticism to sting. Agency staff can sound defensive or even argumentative when defending a concept which creates a divide between the agency and the client.

Account People are tasked with helping their clients articulate their response in an effective way they are able to move the project forward.

Client feedback can be very frustrating. However, it can be very helpful as they may present things that you haven’t considered. Work collaboratively and respectfully with them, and you may find that they become champions of great ideas. Often they just need more answers to be convinced.

Here are some tips on dealing with criticism of your Agency’s work. Continue reading 'Defend your Creative Work without getting Defensive'