Blog Posts - Account Management

An Account Manager writing a blog on something web related... it sounds scary, I know. But technically, I speak client, and I also really enjoy the web/digital side of my job. So, what I want to translate into non-technical speak for you is why your Content Management System (CMS in agency lingo) choice matters. There are so many CMS options to choose from today, WordPress, Joomla, Typo3, ExpressionEngine, Drupal…. I can keep going... but not all CMS are created equal. In the process of buildi

After working on various Account Management teams, I have realized that it’s not the number of words we say that’s important, but more so what we say. In order to ensure what we say is truly impactful and reflects the highest level of thought and concern for both our agency and clients, sometimes it’s best to pipe down and just listen. Save your words for the most effective moment (after all that listening, of course). The simple act of listening can push an Account Steward to be an effect

Almost a decade ago, I started out in the “marketing world” on the client side of the business. Working at a large restaurant company who often had close partnerships with agencies on a multitude of brands all living under the same roof. After 7 years, I decided it looked like the ad folks were enjoying their lives so much I wanted to make a change, and I did. I made the move AGENCY SIDE. Now with some years under my belt on this side of the pond I feel I have a unique outlook on the relatio

It’s June, which means the 2017 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is underway. This is the time of year I always find a renewed sense of creative inspiration from reviewing all the great collective work the world is producing. It’s too early to call out key themes or trends from the winner's circle that we can all admire and learn from; so instead, I’ve curated a list of some of my favorites this year, as well as some classics worth paying homage to that continually craft t

One of the many things I enjoy about my job is that, not only do I get to work with awesome local clients, but I also manage several clients in all different cities and states. Committing to long distance means adding another layer to the client-agency relationship. And I’ll admit, it’s a lot harder to establish solid relationships with the ones that I can’t sit down with face-to-face. So, how can you build good working relationships with people you’ve never met? Here are my four tips fo

According to an ANA survey released in 2015, only 36 percent of agencies reported satisfaction with the creative approval process. A major finding in this study is the need for improved communication. Providing constructive creative feedback is a necessary tool for an agency to produce great work, just as essential as the creative brief. Here are seven steps an account manager can take in order to provide feedback that will foster inspiring creative content. 1. Let the Team Do Their Thing Let th

I can still remember my first day of the “ad life”. I had just come out of seven years of internal brand-side marketing for a large company and had convinced myself that agency side was going to be my next challenge. As I walked into my first meeting I looked around the room, hearing smart people spew out every acronym you could imagine and ideas that gave me goosebumps. The first few weeks I kept my head in a notebook taking in as much as I possibly could while, in the back of my mind, ques

I can’t count how many times colleagues have called or texted in frustration with the words, “When we were AEs, didn’t we know this stuff already?” Or, “Shouldn’t that just be obvious to them by now?” And inevitably my response is always “Yes, but maybe they didn’t have as good of mentors as we did in our early careers.” This inevitably shifts them to a place of empathy … and reminds me I need to write a blog entry about Brilliant Basics. Talent is only as good a