After twenty-plus years in marketing communications, thirteen-plus at an agency as an account manager and more than seven on the client side, I’ve learned a few things about developing and managing client relationships. Some of these tips and skills can be used to manage most any business relationship, from media to customers to external third parties or even co-workers.

Managing a client relationship is an art, not a science, as there’s no set formula for success. What may work with one client may not bring results for another. One client may want a lot of control and input into what you do, to the point of micromanaging. Others may want little daily input, but demand accountability. Cost and budget may ultimately drive another. One may want to know about what you did over the weekend, another could care less and just wants to cut to the chase.

Second, I’ve always taken the approach that an account manager’s job is to make the client the hero and look great to their boss. The client, or the customer, is the king/queen and needs to be treated as such. You need to put your priorities second.

To that end, I have a few guiding principles that will help no matter the individual you are trying to turn into a happy customer and are adaptable to most any client relationship:
• Always work from an agreed upon plan. Having a plan that details what you will be doing (how many? When? What cost?) goes a long way to clearing up any misconceptions.
• Keep the client regularly updated on what you have done for them. You don’t need a detailed report (unless that’s what makes a particular client happy). Just a weekly or monthly summary that shows accomplishments and the impact, status of ongoing projects and next action items will help keep the client from guessing where their money has gone.
• Have something new to share at your meetings and interactions. This demonstrates you are thinking beyond the plan and are interested in the client’s business. You should share an idea for the next press release topic, an adjacent market to attack or mention a competitor’s ad. It may not immediately lead to new work, but will help the client see you as more than a vendor, which can help in times of trouble or if you must re-bid your work.
• Always remember that you, as the marketing agency, only represent a small fraction of what your client is doing during the day. Don’t take it personal if you don’t have an immediate response to your email. That client may have just gotten a high-profile, tight-deadline assignment from their boss. Don’t assume you are their top priority.
• Don’t take criticism or negative comments personally. You absolutely need a thick skin to be a client manager. You will be on the receiving end of unhappy clients. Be honest with them, remind them of the plan and ascertain what is at the root cause of their displeasure. One tactic that might work is to let both sides walk away, cool down, and regroup later with a clear mind and less emotion.

There are some other things that go a long way to being an effective client manager. One is the ability to read people and know what drives and interests them and adapting how you interact with them on their level (not yours.) Being able to connect to each client on a personal level also helps, such as asking about their kids or hobbies (hint – I make a note of kids and interests for each client in my contact management system.) It helps break the ice and be able to talk about things other than strictly work.

Now, how does one be a good client? You’ll have to wait for the next blog!

RTC