I attended a AAAA’s Seminar this past week regarding Leadership for Integrated Accounts. I was in a room full of other Account Service professionals from different agency’s. While we all had different backgrounds and different life lessons one common theme ran through us. How do we be the best Account Service leader for our clients?
The answer seems difficult and complex, but you know what? It really is simple. All you have to do is educate yourself on what is effecting the client and their business. I will use myself as a case in point (not grand standing I promise). I started my agency life as a Traffic Coordinator, from their I dabbled in Creative and finally ended up in Account Service. I think beginning my career as a Traffic Coordinator gave me the mind set to learn different disciplines within an agency. Fast forward to the present and I have gained knowledge in Promotions, Media (planning and buying), grass root campaigns, non profit campaigns, creative and finally social media. I have made a point to read the industry trade pubs or relevant blogs pertaining to the client. I also follow and track what the clients competition is doing. I learned this early on and it really helps.
A few months ago I could not tell you what Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebookor Digg meant or there purpose. I made the concisious effort to leap into the Social Media pool and find out for myself. I not only started understanding how everyone communicated. I also started to understand how clients can benefit from using Social Media (and when they shouldn’t use it). Needless to say I am hooked.
My point is, everyone in the agency especially the Account Service team should have knowledge of all the different facets of the agency. This will make you invaluable to the client along with inside your agency. As Account Service our jobs are increasingly complex, it’s up to us to dig down and make sure we understand all that is out there to help lead our clients and agency.
Oh, yeah! One piece of advice I was given yesterday. Unless your client asks for it, NO MORE CONFERENCE REPORTS!!
I’ll drink to that.
Diary of a Madman 