A brief overview on the roles, responsibilities, operations and tips of an Account Manager within a digital agency.

1. Digital Agency
Account Management
Overview

2. What is an AM?
Account Managers hold the relationships of clients and serve as the face of
the business.
They function as the bond between clients and all other operational
departments/persons within a company.
Client
AM
Client
AM
Agency
AM
Agency
Agency

3. AM Pre-Requisites
Efficient
Team
Player
Knowledgeable
Organized
Hands-on
Thick-skinned

4. AM Functions
Project
Manager
Operations
Manager
Team
Leader
Relationship
Manager
Sales
Person
Strategist
Customer
Support
Crisis
Manager
Account
Manager
Analyst

5. Suggestions
Detailed Custom Briefs
Create a detailed client brief template to complete during or after a client status
meeting to refer to and share with colleagues when compiling a strategy.
Department Briefs: once a strategy is approved, supply all departments involved with
their own custom brief.
Client Education
Be the resource your clients use and depend on for all the latest industry
developments and changes via monthly newsletters, ad hoc notices and annual
“digital diagnoses” (seminars/talks/presentations/events) held for clients and
partners.
Internal Education
Have staff “shadow” each other, or host short presentations about their role and
what their department does. AM’s who fully understand all company products &
services can provide effective business solutions and efficient management of clients.

6. Suggestions
Digital Project Timelines
Create a live, online project timeline interlinking the various topline tasks involved,
which employees and perhaps even clients can access. Enforce project timeline is up
to date at all times and revised if any deadlines are missed or tasks are changed.
Authentic Erratic Communication
Try be available and reachable whenever possible. Great ideas/brainwaves happen
sporadically at unusual hours – don’t be scared to share these with client or respond
to an “out the hours” client mail/request in order to create the perception of a 24/7
dedicated AM of which they have a close and exclusive relationship with.
Effective CRM System Use
Implementing an efficient procedure to effectively utilize a CRM system, departmentwide, can massively improve internal communication, client lead conversions, task
assignment, client data management, forecasting, ETC!

7. Suggestions
Turn Data into Information
All client feedback, reports and campaign status updates should be analysed in depth
and transformed from data into meaningful information. This information should be
presented in a language that your clients understand, as well as contain solutions to
problems, forecasted results (where possible) and your recommendations going
forward.
You have multiple employers
As an AM, you are not only an employer of your agency, but you are also employed
by all your clients. You are just as much an integral part of their marketing plan as all
their own staff. This means you represent your client at all times, are a brand
ambassador, and readily keep up to date with the happenings of all clients.
Pro-active Improvement
Prevention is always better than cure, and in Account Management, there is a
constant need for improvement. Streamlining procedures, utilizing software
effectively, making useful ad-hoc recommendations to clients, self-education, and
essentially, ensuring your company’s service excellence.

8. Typical Project Lifeline
Client Status
Meeting
Reporting
Strategy
Monitoring &
Optimising
Pitch
Implementation
Team Briefing
Project Plan

9. Contact Me
Contact me for assistance with your digital strategies.
Candace Newton
@candynewton
Candy.lyn.newton@gmail.com