Robert Solomon (2)

In this short book, Robert Solomon lays out the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary for account executives (and really anyone in the marketing world) to possess. I breezed through it in an afternoon and found it, for the most part, a practical and challenging guide to excellence in account management and client relationships. Here are some of the ideas I gleaned:

• the best account execs are not the agency's man at the client's company, or the client's man at the agency; strive for objectivity
• good work is the main thing that prevents great work; great work is always risky because there is something new or different about it
• always present a unified front to your client; never throw your colleagues under the bus
• always practice presentations; act them out to people in your office even if your schedule is incredibly tight
• be at your client's offices just as much as you are at your own
• be a real resource for the artists and copywriters ("creatives"); that means if they're working overtime on your account, you're there with them...weekends and all
• be low-tech in a high-tech world; don't lose the face time with clients
• make the client part of the creative process and get him/her to sign off on creative direction before launching full-scale design
• keep creative briefs brief and have your creative team help you put them together
• if you give a presentation and you/your team does all the talking, you'll lose the project; take the time to listen to your clients
• great work is not enough and does not ensure that you will keep the account; great service is even more important than great work
• it is unethical to try to take business with you if you move from one firm to another; you are working on behalf of your current agency and the relationships you are building should be confined to that firm
• take the responsibility when something goes wrong even if it isn't your fault personally; but know when to defend your agency
• no matter how friendly you get, never forget that your clients are not your personal friends
• be constantly available

Most of these points are common sense, but the lessons Solomon is hoping to teach are illustrated by stories from his own and others' careers. I don't think that all of the more specific principles apply to every advertising/marketing firm (for example, it's a certain type of agency and client relationship that has the account manager constantly in the client's office). But for the most part Solomon's advice is solid and can be applied to a variety of client and co-worker relationships.

Even though I'm not in an account management role of the type that Solomon clearly has in mind, I can take some of his principles and adapt them to the client service I do provide. And if nothing else, this book gave me a greater appreciation for what the account managers at my company do. I'd recommend the book to anyone working or considering a career in the unpredictable and demanding world of marketing.… (más)