Have you ever wondered how a digital account manager handles the juggling act of managing multiple clients and projects? Maybe you’re wondering how to get your foot in the digital marketing client door, or, if you’re already inside, how to boost your current account management skills and make like a little easier.
Grab your coffee (or Berocca) and get ready to dive into the exciting world of a digital account manager's daily routine. Here, we'll explore 10 valuable tips to help you boost your organisation and effectively manage multiple clients and projects on the go. While it may sometimes feel like juggling ten flaming batons while video conferencing with thirteen different clients, it can be done. Trust us, we’re the experts.
So, let's roll up our sleeves and discover the secrets behind successful account management!
A Digital Account Manager’s Typical Day
You’ll soon learn throughout this blog that no two days are the same in the world of digital account management. It’s a richly varied job that keeps us on our toes, but finding some routine in the excitement is essential to success – and sanity.
Tip 1: Embrace Routine
Start your day by planning ahead, creating a to-do list, and checking your Monday.com board (or whichever organisational platform you prefer). Set priorities, review your calendar, and tackle essential tasks first. This way, even unexpected curveballs won't throw you off balance.
Tip 2: Communication is Key
While email is now often the primary mode of communication with clients, limit phone calls to when they are necessary. Coordinate ideas and assets for things like social media campaigns and email automation efficiently, ensuring effective collaboration without overwhelming your inbox.
Managing Multiple Clients and Projects Simultaneously
You know that image from earlier, the one involving juggling fiery batons while video-calling a bunch of different clients? Rather than add to the chaos by throwing a hula hoop and rollerblades into the act, let’s take a step back and manage these seemingly endless responsibilities properly.
Tip 3: Compartmentalise
Divide your work into manageable chunks and mentally switch between different clients and projects. Plan your day or week in advance, so you're ready to handle quick changes. For tasks that require creative thinking, create a focused headspace, and for project management tasks, maintain an execution-oriented mindset.
Tip 4: Utilise Tools
Utilise project management tools like Monday.com to streamline processes and enhance productivity. Google Calendar can serve as your virtual personal assistant, providing reminders for key deliverables, timelines, and client preferences.
Tip 5: Seek Help
Don't hesitate to reach out to your team members for assistance in prioritising tasks. A fresh perspective can provide valuable insights and help you meet deadlines effectively. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work!
Strategies for Meeting Deadlines
Managing timelines and meeting deadlines is one of the key digital account manager skills you’ll want to nail. This kind of organisation is all about knowing how to prioritise, and also knowing when and how to say ‘no’.
Tip 6: Triage Your Workload
Treat client work like an emergency department, addressing each client's ‘emergencies’ and priorities in a timely manner. Have weekly work-in-progress (WIP) meetings with your Account Director to plan, prioritise, and distribute tasks. Delegate whenever necessary, even if everyone seems busy. It's crucial to manage expectations and meet deadlines efficiently.
Tip 7: Manage Client Expectations
Some clients may have louder voices, which can make managing their deadlines challenging. Maintain open lines of communication, be transparent about realistic timelines, and work towards aligning expectations with reality.
If a client keeps asking for more add-ons to a project, endless rounds of edits, or (please no) an entire re-do halfway through, it might be time to put the brakes on. Saying ‘no’ to these out-of-scope tasks allows you to stick to your timeline, meet that initial deadline, and demonstrate your professionalism and expertise in a courteous yet firm manner.
Effective client management involves balancing client demands while ensuring the smooth progress of projects, all while maintaining a professional and warm nature – one that allows you to draw the line when you need to!
Keeping Clear Communication Between Clients and Internal Teams
The saying ‘communication is key’ is an oldie but a goodie. This age-old tip is applicable to arguably every industry and every role, and as a team of digital account managers, we can confirm it’s absolutely true. But if communication doesn’t come that naturally to you, how can you improve it?
Tip 8: Learn and Adapt
Gain experience with each client to understand their unique communication style and preferences. Gather as much information as possible from clients at the beginning and relay it to your internal teams. Strive to provide creative freedom while ensuring that all teams are well-informed and aligned. Regular check-ins and open dialogue are essential for building strong client relationships.
Tip 9:Take Time With Written Communication
Hint: it’s more time than you think! Many of us fall into the trap of whipping up an email that’s seemingly urgent and hitting ‘send’ before we’ve had a chance to proof it. This goes for briefs, both client-facing and internal, presentations, speeches, you name it.
More often than not, even the most seasoned communicators will re-read a hastily typed piece and think ‘Well, that won’t make sense to the person who’s reading it.’ Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. Think about what information here is essential for them (and you) to do the job in question. Utilise headings and subheadings, dot points, examples, and shorter paragraphs. Ensure everything is spelled correctly and, above all, that it reads clearly and coherently.
You’ll save a whole heap of time and stress with that extra five minutes of checking your written work. It’s one of the most invaluable digital account manager skills to have, and it’s worth every ounce of effort.
The Benefits of Being a Digital Account Manager
We’ve outlined all the challenges, solutions, tips and tricks to successful account management, but what about the good stuff? We love what we do, and despite all the crazy juggling and occasional very high hurdles, there’s a good reason: we love to see our clients happy.
Tip 10: Enjoy the Success
This final tip is about stopping to smell the roses, as they say. The most rewarding moments of being a digital account manager come when clients express satisfaction with their campaigns and report successful business outcomes.
We’re people pleasers, to say the least, but we also feel pretty chuffed when we’ve put in the hard yards, seen a project through to the end, and witnessed exceptional results from our efforts. We’re happy, the client is happy, and that success tastes pretty great. Let yourself enjoy it!
Other benefits of account management include the opportunity for personal growth and building strong, trustworthy client relationships. There’s so much room for growth in a digital account manager role, and there’s always something new to learn with every new client. This provides a sense of accomplishment that, once you’ve had a sip, is pretty hard to resist in the future.
Advice for Aspiring Digital Account Managers
Interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing client management? If you’re asking ‘how can I be an account manager?’, we’ve got some valuable advice from the fabulous team here at Talk:
- Embrace Variety: Enjoy the dynamic nature of digital marketing client management with diverse clients, needs, budgets, and services.
- Accept the Non-Standard: Be flexible and adapt to unconventional working hours and quick problem-solving in this ever-evolving industry.
- Learn from the Experts: Tap into the wealth of knowledge in your agency by collaborating and learning from digital marketing experts.
- Nurture Client Relationships: Build trust through effective communication, transparency, and a genuine investment in your clients' success.
- Be Organised and Reliable: Stay organised using project management tools and calendars to meet deadlines and earn client trust.
- Learn to Love Continuous Improvement: Stay up-to-date with trends, tools, and strategies, and continuously seek opportunities for professional growth.
- Develop Problem-Solving Skills: Cultivate strong problem-solving abilities to tackle challenges and turn them into learning opportunities.
Discover Career Opportunities with Talk Agency
Effective client management requires a unique skill set, combining effective communication, organisational prowess, and a passion for continuous improvement. By following these tips and embracing the dynamic nature of the industry, you can excel in one of the industry’s most rewarding roles (well, in our opinion, at least): digital account management.
If you’re seeking a career as a digital account manager, get in touch with us to see if we have any career opportunities for you. Alternatively, read up more on our enviable culture and team initiatives to give you a little extra taste of what it’s like to live and breathe digital marketing for an array of incredible clients!
