Strategic account management can be likened to sticking to your diet and eating healthy even at the holiday office parties. We all understand that eating salads, fresh fruits and raw veggies are good for us, but we often like to snack on the candies, cakes and holiday desserts that may not be as healthy. When you do it correctly, it’s beneficial for your clients and customers as well.
You’ve likely have learned, been told, or read about at least some of them at one time or another. Being mindful of good account management practices all the time can be a struggle as work deadlines approach, unread emails require replies, and the mandatory office fire drills interrupt your work.
To ensure I don’t forget about them, I put them in my company, Ege Marketing, which I gave to all my colleagues at the meeting. My goal was to instill these steps into everyone’s daily work life. I believe they’re very important and that’s why I’m passing them onto you too.
- Grow Your Client Relationships
Keep in mind the personal aspect of business relationships. Invest time in becoming aware of the sound and the beat of your client’s whole life. Recall the things you last talked about with them, such as their favorite hobbies and the facts about their life they shared with you. Make sure you do it in a sincere and heartful way.
- Share What You Know
Clients and customers come to you to for help, whether it’s for your specific expertise or some type of service or product. But we aren’t helping them, however, if we sell more aggressively than when we advise them. Use every time you talk to them as a chance to offer them assistance that they perceive is valuable. Remember, they are paying for your advice.
- Be clear and expressive
This is particularly true for deadlines and quotes of the projects in digital marketing. Keep in mind, you and your clients are partners not opponents.
- Keep on Learning
Read up on the latest account management trends and make sure you know what’s hot in your client’s business. Are their profits up? Executive shuffle in the news? A new competitor is increasing market share? Keep current.
- You are Answerable to Your Clients And Ensure Your Clients Are True to Their Mission and Goals
Quick successes are often only that — quick patches that in the end don’t solve anything. When you’re asked to veer off the strategic marketing plan, before you do, ask your client if this change is good in both the short term and the long term. Assist them in seeing a path for making wise decisions.
- If it’s not in your customer’s or client’s interest, don’t do it.
We all want to win and make more sales; however, winning at all costs shouldn’t be done if it damages the client relationship. What’s just as bad is when your client wants to do something that doesn’t follow their own objectives. (See No. 5) What’s central to account management is growing long-term relationships. To do so, sometimes you need to have serious discussions with not only your client, but inside your own business too.
Try to use an organized strategy for managing activities with your most significant clients and customers. When you chose to give them good service and added value, you will grow sounder relationships. Everyone wins.