Ways an Account Manager Can Help Reduce Your Stress During Busy Seasons
Feeling overwhelmed and worried about keeping pace with client satisfaction?
If you’re like most agency owners, you’re busy delivering your creative services while jumping to that next potential client call. Have a dozen or more clients who are knocking on your virtual door? It’s easy to let balls drop. However, when your Account Manager takes the reins, you can finally step out of the day-to-day details and let an expert run the show and make you look good in the process!
6 Ways An Account Manager Can Help Ease the Busy Pace
1. Client Onboarding Workflow
Do your wheels spin every time a new agency client is brought into your business? Do you scramble to send the right documents, ensure everything is signed, get them set up in your project management tool, schedule the first kick-off meeting, and keep all tasks organized? A remote Account Manager has all this handled with flair. Their priority is your client, and first and foremost, ongoing communication with your client so the client (and you) always knows the status of any task or project. Check out our free client onboarding workflow checklist here to understand how we work!
2. Systems, Systems, Systems
When things get fast and furious in your agency, if you don’t have systems in place, things will quickly get out of hand. Account Manager SOPs are pure gold if you have the right Account Manager for marketing agencies in place. For example, they may use a project management tool like Asana to list tasks, delegate and follow up on tasks with your team and the client’s team. Using a proven client onboarding workflow, they can take the new client step-by-step through a seamless experience.
3. Delegate the Chase!
Tired of running after clients to get marketing assets or approval? A big part of a Virtual Account Manager’s role is to do that chasing for you. Diplomatically, of course! They have the expertise to not only interface with clients and ensure they’re meeting all their expectations, but they also hold the client and their team accountable for following up on requests or tasks that are their responsibility.
4. Let Your Account Manager Take the Lead
Your agency Account Manager is the go-to person for your clients. They are responsible for everything that happens with the client – including building the all-important client relationship. The best way you can help them is not micro-manage them. In fact, when you’re thinking of onboarding a new Relationship Manager, you can set them up for success by clearly stating your expectations of them in their role. If you already have repeatable systems and processes in place, great! But more times than not, a great Account Manager will be able to quickly whip your process into shape.
5. Using a Project Management Tool is a Must!
The backbone of any account management for digital marketing agencies is the use of a project management tool. Every single task, no matter how small, should be inside your project management system (some great ones are Asana, Monday, ClickUp, etc). Main tasks, sub-tasks, due dates, and the person assigned help keep everyone on track. Account Managers are focused on making everything run smoothly. They can quickly give updates on tasks, where projects are at and who is working on what. In other words, you and your client are never left in the dark!
6. Don’t Let Exhaustion Rule
Planning for your busy times isn’t always easy. The scope of a project could suddenly change. A handful of new clients could be coming on board. There is so much minutia involved that you risk having things fall through the cracks. Account Manager Standard Operating Procedures to the rescue! The main goal is to keep your clients happy and feeling special. Communication needs to flow and projects need to be finished. With one person dedicated to overseeing your client projects and working closely with them, you can rest easy no matter how busy you get!
Client overload overwhelming you? Being a busy digital marketing agency is a good problem to have! But you can only do so much to keep up with everything and everyone. Why not delegate your client relationship management to an expert Account Manager who comes in with all the systems they need to hit the ground running and execute a smooth and successful client experience? Let’s talk!