What are the attributes that makes one person a better account manager than another?  I’m sure there are plenty of managers out there with their own “picture” of a great account manager candidate, but based on my 20+ years’ experience, here are some of the things I think make a difference:

A great account person has to have these basic qualities:

  • a basic knowledge of how persuasion works on the the human psyche.
  • an understanding of the basic strengths and weaknesses of different media.
  • an interest in the production process.
  • a passion for great creative work.
  • a hunger for competition.
  • an innate sense of curiosity.
  • an ability to shut up and listen.
  • an entreprenurial edge.
  • an unabiding sense of optimism.
  • an ability to empathize with people.
  • a keen interest in financial outcomes.
  • a proven ability to lead collaboration.
  • a nagging (yet managable) sense of paranoia.
  • a strong sense of self-worth.
  • and finally, experience in the workplace at a junior level.

How much of this can be learned at school or on the job?  The truth is, I think you need both the academic/theoretical experience from school and the practical experience from the college of hard knocks.

There’s nothing like a few real-world mistakes to drive the most critical lessons home.  That’s why experience matters.  In an interview with a prospective account manager, you need to ask the candidate about his or her biggest flops and what they learned from the experience.

You’ll learn a lot about the prospective employee’s character and their desire when you hear the answer.

What’s Missing?
You’ll note one thing I don’t have listed above is the “ability to sell.”

Chalk that one up to experience.

I remember a time early in my career when I would go into presentations with a creative director who – according to the agency’s president – was a great sales person.  Her ploy was to lay the idea on the table, turn on the charm and explain away any questions from the client by sayin gthe idea was “fun.”

That’s it: “fun”.  End of sales pitch.

Needless to say, when you’re selling industrial products, elevators, fertilizer, etc., “fun” is nearly the last thing anyone in the room cares about.  I found, as the account manager, that I stood a much better shot with the client by explaining the details around the “fun” idea.

Specifically, I had to explain the psychology behind the strategy, the details of how we’d produce the piece, the strengths and weaknesses of the media plan, and so on.  Clients felt reassured their money was in good hands because we actually knew what we were doing.

And it never hurt when the idea really was “fun.”

So, who’s responsiblity is it to pull all this together?  The account manager.  It’s the toughest, most thankless job in the agency.  Creatives think you’re a well-dressed delivery boy.  Media sees you as a tool for other departments’ efforts to take their budget away from them while living high on the fat commission they earn for the agency.  Management may  even see you as a scapegoat if client budgets don’t go up year after year.

The fact is, as an account manager, you’re the one at the cross roads inside the agency.  If you’re effective (and nimble), everyone is able to go their own direction at their top speed.

Just don’t get run over in the process.

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