Welcome to episode 153. I’m joined by Richard Coope from Brightful, who helps large, complex organisations fix the brand, digital and cultural bottlenecks that block content and slow down campaigns, using AI-enabled workflows and marketing automation. Richard is an accomplished Change Lead with experience in leading global organisational and IT transformations. He has 27 years of experience helping complex organisations solve their brand, digital and cultural problems, including leading global digital and Content Supply Chain transformations of Shell, GSK, PMI. He specialises in supporting global Martech platform adoption and making workflows and SOPs more efficient through AI and automation. In this episode, we cover: - Why enterprise content operations are so messy, and how that impacts agencies - Where content typically gets stuck across approvals, rights, DAMs and governance - How AI can either amplify chaos or create real operational flow - The changing role of senior client stakeholders in AI-enabled marketing - Practical ways agencies can partner with specialists like Brightful to protect and grow key accounts If you’d like to connect with Richard Coope or learn more about Brightful, visit: http://wearebrightful.com/ or find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcoope/ Content Advisory Board: https://wearebrightful.com/about/content-advisory-board/ Content Healthcheck: https://brightful-content-flow.scoreapp.com/ If you want to assess how ready you are to use AI to retain and grow your existing clients, you can take the short AI readiness quiz on my website here: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com/ai-readiness-quiz You can also subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share new episodes, short trainings and practical ideas for agency account managers.
Welcome to episode 152. I’m chatting again with my go-to guru for the now, next and future of the agency business model, Spencer Gallagher. Spencer has relaunched Bluhalo with a renewed focus on helping agencies and businesses transform with AI. Bluhalo is a business for the next decade, focused on supporting B2B organisations across three core pillars: People, Technology, and Asset Growth. In this conversation, we really dig into what transforming with AI means in practice for you as an agency leader or account manager. Here’s what we cover: - Why so many agency services have matured and what that means for your positioning and growth - How Spencer thinks about the "now, next and future" of agencies in an AI-driven world - Why founders and leaders need to reconnect with their creative side and carve out proper thinking space if they want to reinvent their business - The cultural shift required to build high-agency, growth-mindset teams that actually embrace AI rather than resist it - How AI is likely to reshape agency structures - from headcount and roles to pricing, automation and the types of services clients will value most - Practical examples of how tools and no-code platforms have gone from clunky to powerful in a very short space of time, and what that means for your IP - Advice for agency leaders who know they need to speed up their adoption of AI, but feel their team is low-energy or stuck in old ways of working - Guidance for account managers whose leaders are dragging their heels on AI, including how to use real client feedback to influence from the middle - What Spencer is seeing in the M&A market for agencies, including what buyers now look for and why AI capability is increasingly on the checklist Spencer has a rare mix of lived experience building and selling an agency, deep technical curiosity, and a very honest take on where agencies are kidding themselves about the future. I think you’ll come away with both a clearer sense of direction and some very practical ideas to take back to your team. If you’d like to stay connected with Spencer's thinking, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencergallagher/ and check out Bluhalo to see more of the work he’s doing to help agencies and businesses become truly AI-enabled. https://www.bluhalo.com/ And if you want to get a sense of where your own agency stands, you can assess your "AI readiness for client retention and growth" over on my website: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com The quiz takes just a few minutes and you’ll receive a short report with suggestions for how you can start weaving AI into your client management workflow.
Welcome to episode 151. If you’re trying to work out how to integrate AI into your agency without losing the human side of what you do, this conversation will help. Today I’m joined by two guests from Noble Studios: Tom Duffy, Head of AI Strategy, and Meg Pescio, Vice President of Client Experience. Noble Studios is a creative digital performance marketing agency based in Reno & Las Vegas in Nevada and Bristol, UK, focusing primarily on travel and tourism and B2B technology clients. Noble’s impressive client list includes the likes of Adobe, SiriusXM Media, Travel Nevada, and Visit Lake Tahoe. They’ve been intentionally experimenting with AI across the agency, and in this episode we dig into how Tom and Meg are partnering to bring AI into client work in a thoughtful, human-first way. Here’s what we cover: · Why Noble decided to hire a dedicated Head of AI Strategy and how that role works alongside the client experience team · The change management piece: how they’ve built trust internally and avoided “AI panic” in the agency · Practical use cases for account managers and client success teams, including: using AI as a learning and thinking partner, creating client “knowledge hubs” with tools like Notebook LM, aggregating messy data sources to uncover new insights for clients · How they’re thinking about data privacy, tools, and tech stack decisions · The impact AI is having on agency positioning, pricing and perceived value · Why human judgment, critical thinking and relationships are becoming even more important as AI usage grows · Their advice for agencies thinking about hiring an AI lead or formalising their AI approach If you’d like to learn more about what Noble Studios is doing, you can head to http://noblestudios.com/ or connect with Tom and Meg on LinkedIn, where they regularly share what they’re testing and learning. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-duffy-reno/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpescio/ And if you want ongoing support with the account management side of agency life, join my newsletter. It’s where I share: · practical account management tips · trends and shifts I’m seeing in the industry · notifications of new podcast episodes · any mini training sessions or speaking I’m doing You can sign up at http://accountmanagementskills.com/
Welcome to Episode 150. This episode is for anyone in agency new business or running sales. My guest is Ryan Hall, Founder of Friday Solved, where he helps agencies build scalable and sustainable sales engines. With over 20 years in marketing and digital - including leading and selling Nice Agency, later acquired by Karmarama and Accenture Interactive - Ryan has seen firsthand what drives real growth. Here’s what we cover and how Ryan advises agencies: - Create buyability, not forced selling. You can’t push complex services; people have to want to buy from you. That means trust, proof and value over time, plus clear expectations that sales isn’t a quick fix. - Build a joined-up sales engine. Inbound and outbound run at different speeds and need different steps, but the buyer experience starts at first contact and momentum through stages is everything. Systemise it so sales becomes repeatable. - Work the middle of the funnel properly. “Shake the tree” with people you already know, keep data clean, follow up with useful content tied to your critical pillars, and channel-swap from LinkedIn to email when it’s serious. Let CRM be your muscle memory so you stay consistent without spamming. Connect with Ryan Hall here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanghall/ Website: https://www.fridaysolved.co.uk/ Book: https://www.fridaysolved.co.uk/pages/dont-sell If you haven’t signed up for my weekly newsletter, go to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com and sign up to get account management tips and trends, any trainings I’m running, guests coming on the show and advice to help you in your account management role.
Welcome to episode 149. If you've been watching AI reshape the marketing landscape and wondering what it really means for agencies, this conversation is going to be particularly interesting for you. Roy Murphy and I dig into whether the traditional agency model can survive in its current form and what you can do about it. Roy is the Co-Founder of G3NR8, a business focused on applying a centralised intelligence layer for organisations to implement AI successfully. We cover: - Why he believes the current agency model is on borrowed time and the data behind that bold claim. - How client in-housing, AI adoption and economic pressure are converging into a perfect storm. - What the rise of creative automation really means for designers, strategists and account managers. - How forward thinking agencies are building new business models that focus on client outcomes and not ours. - And the three M's every agency leader needs to embrace, which are mindset, model and mechanics. It's a lively, honest discussion, packed with examples, a bit of provocation and plenty of practical takeaways for anyone trying to figure out how to future-proof their agency. Roy's message is really clear. AI isn't coming for agencies. It's already here and it's those agencies that are going to adapt and who are going to thrive. So rethinking your business model, retraining the team and rebuilding the offering around client outcomes. You can connect with Roy at https://www.g3nr8.com/ and subscribe to his brilliant newsletter. You can also read his viral LinkedIn post that we mention in our chat here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/roymurphy_ai-agencies-work-activity-7383090246873149440--6Su Additional links: Sales and Marketing AI Playbook https://www.g3nr8.com/ai-sales-and-marketing-ecosystem Marketers AI roundtable https://www.g3nr8.com/senior-marketers-ai-roundtable G3NR8 AI newsletter https://www.g3nr8.com/blog (featuring BAD AI where they skewer poor AI practice, every week, without fail). If you'd like to know how AI-ready you are in your account management role, then you can go over to my website, https://www.accountmanagementskills.com and take your free AI readiness quiz. You'll get a personalised report and also some insights and tips and strategies for using AI in your client management role.
Welcome to episode 148. This episode is going to be really useful if your agency has started using AI tools or if your team are experimenting with AI note-takers, ChatGPT, or generative image tools and you want to make sure you’re staying legally safe, compliant and transparent with your clients. My guests are Ryan Lisk, Founder, and Kay Yung, Senior Commercial Lawyer at Hybrid Legal. The company helps business leaders prevent and solve legal headaches in a way that is easy to understand without breaking the bank. They specialise in creating and reviewing contracts, advising on tech law including AI and data privacy, employment & HR and M&A. We talk about: The biggest legal blind spots agencies have when it comes to AI use Why transparent conversations about AI can actually strengthen your client relationships How to run an internal “AI audit” — finding out who’s using what and where the risks lie What to include in your AI policy and client contracts to protect your business How to manage freelancer agreements and IP when AI tools are involved Ryan and Kay share real stories from agency clients, including one that perfectly illustrates how easy it is to get into legal trouble and how to avoid it. If you’ve ever worried about data privacy, IP ownership, or simply how to have the AI conversation with your clients, you’ll take away some really practical actions from this one. You can follow or connect with both Ryan and Kay on LinkedIn, and check out the Hybrid Legal website to sign up for Legal Loop their free bi-weekly newsletter with legal updates and AI insights for agency owners. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmlisk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kay-yung-creativelawyer/ https://www.hybridlegal.co.uk/the-legal-loop If you’d like account management tips, updates on upcoming podcast episodes, and invitations to my free trainings, make sure you sign up for my newsletter at https://www.accountmanagementskills.com
Welcome to episode 147. In this special compilation episode, Jenny Plant revisits standout moments from her conversations with leading voices in the agency world about how AI is transforming agencies and agency account management. With change accelerating and clients already asking tough questions, this episode brings together practical frameworks, provocative thinking and real-world use cases that can help agency owners and account managers lead the AI conversation rather than follow it. Across five key themes – from industry-wide disruption and agency adoption, to shifts in search, pricing models and client expectations – you’ll hear from strategists, pricing experts, consultants and AI practitioners on what’s working, what’s changing, and what to prioritise next. If you want a sharper perspective on AI’s role in agency growth, this is your starting point. If you’d like to see how ready you are to use AI in your client management role, I’ve put together a free AI readiness quiz. It takes about three to five minutes. You’ll get a tailored report with tips for how to start integrating AI into your workflows for client retention and growth. You can do that here: https://accountmanagementskills.com/ai-account-manager-quiz/
Welcome to episode 146. This episode will be really valuable if you're an agency account manager or an owner working with charities, nonprofits or mission driven brands, or if you're just curious about how the social impact sector operates differently and what account managers can learn from it. Lauren Jones is Senior Director of Client Services at Wide Eye, a digital creative agency for purpose-driven organisations & changemakers, and has spent her entire career in the Nonprofit sector. In this episode, we cover: • what makes working with nonprofit clients different from for-profit • why impact, not revenue, is often the most important KPI. • how to build and structure an account management function inside an agency. • how to shift your agency from project based sort of more transactional work into longer term strategic partnerships. • practical strategies for measuring and demonstrating impact, often through powerful storytelling rather than just data. • Creating a really interesting stakeholder engagement design. • coaching clients so they can evangelize about your work internally • building long-term trust that keeps your account strong and sustainable. Even if your clients are all commercial brands, then Lauren's advice about strategic thinking, building relationships and aligning with client priorities will definitely resonate. You can connect with Lauren via LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-m-jones-1b623259 or via her own website: http://lmjones.com/ if you'd like to see how ready you are to use AI in your client management role, I've put together a free AI readiness quiz. It takes about three to five minutes. You'll get a tailored report with tips for how to start integrating AI into your workflows for client retention and growth. You can that here: https://accountmanagementskills.com/ai-account-manager-quiz/ If you want to be alerted to new podcast episodes coming up, hear about tips for account managers and any mini trainings I'm doing, you can also sign up for my weekly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/AMSUpdates
Welcome to episode 145. This episode is going to be particularly useful if you want to understand how to engage with your client’s marketing procurement department and understand the world through their eyes when selecting an agency to work with. I'm delighted that global marketing procurement consultant, Tina Fegent, has joined me for a second time on the podcast. Tina is a leading expert and pioneer in marketing procurement, with over 30 years of experience shaping the industry. She launched her consultancy in 2006 to help brands unlock greater value from their marketing spend through strategic, commercially focused procurement. Tina has worked with global brands and agencies to drive efficiencies, improve ROI, and foster better client–agency relationships. She is a regular speaker, advisor, and industry commentator, known for advocating collaboration between marketing and procurement. Passionate about innovation and impact, Tina continues to influence best practices and champion the evolving role of procurement in delivering creative and commercial success. Here’s what we covered in this episode: - Why procurement is becoming more important within companies and what that means for agencies - How agencies can make themselves more attractive to companies with in-house procurement - The role of intermediaries in helping clients find new agencies to work with vs direct search - Tina's insights on the shift from agency-of-record relationships to project-based work and what this means for different sized agencies - The current state of AI adoption in marketing – and how to initiate conversations about AI with procurement - How to position “Output-based” pricing to Procurement …and lots more. You can connect with Tina Fegent here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-fegent-fcips-2103573/ If you'd like to assess your “AI readiness for client retention and growth in your agency, you can go to my and take the quiz. It takes 3-5 minutes and you'll receive a report with tips for how you can incorporate AI into your client management workflow. https://accountmanagementskills.com/ai-account-manager-quiz/ And if you don't want to miss my news on agency account management, mini trainings, podcast episodes etc sign up to my weekly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/AMSUpdates
Welcome to Episode 144. In this episode, Jenny Plant discusses how account managers can remain indispensable in the face of AI's transformative impact on marketing. She explores the current AI landscape from the perspectives of clients, agency owners, and account managers, introducing her Four P's framework for integrating AI into account management. The episode highlights real-world examples of AI applications, the importance of developing AI skills, and common pitfalls to avoid. Jenny concludes by emphasizing the necessity for account managers to lead the change in their roles as AI continues to evolve. The AI-enabled Account Accelerator is my flagship training and coaching programme that’s designed to help agencies unlock consistent client growth and retention – powered by both proven strategy and smart AI integration. This isn’t just theory. Past participants have seen up to 45% growth in revenue from existing clients. You’ll learn how to: Spot the best opportunities to grow your accounts faster Catch and fix client issues before they escalate Use AI to prepare for meetings, summarise calls, and personalise comms Share fresh ideas with confidence and keep your clients loyal and happy Apply a repeatable, strategic process that your whole team can follow Whether you join the 12-week Sprint or the one-year programme, you’ll walk away with practical tools, coaching, and ongoing support. It’s for anyone who is managing client relationships and tasked with retaining and growing the account. The next intake kicks off on 16th September 2025 and we’ve already taken confirmed bookings. Visit the Account Accelerator training page and find out more or book a quick call with me to discuss if it’s the right fit. https://www.accountmanagementskills/account-accelerator
Welcome to episode 143. This episode continues our theme of AI integration into the agency business operations. My guest is Heather Murray, a generative AI expert, Top 5 MarTech influencer globally, international speaker and Founder of AI for Non-Techies (award-winning AI training and learning hub). Regularly featured in Forbes magazine, Heather brings energy and enthusiasm to the world of AI. Her accessible, jargon-free approach helps people overcome confusion, reluctance and fear when it comes to where to start. Heather has formed powerful working partnerships with the likes of Toyota, Mitsubishi and Salesforce, and drove $75m in client pipeline in 2023, all with the help of AI. Passionate about purposeful business, Heather uses 20% of all profits to run grassroots community work with isolated elderly people. Following my AI for client retention and growth webinar in July 2025, I’ve had lots of conversations with agency owners and account managers who are starting to embrace AI in their daily workflows. Here's what we cover in this chat: - Why agency owners don’t need to be tech experts to thrive with AI - How AI can help you deliver more value to clients without burning out the team - The risks of ignoring AI - and how to start experimenting safely and smartly if you're thinking, "I really need to get serious about using AI in my account management role," then let me tell you about something coming up that could be perfect for you if you’re listening to this before September 16th 2025. The AI-enabled Account Accelerator is my flagship training and coaching programme that’s designed to help agencies unlock consistent client growth and retention - powered by both proven strategy and smart AI integration. This isn’t just theory. Past participants have seen up to 45% growth in revenue from existing clients. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Spot the best opportunities to grow your accounts faster ✅ Catch and fix client issues before they escalate ✅ Use AI to prepare for meetings, summarise calls, and personalise comms ✅ Share fresh ideas with confidence and keep your clients loyal and happy ✅ Apply a repeatable, strategic process that your whole team can follow Whether you join the 12-week Sprint or the one-year programme, you'll walk away with practical tools, coaching, and ongoing support. It’s for anyone who is managing client relationships and tasked with retaining and growing the account. The next intake kicks off on 16th September 2025 and we've already taken confirmed bookings. Head to https://www.accountmanagementskills.com to find out more or book a quick call with me to discuss if it’s the right fit.
Welcome to Episode 142. I'm chatting with Steve Guberman. With over 25 years in the creative, marketing, advertising, and public relations industry, including a decade spent running and eventually selling his own successful agency, Steve now channels his expertise into coaching agency owners. As the founder of Agency Outsight, Steve helps owners unearth their challenges, define their goals, and conquer them all, enabling them to build and run the agency of their dreams. During this chat, we cover the biggest challenges agency owners are facing today, namely: - pipeline pressures - the impact of AI - the hot topic of niching - why strong account management remains key to the growth and longevity of your client relationships - the powerful impact of humility and empathy in agency leadership - and practical advice on initiating meaningful conversations to re-engage with your clients. You can connect with Steve Guberman via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agencycoach/ or https://www.linkedin.com/company/agency-outsight/ And find more information on the Agency Outsight website: https://www.agencyoutsight.com/ and podcast: https://www.agencyoutsight.com/podcast/ You can find more podcast episodes, more details about my account retention and growth training, and subscribe to my newsletter on my website: https://www.accountmanagementskills.com
Welcome to episode 141. I'm chatting to Brett Harned, a consultant, coach, and author with 20+ years of experience leading digital and creative teams. He helps organisations solve people, process, and culture challenges with a strategic, human-centred approach. A longtime voice in the PM community, Brett founded the Digital PM Summit, wrote Project Management for Humans, and shares practical insights at BrettHarned.com. If you've ever wondered whether account management and project management should be separate roles in your agency, or maybe how AI might be reshaping both of these roles, then this episode is going to be packed with insights for you. We talk about: • what makes a successful hybrid AM-PM and why it's so hard to find one • the structure and support needed to make hybrid roles work • how to start separating AM and PM roles without blowing up your team or your client relationships • what agencies need to do now to adapt to AI • the project-based future of our industry • and why focusing on people not just process or tools is the secret to great project delivery. If you are currently navigating the complexities of the AM/PM roles in your agency, or you're thinking about making the switch, then why not come and join Brett and I, and David C Baker, for the annual AM and PM seminar in Atlanta on 23rd & 24th September 2025. And, if you want to stay ahead on topics like this and anything to do with client relationship management, agency growth, and the ever-evolving role of AI, then make sure you're signed up to my newsletter, in which I share practical tips, new podcast episodes, updates and mini trainings. Visit my website to subscribe and there you’ll also find my AI-readiness quiz. https://www.accountmanagementskills.com
Welcome to episode 140, with Laura Smales, Client Services Director at Creative search marketing agency, Rise At Seven. This episode is going to be particularly interesting if you are a CSD in an agency and curious how another one operates. Here’s what we covered in this episode: How Rise at Seven differentiates themselves from other agencies Why Laura and her client service team prioritise solving the client’s biggest business challenge and how her team works with their internal craft and strategy team Laura also shares how the agency won over global clients and have extended their global footprint beyond the UK market to Europe and the US A walk through their proprietary AI-driven methodologies and tools they use to help get clients the demand or discoverability they want Laura’s practical tips for what makes a superb account manager in this AI-driven world and how to build trust and relationship stickiness with your clients Do reach out to her on LinkedIn, if you’re keen to learn more about how Rise At Seven is shaping global agency-client partnerships. And if you're curious about how AI can support account managers not only in retaining clients but also in growing global accounts – don’t miss my upcoming live webinar on 10th July 2025. You can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HqfuUMsbSDu_qKpnhZhlEg
Welcome to episode 139. My guest is Blair Enns - a globally recognised author, speaker and the founder of Win Without Pitching, a sales training company that has transformed how creative professionals position and sell their expertise Blair is the author of three books; o The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, a rallying cry for creative agencies to stop giving away their thinking for free. o Pricing Creativity, a guide to pricing your work based on value, not hours. o And now, his latest book - The Four Conversations a model for selling expertise If you’ve ever felt stuck in the sales process, unsure how to talk about money, or like you’re chasing clients instead of leading them - this episode is for you. You can connect with Blair Enns here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairenns/ Website: http://www.winwithoutpitching.com/ Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Blair-Enns/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ABlair%2BEnns
Welcome to episode 138. If you’re managing client relationships - or leading others who do - this episode is packed with practical advice. I’m joined by David C. Baker, widely regarded as "the expert's expert" in the marketing agency world. David has advised over 1,000 entrepreneurial experts through his consulting firm, Punctuation, which he founded back in 1994. He's the author of 7 books, including the influential "The Business of Expertise" and "Secret Tradecraft of Elite Advisors," and his latest book “Selling your professional services firm”. His insights have been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and numerous other publications. As the co-host of the popular "2Bobs" podcast, David regularly shares his expertise on agency management. With decades of experience working with marketing services firms, David brings unparalleled insights into the nuanced relationship between account management and project management - which makes him the perfect guest as we prepare for the third annual Account and Project Management event in Atlanta in September 2025. Here’s just a handful of the things we covered: • Why growing the account is the primary role of an account manager - and why order-taking isn’t enough (particularly now) • The healthy tension that needs to exist between AMs and PMs - and what happens when one person does both • Why strong account managers read the room - not just run the meeting • How to lead clients without being pushy - and why honesty is your best sales strategy • Practical tips for handovers, managing workload, and setting account managers up for success • And why account managers can - and should - lead the AI conversation within the agency David also shares thoughts on leadership, compensation, and the future of AM in an AI-driven world. If this conversation sparked ideas for how you can grow your client relationships, lead more confidently, and future-proof your role - then imagine what could happen if you gave yourself two days completely focused on it. Join us in Atlanta this 23rd and 24th of September for the AM/PM Conference - the only event created specifically for agency account and project managers. This isn’t just another conference. It’s where you’ll: • Surround yourself with people who get it - fellow AMs and PMs facing the same pressures and expectations you are • Learn practical strategies to retain and grow client accounts, manage tricky situations, and improve delivery - without burning out • Discover exactly how other agencies are using AI to work smarter, automate the boring stuff, and deliver faster, better outcomes • Leave with fresh tools, frameworks, and real-world examples you can put into practice the very next day I’ll be there, David C. Baker will be there, and we’re also joined by Brett Harned - founder of the Digital PM Summit and author of Project Management for Humans. If you’re serious about growing your career and elevating your role - this is where it happens. Visit https://www.punctuation.com for all the details and to grab your spot.
Welcome to episode 137. If you’ve ever wondered when’s the right time to introduce an account manager role into your agency - or how that change might impact the way you serve clients - this episode is for you. I’m joined by Cameron Magee, founder of event production agency avad3, trusted by clients such as Walmart and the White House. He shares with me: Why he waited until 30+ employees to hire a dedicated account manager What changed when Cameron stepped back from day-to-day client contact The growing pains of introducing account management into a production-led culture Advice Cameron would give to other agency owners ready to make the leap We also touch on where the live event industry is going - and why hybrid events might start to feel a bit more like first-class travel experiences. If you'd like to connect with Cameron, you’ll find him most active on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/c-magee or go to the avad3 website: http://avad3.com/ If you want regular tips and updates about how AI is impacting the agency account management role then head over to my website and sign up for my newsletter. That’s where I share tools, training and guest insights to help you strengthen and expand your client relationships. https://www.accountmanagementskills.com
Welcome to episode 136. We’re talking about a topic that’s becoming a real game-changer for creative agencies - the power of personal branding and employee-generated content. If you're an account manager, this one's especially for you. Clients are increasingly choosing to work with people, not just businesses. So the way you show up online can directly impact trust, relationships and even new business opportunities. I chat to Claudia Cardinali, the Strategy Director for Personal Branding Agency, Great Influence where she works closely with CEOs & founders and senior leadership teams on their public image. Claudia has worked to build the personal brands of Political Party Leaders, Sunday Times bestselling authors, Premier League football players, Journalists & Unicorn Entrepreneurs. She was awarded a LinkedIn Top Voice last year, has gained an audience of over 65k followers and has built her career by sharing her thoughts on the platform, particularly around 'Becoming A Manager' and 'Employee Generated Content'. In this conversation, we covered: How employee visibility strengthens client relationships and eases handovers Why personal branding isn’t just for founders Practical tips for sharing content online, even if you’re not sure where to start How agencies can create a culture that encourages their teams to show up And how AI can help make the whole process quicker and easier If you're looking to build your presence online and become an even greater asset to your clients and your agency, you’ll get so much value from this. Claudia’s message is clear - personal branding builds trust, strengthens client relationships, and helps you stand out as a true advocate for your agency. https://greatinfluence.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccardinali9/ And if you want to sharpen your client development skills even further, check out my Account Kickstarter programme - a self-paced, eight-session online course designed to help you grow and retain your agency accounts with confidence. Plus, we’ve just added a brand-new bonus: AI for Account Managers - packed with practical tools to help you save time, personalise client communications and uncover new growth opportunities. All available now inside your Account Kickstarter dashboard. https://www.accountmanagementskills.com/account-kickstarter
Welcome to episode 135. There’s a quiet shift happening in the agency world - and today’s episode gets right into it. More and more agencies are choosing to stay lean, move faster, and build businesses that are not just profitable - but more human. And that shift is changing everything, from how we use AI, to how we lead, to what it means to be an account manager. Carl Smith leads The Bureau, a community that connects and supports agency leaders. A former theater major, he ran his agency nGen Works for 12 years, experimenting with unconventional management. After attending a Bureau event in 2012, he saw the power of community and took over in 2016. Now, Carl helps leaders navigate the challenges of running an agency, ensuring no one feels alone. Through Slack, events, and collaborative programs, The Bureau fosters real connections and growth. When he’s not building community, he’s running, recording, or speaking about leading humans. In this episode, Carl shares with me: - Why staying small is becoming a competitive advantage - How agency leaders are managing burnout, uncertainty and shifting business models - How AI is accelerating workflow and value-based pricing - Why Gen Z is redefining what an agency is and why they’re not calling it an agency at all - And what the future of account management looks like in this changing landscape If you’re looking for community and connection in these changing times, do follow Carl Smith on LinkedIn and check out what the Bureau has to offer. Carl and the team are doing brilliant work to support agency leaders who not only want to stay ahead of the changes but feel less alone at the same time. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-w-smith/ https://bureauofdigital.com/event/leadership-love-portland-oregon If you’re leading client relationships and want to keep developing as the landscape shifts, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter at https://www.accountmanagementskills.com I share practical client management tips, AI tools for the account management role, news about upcoming podcast episodes and you’ll be the first to hear about trainings to help you stay confident as an account manager or agency leader.
Welcome to episode 134. I spoke to Kevin Gibbons, founding director of Re:signal, a specialist ecommerce SEO agency, driving organic search growth for clients including Under Armour, FatFace and ASICS. Kevin frequently writes/speaks within the search industry. Kevin covers: - how AI is shaking up SEO and what that means for agencies and their clients. - how AI is changing search and where it might go next. - the key conversations agencies should be having with clients right now. - how to think about visibility in AI search results and LLMs - how agencies can use AI to work more efficiently and lots, lots more. I took away so much from this discussion, particularly around how agencies should be preparing for the shift towards AI driven search. If you'd like to connect with Kevin, you can find him posting regularly on LinkedIn and I'd highly recommend you give him a follow. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevingibbons/ https://resignal.com If you're looking for more tips, strategies, and practical guidance on how AI is influencing client relationship management, account development, and account growth, then make sure you sign up for my newsletter at https://www.accountmanagementskills.com. I share regular updates, insights from expert guests, and tips about account management, and also training opportunities to help you stay one step ahead.