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.
Welcome to episode 133. I'm chatting with Founder of G3NR8, Tom Head, about how AI is impacting business. G3NR8 is a consultancy for a new age, innovating business with AI. Tom has spent two decades in digital and built multiple 7 figure agencies. He’s worked with brands such as Red Bull Racing, JP Morgan, Tesco, and The Guardian and is now helping companies succeed with AI by providing training, consultancy, research, and building out the right AI strategy to keep them ahead of the competition. We talk about: • where we are in terms of AI’s evolution and advancement for both our clients and us as agencies. • why it's important to understand the client's needs and meet them where they are. • how AI is helping agencies quickly analyse data and uncover insights to help drive the creative output. • some best practices for agencies when using AI tools • how clients are starting to question the origin of content and where it's being generated from, and questioning the value and the role of an agency. You can follow Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-head-ai/ And sign up for the G3NR8 newsletter here: https://www.g3nr8.com/newsletter
Welcome to episode 132. This one will be particularly interesting and useful for you if you are responsible for marketing your agency's services. Agencies are experts in the field of marketing and are always focused on our clients’ marketing success. But how often do we seek an external perspective on how we are marketing our own agency services? So if you're the owner of the agency, that might be you, or if you're working in a larger agency, you might be the head of marketing responsible for driving the leads and the sales for your agency. My guest, Janet Murray, is a business strategist and a copywriter and an ex-journalist. She works with businesses to create strategic copywriting campaigns that not only save the business time but also generate and convert leads and sales. Janet is also the founder of an education and training company and creates and sells digital education products for consultants, coaches, freelancers and small business owners. She is the host of the Courageous CEO podcast and her Courageous CEO Strategic Business Planner is used by thousands of business owners worldwide and includes tried and tested strategies and resources for business growth. You can reach out to Janet here: Website: https://www.janetmurray.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janmurrayuk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetmurrayofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/jan_murray Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-murray74/ If you are responsible for managing, retaining and growing your existing client relationships, then head over to my website: https://www.account managementskills.com where you can sign up for my regular newsletter for account management strategies, AI tips, and news about upcoming guests on my podcast episodes.
Welcome to episode 131. If you are a healthcare communications agency owner, or an account manager working in healthcare communications, and you're looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of pharmaceutical marketing, then this episode is for you. I'm joined in the studio by Jonathan Gwillim and Kate Eversole from PharmaBrands. They are the organisers of the upcoming Age of AI Europe event, which, if you're listening or watching this at the beginning of 2025, is happening on March 4th in London. This is Europe's leading conference in GenAI in healthcare marketing and it features expert speakers from companies like Google, AstraZeneca, Novartis, ITV, Novo, Nordisk, Boehringer, Ingelheim and many more. In this episode, Jonathan and Kate share of insights about how healthcare agencies and their clients are using GenAI right now. They also share how creative directors feel about Gen AI's impact on the industry, and Kate also shares practical steps you can take as an account manager to confidently embrace AI in your role and some tips for having conversations with your clients. You can connect with Kate and Jonathan via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateeversole/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jongwillim/ There were several resources and links mentioned in our recording: The Age of AI event, March 4, London: https://www.pharmabrands.ca/age-of-ai-europe PharmaBrands report on AI literacy: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65b7dd23f5d4facb3c95fdf7/678e3106eb089ba6a175a282_AI%20Literacy%20Report_2025%20(3).pdf Free webinar on Gen AI 101 : https://www.pharmabrands.ca/webinar Klick and Guardrail reference: https://www.klick.com/news/ai-compliance-breakthrough-wins-klick-prize-results-signal-industry-trends Recommended newsletter from Klick on all things health marketing: https://www.klick.com/klickwire Syneos Health reference: https://pmsociety.org.uk/results/pm-society-digital-awards-2024-results/pm-society-digital-awards-2024-digital-agency-of-the-year/ & their trends report: https://www.syneoshealth.com/insights-hub/2025-health-trends Pfizer and Publicis reference: https://digiday.com/marketing/with-charlie-pfizer-is-building-a-new-generative-ai-platform-for-pharma-marketing/ Sanofi reference: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexzhavoronkov/2023/06/21/sanofi-goes-all-in-on-ai/ Novo Nordisk reference: https://www.novonordisk.com/content/dam/nncorp/global/en/investors/irmaterial/cmd/2024/P10-Data-Science-and-AI.pdf AI driven Video - Cires 21: https://www.cires21.com/ Text to speech leader - Eleven labs: https://elevenlabs.io/ Great content on marketing AI - Marketing AI institute: https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/ Tool to reduce meetings - Loom: https://www.loom.com/
Welcome to episode 130. I’m joined by Leadership Coach and People & Culture Consultant, Theresa Carter. Agencies are people businesses, so it's essential to the success of the agency to attract and recruit the right people with the right skills for the right roles. And this also means that, as the agency grows, the needs of the business change. For example, you might start your agency with small national clients, and then as you expand, you might begin to serve multinational clients that are much bigger, that operate differently. You might need different team members with different skills and experience that suits the agency's evolving needs. All of this starts with aligning your business goals with a solid people and culture plan. In our chat, Theresa Carter shares: · how to create your people and culture plan from your business goals · what happens when some of your team members are in the wrong seats · how to deal with that · how to create some accountability for delivering your people and culture plan · and lots more. If you want some guidance to build a really strong and successful agency team that's totally aligned with your values, then please do get in touch with her via email: theresaaustincarter@gmail.com or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresaaustin/ And if you're responsible for the retention and growth of your existing client relationships at the agency, then you can go to my website, https://www.accountmanagementskills.com and sign up for my newsletter where I share agency account management tips, strategies, mini trainings, and also key points covered by my expert podcast guests.
Welcome to episode 129. In this episode Jenny breaks down the three key areas to focus on if you want to maximise the growth of your existing client accounts in 2025: 1. Finding COMMERCIAL CLARITY Agencies who predictably forecast revenue growth from existing accounts are clear where to focus their team's efforts and provide sufficient time and support for developing an account growth strategy. They have client development plans in place and work differently with 'growth' clients than ‘maintenance’ clients. 2. Having CONSULTANCY CAPABILITY Spotting account growth opportunities and proactively developing ideas and solutions for them requires a consultative skillset and entrepreneurial mindset. Client-facing team members need to be able to have conversations about adding value and ask for testimonials and referrals comfortably. 3. Embedding CULTURAL CONTINUITY To make account growth systematic and scalable it needs to be embedded as a defined repeatable process in the agency that’s followed by everyone. A process helps new joiners hit the ground running and ensures client-centric behaviours are ‘hard wired’ into the business. She shares soundbites from participants of her Account Accelerator programme who provide tips and examples of how they’ve implemented strategies in each of these areas. If you’re considering improving your client retention and growth skills, check out the training options on our website, https://www.accountmanagementskills.com and if you’d like to discuss your training needs with Jenny you can book a 20 minute call here: https://calendly.com/jennyplant/account-accelerator-discovery-call Sign up to receive our regular newsletter where we share account management tips, and notify you of upcoming podcast guests and trainings.
Welcome to episode 128. This conversation is going to be particularly interesting for you if you’re keen to develop your leadership skills. It’s for you if you’re currently in charge of the agency and leading the whole team OR you’re leading an AM team within the agency - and you want to go from being a ‘good’ leader to being a ‘great’ leader. Founder of Navigate The Journey and author of ‘What If There’s More?: Finding Significance Beyond Success’, Traci Schubert Barrett shares actionable tips and advice on how to lead with purpose, navigate the complexities of scaling an agency, and foster authentic connections both with your team and your clients. Whether you’re an agency owner grappling with leadership challenges or an account manager aspiring to step into a leadership role, this chat is packed with wisdom and practical takeaways to help you grow. You can connect with and find out more about Traci Barrett here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracischubertbarrett/ Book: https://a.co/d/184VveL Website: https://www.navigatethejourney.com https://www.tracischubertbarrett.com If you’d like to stay updated with more tips and resources to enhance your account management skills, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter at https://www.accountmanagementskills.com You'll receive updates about new podcast episodes, expert guest announcements, and information about training courses designed for creative agency account managers at all levels. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and share this episode with a colleague who could benefit from these insights.