Reinventing Account Management: “Next Practices” for Senior Agency Professionals
The traditional account management function at advertising agencies and other marketing communications firms is changing dramatically to meet the needs of a 27/7 digitally-connected multichannel marketplace. This workshop arms client-facing agency professionals with new problem-solving tools and approaches designed to reinvent how agencies create value for their clients.
About this workshop
To get different results, agency professionals must work in different ways. We must break old patterns and approach marketing problems with a different perspective and a different set of tools. In this seminar we examine the skills, knowledge, habits, and approaches needed to help transform the client service discipline, including:
- How to inspire more non-traditional and unconventional problem-solving.
- Why agency professionals must focus on effectiveness instead of efficiency.
- Your role as a “strategic generalist” who knows both offline and online; paid and non-paid.
- Your role in helping the agency to provide better measurement and accountability.
- How to change your mindset and approach from long-term to real-time.
- How to help your client harness the power of co-creation.
- How agencies can adopt the “agile” development model of software companies.
- Why and how to develop budgets based on ideas as currency instead of money as currency.
- How you can add more value by getting involved further up the client’s value chain.
- How to stop selling time and start selling value.
We’ll explore in depth the new skillset required by senior agency executives who are on the front lines of serving and advising clients, including:
Moving beyond classical marketing to “adaptive marketing.”
Unlike the sequential approach of classical marketing, adaptive marketing takes the attitude that work is constantly in “beta,” where success is measured in real time.
Adopting an “open source” approach to your job.
Agencies must not only see themselves in the role of “creator,” but also “curator.” Approaches like crowdsourcing and expert-sourcing are providing new sources of ideation and innovation.
Going beyond campaigns to platforms.
In today’s marketing environment, a campaign approach by itself is not enough to engage customers with the brand. Agencies must be in the business of building long-term, utility-based branded platforms that provide the basis of ongoing interaction with consumers.
Starting with the product instead of the advertising.
Agencies must look for marketing opportunities in the ways the brand is made, distributed, or sold – not just the way it’s advertised. This kind of work is a much more valuable spot on the client’s value chain.
Considering traditional paid media solutions last instead of first.
The most effective and credible means of communicating with consumers is to start with owned and earned media, not paid. This presents a fundamental shift in the agency business model.
Redefining the brief.
The traditional creative brief asks the wrong questions. What’s needed is a more holistic way of viewing the client’s business is a way that inspires marketing problem-solving, not just marketing communications.
Becoming an expert in brand interactions, not just brand messages.
Agencies have models for how advertising works; what they need now is a model for how people work. This is the business of behavioral economics, and it’s a major driving force behind the future of our business.
Learning the art of pricing, not just the science of costing.
Clients (especially procurement departments) are highly-trained professional buyers. The key to future profitability is for agencies to make pricing -- not costing – a core competency and apply the same level of creativity to developing unique value-based compensation agreements as they do to solving their client’s marketing problems.
View a few slides from this workshop here:
Who this workshop is for
This seminar is designed for senior client-facing professionals at marketing communications firms of all types. While many of the concepts are geared specifically for client service, all senior professionals who interface directly with clients can benefit from this seminar.
About the instructor
The presenter is Tim Williams, founder of Ignition Consulting Group, America’s leading consultancy devoted to helping marketing communications firms create and capture more value. Tim is a frequent speaker and presenter for major industry associations, agency networks, universities, and business conferences in North America and abroad. As a recognized thought leader in the advertising and marketing business, Tim has been interviewed and quoted by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Guardian, Toronto Globe & Mail, Bloomberg News, Japan’s Nikkei News, and other business and marketing from Europe to Asia. He is a frequent contributor to leading trade and business publications including Advertising Age, Adweek, Communication Arts, Campaign, Admap, Marketing News, and The Advertiser. He is author of the book, Take a Stand for Your Brand: Building a Great Agency Brand from the Inside Out ranked by Amazon as one of the top ten books on brand building. His newest book is Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Knowledge Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.
What others are saying
“Your presentation was outstanding. It renewed my vigor and steeled my determination to really make change happen.” David Sladack, VP, Senior Group Account Director, Brunner
“This seminar created clarity and illustrated possibilities in a business in transition. A must attend for those who want to be relevant in the future!” Troy Graftzer, Cramer-Krasselt
“I have attended a lot of seminars, and this was by far the best. Forward thinking, current, and very relevant.” Kelly Konz, Performance Marketing
“This seminar was like looking through a new pair of glasses. Suddenly, everything is clearer.” Mark McFarland, Adams & Knight
“Mind. Blown. Thank you, @TimWilliamsICG and @4As.” @patchchord via Twitter
“Whupped upside the head, punched in the gut, kicked in the butt, walked out motivated!” @AndBrent via Twitter
“Fantastic 4A's seminar on reinventing account management by @TimWilliamsICG today. If you're an agency professional you NEED to follow him.” @Maximus514 via Twitter
How to arrange for this workshop
Reinventing Account Management: “Next Practices” for Senior Agency Professionals is available in three versions: 90-minute presentation, half-day workshop, and full-day seminar.
For details and pricing, please contact us at info@ignitiongroup.com.
Questions or feedback? Contact us.
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