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I love seeing this question because we’ve all been there. I feel you on this one, for copy writers and digital designers there are external resources they can use to become better at their job. For us account peeps, not that much really exists externally… especially for us Pharma Account peeps.
I want to be LOUD and CLEAR when I mention this, your success & morale at this early level of account is HEAVILY reliant on your supervisor and account team members. The environment they create will foster your success or will bring you much hardship (a lot of people have egos/love politics). Realize this early and never become undetermined or lose hope, the very fact that you’re reaching out here shows that you are leaps above the rest!
What makes you a good account person is actually something really unique. It’s not just about meeting the client’s requests and staying on strategy & budget. It’s about being there to support every member of your team; be them creative, strategy, studio, and edit- you have a major responsibility to maintain everyone’s peace while also delivering in tandem. Build sincere relationships with all of your team members, don’t just reach out to them when you need something. Ask them what they need more times than you reach out for something you need- that is the mark of a true leader.
Sad to say, but Pharma Ad Account Management is polluted with egotistical and selfish people. My dream as an account manager is to shift the paradigm of our industry, to prioritize our internal teams instead of always being at the whim of the client. My dream is to create teams who coexist in harmony and are free of ego, passive aggression, and stress. It starts with us.
Take things one step at a time. You will be great. I hope this inspires you
All of this! One of the consistent pieces of feedback I’ve received throughout my career is that I take the time and care to talk to everyone and learn more about what they do, from design all the way through finance. Initially I did it to make connections and understand processes so I could answer client questions faster, but between that and a really fantastic boss/mentor, I’m now a go-to person for the majority of my team. I’ve helped a PR assistant negotiate a raise, an influencer manager meet a deadline, and account folks on other teams phrase difficult client emails.
The important thing to remember is you aren’t there to do a creative’s job, for example, but to essentially act as the client voice and reinforce their good ideas or make “meh” ideas better, while also making it clear that you are on your team’s side, so to speak.
At the end of the day, a “good” account person is a people person—that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an extrovert, but that you make a point to get to know your clients and coworkers, their problems, their work quirks, their drinks of choice, their pets’ names, their team dynamics, and you make sure that they feel heard at the end of the day.
But I also def observe my supervisors / senior leaders to understand the specific characteristics you need to be a good account person. Charisma and leadership are def two lol
Account is all people management. Knowing the craft is important as well…but nothing is more important than a high EQ and and an even larger patience for bullshit.
How to win friends and influence people is a book that is a good place to start
Great nuggets in here. A couple of additional thoughts:
Be curious.
Be willing to learn and understand context.
Own you mistakes and lack of knowledge and do your best to remedy them. Promote your team and your own wins. Learn what’s important to your bosses, clients and internal partners.
I think of a great account person as the director of an orchestra… they may play no instrument of their own, but the need to know all of the parts and how to make them work well together.
Good luck - you’ve got this!
Thank you all! Some very thoughtful and helpful notes here!
Have you been told by your manager what your weaknesses are?
Less if this - more so just trying to proactively get better. Are you recommending that as a a starting point?
I would definitely start there! Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint for me where I could really improve and where my strong suits are. During my yearly reviews I always take a ton of notes and then check in quarterly if I’ve improved in those specific areas
Thanks for the advise! I’ll revisit my review as a starting point for sure!
Amazing question!
Does your company offer training and development opportunities? If so there should be many things you can try — look for presenting skills, writing with clarity and anything that has to do with problem solving.
Other things to look into: have regular one on ones across disciplines, find a mentor, seek out and pay attention to competitive work in the world, relationship building, search topics on podcasts, join an ERG/BRG at your company. Many companies have programs that reimburse tuition if you find a one-off industry related class.
Good luck OP!