This series of articles looks at the world of the account manager.
This time we talk to Ruby Loosli, Mango Communications, Account Manager
How did you end up account management? Was it by design or a cosmic accident?
It was a cosmic accident that I stumbled on a communications course at a University open day. From there, the rest was absolutely by design.
My journey to becoming the PR lead that I am today has felt organic, with clear goals that have helped me progress in my career.
Four years into my career and now at my third agency, Mango Communicaitons, I’m always finding new things to love about my job, like working on huge creative campaigns for some amazing brands like New Balance and Vodka Cruiser. I couldn’t be happier that I happened to find my calling so easily!
Balancing clients’ objectives and creative vision can be challenging. How do you deal with that?
I think the easiest way to balance any relationship is being open minded and having clear communication. Understanding what success looks like for the client and also the agency is key. While we’re often tasked to help push boundaries, it’s important to understand the business in order to work towards the same goal.
The nature of our job means that an initial idea can often evolve to what is finally produced – getting hung up on what was meant to be can hold you back from creating your best work! Be flexible and open to change and remember not to take things too personally.
That being said, it’s also important to know when to push for brave ideas. Clients have hired us as the experts in our field and they trust us to achieve their objectives. Being yes people and agreeing to every piece of feedback isn’t always the most productive approach and often clients know this – it’s okay to challenge them from time to time, we do what we do for a reason!
What strategies do you employ to clearly convey creative ideas to clients and address client feedback?
In my experience, the best way to convey ideas to client is to keep it as simple as possible – keeping presentations clear and concise ensures your idea will shine.
In terms of addressing client feedback, I like to create a checklist that works through each piece of feedback and rebuilds the idea or deliverable back to address each point. Making your response airtight demonstrates your ability to listen and effectively action feedback, which assists in creating a more open space for collaboration and idea evolution.
How to build strong relationships with clients?
I believe strong relationships with clients are built on trust. Trust in PR comes in lots of forms: trust that you understand their brand and the market, that you can execute a campaign front to end, and manage all the small bits and pieces that come along the way. When you tick these boxes then there is a strong relationship built. Once you’ve established that foundation you become an extension of their team and a vital part of their operations, which in turn allows you to build a more personal rapport strengthening the relationship further.
The best reminder I give myself is that clients are just people trying to do their jobs, the same as us. Once you remove the barrier it’s so much easier to find some common ground and connect with your client as equals.
Do you have any go-to tips for navigating challenging conversations with clients? And effectively selling an idea.
I like to go into challenging conversations over prepared – meaning I’ve got an answer prepped for any and all potential questions and solutions on hand for whatever outcome may arise. It might sound like overkill, but it has helped me stay cool, calm and collected in what may have been a difficult conversation to navigate.
When it comes to effectively selling an idea, you need to know it like the back of your hand and above all else be passionate about what you’re trying to get over the line. Clients can often see right through a half assed, thrown together pitch – but if you have the knowledge and excitement paired with an approach that will see their objectives accomplished, hopefully you’ll get it across the line.
Are there any emerging trends or challenges in the industry that account management teams should be prepared for?
Working in the media landscape means that the trends and challenges we’re concerned with move with the news cycle and are ever evolving. While it can sometimes be overwhelming to stay on top of, my advice is be as knowledgeable and up to date with relevant media as possible.
Read through your key titles every morning, keep your little black book of contacts updated and continue to nurture your relationships with journalists, editors, photographers and everyone in between.
Being prepared, informed and well connected won’t solve every challenge or problem you encounter but it will certainly keep you on the right track.
What advice would you give your younger self when you first started out in account service?
Soak up as much as you can and put your hand up for anything and everything. The best way to learn in PR is by doing, even if that means making mistakes. I have learnt some of my best lessons after being thrown in the deep end and rising to the challenge. This job can be tough sometimes but you get out of it exactly what you put in; so be proactive, ask questions and take some risks!
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