How to Be a Great Account Manager: A Guide for Young Professionals

Welcome to the fun and crazy world of account management, where you’re the human bridge between clients and creative teams, keeping everyone happy (and preferably calm) while preparing that final deliverable. It’s a fast-paced, but fun career where your communication, multi-tasking, and work-life balance skills will shine like never before.

I should note that being a great account manager isn’t about having all the answers from day one. It’s about being a great leader and someone people can rely on when things get overwhelmingly busy—which they will. But don’t worry, here are some tips that will take you from newbie to ninja in no time.

1. Master the Art of Listening

Let’s get this out of the way: Your job isn’t to talk (well, not all the time). It's to listen and think. Clients will come to you with problems and requests, but before you dive in with suggestions or solutions, listen and ask clarifying questions. The more you understand what they need, the better you can manage the project (and their expectations).

2. Stay Two Steps Ahead

If you see a roadblock looming, raise the flag early. Trust me, it’s a lot easier to solve problems before they become huge problems. This proactivity will also help you build credibility with both your client and internal teams.

Real-life example: Early in my career, we had a tight media deadline and were going over hours on creative development. We pushed forward to meet the deadline, and afterward, I alerted the client that we had gone over hours. She told me she would have appreciated me telling her about the situation so she didn’t have to find more budget to cover us going over hours. She could have easily said, “I’m not paying that,” and the agency would have eaten those costs. I was lucky, but a lesson learned!

3. Over-Communicate, But Don’t Be Annoying

Yes, communication is key, but it has to be the right kind of communication. Be clear, concise, and direct with both your client and your team. That means no vague emails like, “Just checking in!” Instead, be specific: “We’re on track to hit the deadline, but the client’s feedback on the creative is still pending. Can we review options at tomorrow’s meeting?”

Pro tip: Condense as many questions/discussion points into one email (or one phone call) so you don’t clutter inboxes.

Real-life example: I ask my clients and team members their preferred method of communication. I have clients who prefer text over email, email over phone calls, and WhatsApp over email. Before COVID times, I’d walk over to someone’s desk and wait them out until I could catch them in person. Close to stalking (haha). It’s a lot to keep up with, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

4. Keep Calm and Carry On

There’s going to be drama. Projects will go off the rails, deadlines will shift, and at some point, you’ll probably get an email at 11:30 p.m. that will make you want to scream into a pillow. When things get tense, take a deep breath, center yourself, and focus on finding solutions BEFORE you respond. Once you have time to collect your thoughts, your mind will open up to a clear, rational response.

Pro tip: If you ever need to vent, do it privately with a trusted colleague—not in front of the client. Or in the bathroom stall between meetings (been there, done that haha).

5. Know When to Push Back

Here’s the tough part—clients aren’t always right. Part of your job is to be the advocate for the project’s success, which means sometimes you’ll have to push back when necessary. For example: “I totally get why you want to make that change, but doing so will push the timeline back by a week. Let’s talk about the trade-offs so we can make the best decision.”

Clients will respect you for being honest and strategic, even if it’s not always what they want to hear.

6. Be the Glue That Holds the Team Together

As an account manager, you are the glue that binds the team. You're the one ensuring that your creative, strategy, and production teams are all rowing in the same direction, and aren’t working in silos. Part of that means getting everyone together frequently for project status meetings.

Real-life example: I’ve had great ideas come out of “internal review” meetings. It’s a little bit of “hand-holding” to get everyone together, but everyone leaves the meeting clear on tasks and feeling better about the collaboration. A happy team produces better work, and it’s your job to keep morale up.

7. Always Be Learning

Account management isn’t a “set it and forget it” role. Trends shift, clients’ needs change, and marketing/advertising techniques evolve. Stay curious. Whether it’s learning a new project management tool, diving into the latest social media trends, or sharpening your negotiation skills.

This will keep you sharp, which means more success for you, your clients, and ultimately your agency! Plus, you’ll get on the fast track for a promotion by showcasing your value.

Pro tip: Find a few conferences or webinars that you can benefit from, and make a case to your supervisor to attend.

8. Have Fun With It

Being an account manager can be challenging, but it’s also one of the most fun jobs in the biz. You get to work with a variety of people, solve complex problems, and go on some beautiful photoshoot locations. Embrace the experience, enjoy the wins, and keep up with a healthy work-life balance.

Pro tip: LOTS OF HAPPY HOURS

Final Thoughts

Being a great account manager isn’t about perfection, which is something I personally struggled with. It’s about being reliable, fast, smart, communicative, and a strong leader. Easy to juggle, right?

Message me if you need help breaking into Account Management, developing your career, or just want to connect! Now go forth and crush it!