The Art Of Client Service: The Classic Guide, Third Edition

  • 3h 4m
  • Robert Solomon
  • John Wiley & Sons (US)
  • 2016

A practical guide for providing exceptional client service

Most advertising and marketing people would claim great client service is an elusive, ephemeral pursuit, not easily characterized by a precise skill set or inventory of responsibilities; this book and its author argue otherwise, claiming there are definable, actionable methods to the role, and provide guidance designed to achieve more effective work.

Written by one of the industry's most knowledgeable client services executives, the book begins with a definition, then follows a path from an initial new business win to beginning, building, losing, then regaining trust with clients.

It is a powerful source of counsel for those new to the business, for industry veterans who want to refresh or validate what they know, and for anyone in the middle of the journey to get better at what they do.

About the Author

ROBERT SOLOMON is the world's leading authority on how to improve creative work by forging and sustaining trust-based relationships with clients.

Robert runs Solomon Strategic, a firm he founded in 1999 to provide marketing counsel to advertising agencies, client companies, and individual marketing professionals. Trained as a direct marketer who embraced Digital early on, Robert is known for his expertise as a brand strategist and new business developer. He is an expert speaker and workshop leader who also is certified as an organizational and executive coach, particularly skilled in job search.

Robert has handled a wide range of consulting assignments, in both offline and online media, for more than a score of clients, including Ammirati Puris Lintas, Blitz, BoomBox, Brandmuscle, Chase Insurance, Cognitive Arts, Condé Nast, Digitas Health Lifebrands, Deep Focus, Draft Worldwide, Ferrara & Company, Initiative Media North America, PALAZZO | Investment Bankers, PCR, Procurian, R/GA, Saatchi & Saatchi X, Sotheby's, and Womenkind.

Robert previously was President of Direct and Interactive Marketing at Ammirati Puris Lintas, General Manager of FCB Direct West, and Senior Vice President of Bronner Slosberg Humphrey (now Digitas).

In this Book

  • The Art Of Client Service—The Classic Guide, Third Edition
  • Foreword
  • Introduction
  • What Makes Great Client Service?
  • Account Management’s Role
  • Achieving the Next Level
  • Transforming a Career into a Calling
  • New Business—What It Is, Why It Is Important, and Why You Should Give a Damn
  • How to Contribute Before, During, and After Pitch Day
  • Getting to Yes
  • In a High Tech World, Be Low Tech
  • What Success Looks Like
  • Always Manage Client Expectations from the Outset
  • Be Multilingual
  • Live the Client’s Brand
  • Ask, “What Do My Colleagues Need to Create Great Advertising?” Then Deliver It
  • Run a Meeting
  • Brief a Colleague
  • Write a Conference Report
  • Perfect the Perfect Scope of Work
  • Craft That Schedule You Need to Create
  • Build a Better Budget
  • Draft a Letter of Proposal
  • Create a PowerPoint Presentation
  • Take the Word Brief Seriously
  • What Makes a Brilliant Brief?
  • In Writing the Brief, Provide the Client’s Perspective
  • Know When to Look It Up; Know When to Make It Up
  • Great Work Wins Business; a Great Relationship Keeps It
  • Client Presentations Are as Important as New Business Presentations
  • Always Ask, “Does This Advertising Pass the ‘So What’ Test?”
  • Don’t Fall in Love with Good Work; Don’t Fall for Bad Work
  • Choice Is Good
  • Fight About the Work with Colleagues; Fight for It with Clients
  • Do Not Sell
  • Bring Your Clients into the Process Early and Often
  • Respect What It Takes to Do Great Creative
  • Credit Is for Creative Directors
  • We Are Smarter Together Than We Are Alone
  • Judgment Overrides Any Rule
  • Ideas Are the Currency We Trade in
  • Make No Commitment without Consultation
  • Take on the Coloration of Your Clients; Do Not Compromise Your Character
  • Never Forget It’s a Business
  • Once a Client, Always a Client
  • Going Rogue
  • Always Think Endgame
  • No Surprises about Money or Time
  • Deal with Problems Head-On
  • If Things Go Wrong, Take the Blame
  • What Happens When I Screw Up?
  • Getting Fired
  • How Happy Clients Help You Gain New Ones
  • Five Client Challenges to Agencies
  • Five Client Service Principles to Believe In
  • Acknowledgments—Remember To Say “Thank You”
  • Postscript
  • A Bunch Of Books To Make You Better At What You Do
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