How to manage relationships, lead projects, and meet expectations while staying sane
On paper, the role of an account manager looks simple: you run projects, coordinate teams, and communicate with clients. But if you actually work in this role, you know the reality is far from simple. It means balancing real budgets with client wishes, decoding unclear feedback, meeting extremely tight deadlines, and sitting through meetings that probably should have been an email.
Amid endless tasks, countless “final final” versions, and deadlines that shift on their own, it is easy to forget that account management is not just about running projects. At its core, it is about managing relationships. Here are some unwritten but battle tested rules that truly work.
You do not need to flood clients with constant emails, calls, and updates just for the sake of it. What matters is that they know you are in control and available. Do not reach out only when there is a problem. Share updates even when things are going well. A quick heads up, a short status note, a “just so you know” — these small touches often make a big difference, especially when you later need to ask for extra time or additional budget.
Account management is not only about project workflows. It is about relationships. It is the daily interaction, the consistent rhythm that makes the client feel secure and the team fully informed. The client should sense that you understand their business, market, goals, and limitations. You need to respond to their changes, but also be able to say “here is my advice.”
Copying messages from your inbox to a team chat is not account management. Your job is to interpret information, anticipate obstacles, suggest solutions, and guide everyone toward the same goal. Needs analysis, adapting the approach, and connecting the dots between all parties is what makes you indispensable.
Each client has their own style. Some want summaries, others want detailed Excel tables. Some ask for daily updates, while others prefer to hear from you only when something changes.
Your role is not to get lost in their habits, but to identify what makes collaboration easier while maintaining structure and control. A strong account manager knows how to adapt to different styles without compromising communication or execution. With global clients, this becomes even more important as you often work across time zones, cultures, and structures. Consistency in quality is essential, it is the only way to keep trust and oversight no matter where the project happens.
The fastest way to damage a relationship is waiting. Waiting for the client to reach out. Waiting until an issue escalates. Waiting to be asked for your opinion.
Do the opposite, be the first to reach out. Share an idea when you see an opportunity. Suggest a solution before the client even identifies a problem. Sometimes you will not have the full answer immediately, but showing initiative matters. Proactivity shows you care, and clients notice it long before they mention it.
Flexibility is essential. Markets shift, requirements change, circumstances evolve. But flexibility does not mean losing professionalism. Even with demanding clients, your standard of communication and delivery must remain the same. Relationships are not built when everything runs smoothly. They are built when things get difficult. That is when true value shows.
It can be tempting to say yes in a meeting just to buy time. But if you know something is not realistic, that answer is a ticking time bomb. Clear expectations, honest communication, and alternative solutions are what build trust in the long run. Clients always appreciate an honest answer more than a broken promise.
Client briefs, project timelines, budget tracking, internal coordination, contracts, production schedules, all of it must be under control. Because if you are not tracking it, nobody else will. Being the “slightly chaotic account manager” might sound charming, but in reality it quickly becomes a serious problem. Agency life moves fast and there is no space for disorganization.
The industry is evolving constantly. Tools update overnight. Clients are learning, growing, and expecting more. If you are not developing, someone else is. Learn from projects, invest time in education, ask for feedback, and keep up with market trends. You do not need to know everything, but you must stay curious and eager to learn.
A good account manager is not the one who simply gets things done, or the one who knows everything. It is the one who asks the right questions, listens, explains clearly, and knows when to say “this way is better.” It is the one clients trust, and the one they do not want to replace.
In the end, the most valuable thing you can build is not just another finished project. It is a relationship that lasts, and one that leads to the next successful project.
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