Account Manager

**Job Overview** Are you a seasoned professional with a proven track record of nurturing client relationships and driving measurable growth for small businesses? Do you thrive in an environment where you can blend strategic leadership with hands-on account management, actively contributing to **client retention and growth through strategic sales**? If you have **5+ years of marketing strategy and account management experience**, ideally gained within an agency environment working with small business clients, we invite you to join our team. We are seeking a highly experienced and client-centric **Account Manager** to lead our account services efforts. This pivotal role is about fostering deep, rewarding relationships with our existing small business clients, ensuring their success, and maximizing their return on investment with us. You'll be instrumental in translating client goals into actionable marketing strategies, guiding them through the process, **identifying opportunities for expanded services**, and celebrating their achievements, all contributing to long-term client loyalty and increased revenue. **Key Responsibilities** As our Account Manager, you'll be the primary strategic partner for our small business clients. Your responsibilities will span the entire client lifecycle, ensuring a seamless, rewarding, and results-driven experience. - Client Relationship Management_ - **Lead client strategy & proactive sales**: Proactively identify client goals and opportunities, crafting initial strategic frameworks and long-term marketing plans (annual and periodic). This includes **proactively presenting new service offerings and solutions** that align with client objectives and budget. - **Nurture and maintain strong client relationships for retention**: Act as the central point of contact, ensuring proper client onboarding, regular communication, and a positive partnership. Focus on **building trust and demonstrating consistent value** to secure long-term client retention. - **Strategic guidance and advocacy**: Provide objective direction to internal development and project teams, while acting as a dedicated client advocate within the agency and representing the agency's value to the client. - **Expectation management & scope control**: Effectively manage client expectations, monitor scope creep, and **secure necessary approvals for out-of-scope work**, often presenting these as value-add opportunities. - **Selling & presenting recommendations**: Articulate and "sell" strategic recommendations back to clients, clearly outlining the value, expected outcomes, and **ROI for new or expanded services**. - **Proactive engagement for growth**: Consistently check in with active clients to ensure ongoing value, re-engage dormant clients, and **actively seek and convert opportunities to expand services and close new projects** within the existing client base. - Project & Performance Management_ - **Project intake & oversight**: Facilitate the intake process for new projects and regularly review project statuses and estimates. - **Collaboration & coordination**: Work closely with the project manager to ensure milestones are met, priorities are clear, and projects stay on track. - **Results measurement & reporting for value demonstration**: Oversee the measurement and reporting of campaign results, providing insightful analysis and actionable recommendations to clients (including online ad reports and annual ROI reports). **Clearly articulate the value delivered to clients to support ongoing engagement.**: - **Client satisfaction & feedback for retention**: Actively monitor client satisfaction, solicit honest feedback throughout the process, and handle any questions or disputes. **Address concerns promptly to mitigate churn risk.**: - **Final delivery & sign-off**: Ensure smooth final delivery of projects and secure client sign-off. - Business Growth & Internal Operations_ - **Revenue growth & client retention**:Directly contribute to agency revenue goals through high client retention rates** and by identifying opportunities for growing revenue with existing clients, actively closing new projects, and expanding service agreements. - **References & testimonials**: Secure client references and solicit testimonials to showcase successful partnerships, which aids in both **new client acquisition and bolstering existing client confidence.**: - **Market intelligence**: Stay informed of clients' industry segments, relevant market trends, and new strategies/tactics, sharing valuable insights with clients. This helps in **proactively proposing new solutions.**: - **Thought leadership**: Contribute to the firm's thought leadership through blogging, social media, public speaking, and representing the firm at industry functions, enhancing agency credibility. - **Internal documentation**: Build and maintain comprehensive internal agency orientation files and data systems for each client. - **Interdepartmental consultation**