The Art of Client Service: 58 Things Every Advertising & Marketing Professional Should Know

Table of Contents

Foreword by David Verklin . . . xi

Before You Start: And then I got fired . . . xv

Introduction . . . xxiii

Does Advertising Matter? . . . xxiii

Why Client Service Matters . . . xxvi

PART ONE  The Work

At the start of an assignment . . .

1. Define Success 3
2. Be Multilingual 6
3. Live the Client’s Brand 8
4. Agree on a Strategy, a Budget, and a Schedule 11
5. Always Manage Client Expectations from the Outset 16
6. Take the Word Brief Seriously 20
7. Know When to Look It Up; Know When to Make It Up 25
8. Make the Creative Team Partners in the Brief 27
9. In Writing the Brief, Provide the Client’s Perspective 29
10. Get the Client’s Input and Approval on the Brief 32
11. Ask, “What Do My Colleagues Need to Create Great Advertising?”
    Then Deliver It 35

Looking at creative . . .

12. Always Ask, “Does This Advertising Pass the ‘So What’ Test?” 37
13. Don’t Fall in Love with Good Work 38
14. Don’t Fall for Bad Work 41
15. Choice Is Good 43
16. Fight about the Work with Colleagues, Fight for It with Clients 46
17. Do Not Sell 49
18. Bring Your Clients into the Process Early 51
19. Respect What It Takes to Do Great Creative 53

Making presentations . . .

20. Client Presentations Are As Important As New Business Presentations 57
21. No Understudies on Presentation Day 60
22. No Scenery Chewers, No Dead Bodies 63
23. Be Prepared to Throw Away the Script 65
24. The More Informal You Want to Be, the More Rehearsed
    You Need to Be 67
25. Know Your Opening Cold 69
26. Better to Have It and Not Need It, Than Need It and Not Have It 71
27. Support What You Say 73
28. Listening Is More Important Than Talking 75

Running a meeting . . .

29. Start on Time, End on Time 77
30. Have an Agenda and Stick to It (Most of the Time) 79
31. Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone 81
32. Lead the Meeting, Don’t Tyrannize It 82
33. Always Follow Up 84

PART TWO  Relationships

Attitude . . .

34. Judgment Overrides Any Rule 89
35. Credit Is for Creative Directors 91
36. You Cannot Lead an Account from Your Desk 93
37. Avoid the Dark Side 95
38. Great Work Wins Business; a Great Relationship Keeps It 97
39. We Are Smarter Together Than We Are Alone 100

Communication . . .

40. Make No Commitment without Consultation 102
41. There Is No No in Your Client Vocabulary 105
42. Before You Tell Clients or Colleagues What You Think,
    Tell Them What You Know 107
43. Before You Give Clients What They Need, First Give Them
    What They Want 108
44. How to Write a Letter of Proposal 110
45. The Zen of PowerPoint 122
46. In a High-Tech World, Be Low-Tech 129

Trouble . . .

47. Always Think Endgame 132
48. No Surprises about Money or Time 134
49. Deal with Trouble Head-On 137
50. If Things Go Wrong, Take the Blame 139
51. What Happens When I Screw Up? 141

Socializing . . .

52. Remember the Personal Side of Business Relationships 145
53. Take On the Coloration of Your Clients, But Do Not
    Compromise Your Character 150
54. No Matter How Social It Becomes, Never Forget That It’s Business 152
55. Once a Client, Always a Client 154

PART THREE  Style and Substance

56. Make an Investment in Your Personal Style 157
57. Invest Some Time (Again) in These Books 161

One more thing . . .

58. Remember to Say “Thank You” 166

After You’re Done: What Makes a Great Account Person? 169

Index 177