If you work with clients in any industry, The Art of Client Service is for you. If you work in an advertising or marketing agency, then this book is indispensable.
Distilling decades of experience, advertising executive Robert Solomon has compiled the definitive resource for advertising and marketing account executives: a fast-reading, pocket-size, actionable checklist of 58 essential ideas to help client service professionals improve their account management strategy and skills.
Now fully updated and revised, The Art of Client Service is geared to the entire account team -- copy writers, art directors, and planners, researchers, media executives, support staff -- anyone who works with clients. With brevity, levity, and clarity, Solomon recounts both successes and failures, and uses them to formulate fast-reading, actionable tips, including:
Know when to look it up; know when to make it up. (#7)
What happens when I screw up? (#51)
Respect what it takes to do great creative. (#19)
In a high-tech world, be low-tech (#46)
Be brief, be bright, be gone. (#31)
How to write a letter of proposal (#44)
The Zen of PowerPoint. (#45)
You'll also find new chapters on technology in advertising, the changing role of client service in an increasingly high-tech era, and an updated bibliography of essential reading.
""A book about client service that is so practical it's almost embarrassing. Solomon offers unique perspectives that help clients, creatives, and, oh yeah, account people do their jobs better, resulting in more creative marketing.” —Tom Monahan, President, Before & After, and author of The Do-it-Yourself Lobotomy
“It is said that great clients get great work, but it doesn’t magically happen! Without great account people daily bridging the gap between client and agency demands, it’s virtually impossible. This is a must read book for all who have chosen to engage in the fine art of serving clients - truly a fresh dose of account management inspiration!” —Karen M. Jones, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Marketing Communications, DHL Express
“With all the time and money it takes to win new business, professional services firms would be smarter to improve client service to retain more clients. Reading and practicing Robert Solomon’s advice is guaranteed to help.” —Joanne Davis, Joanne Davis Consulting
“As a career-long ‘client,’ I’ve been on a continuous search for the ideal agency account person. Robert Solomon…and students of his text…would clearly fit the bill. CMOs want insights, partnership, creative team leadership and results. The Art of Client Service teaches how to deliver them all.” —Sara Lipson, Chief Customer Sciences Officer, Market & Business Intelligence TIAA-CREF
“This book is essential reading for anyone in the creative services profession. Marketing disciplines may change with the times, but the art of client service is timeless—and Robert has captured its essence.” —Barry Wacksman, Executive Vice President, Chief Growth Officer R/GA
“In addition to sage, prescriptive advice, Robert demonstrates the importance of checking oneself with a good, hard look in the mirror—to learn lessons, and strive for greatness in the craft of managing client relationships.” —Sarah Fay, President, Isobar U.S.
About the Author
Robert Solomon is one of America’s most knowledgeable and respected client service executives. A frequent speaker on account management, Robert runs Solomon Strategic, a firm he founded in 1999 to provide marketing counsel and executive coaching to advertising agencies, client companies, and individual marketing professionals. He has a long-standing affiliation with Gardner Nelson & Partners, where he helps create effective integrated advertising/direct/interactive campaigns. Robert previously was CEO of Rapp Collins New York, President of Direct and Interactive Marketing at Ammirati Puris Lintas, Managing Director of FCB Direct West, and Senior Vice President at Bronner Slosberg Associates (now Digitas). You can reach Robert at robert@solomonstrategic.com.
Robert Solomon is one of America's most knowledgeable and respected client service executives, and is a frequent speaker and executive coach on account management.
Robert runs Solomon Strategic, a firm he founded in 1999 to provide marketing counsel to advertising agencies, client companies, and individual marketing professionals.
Robert has handled a wide range of consulting assignments, in both offline and online media, for dozens of clients, including Ammirati Puris Lintas, Cognitive Arts, Conde Nast, Draft Worldwide, Falconhead Capital, Gilbert and Partners, Initiative Media North America, Jordan Industries, R/GA Interactive, and Sotheby's.
Robert previously was President and CEO of Rapp Collins New York, 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 his 25+ years in the advertising business, Robert worked with a wide range of industry leading clients, among them American Express, Ameritech, AT&T, Cablevision, Citibank, Columbia Business School, Compaq Computer, DHL, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Kaiser Permanente, Levi-Strauss, MasterCard, Mercedes-Benz, Pacific Bell, Polaroid, Seagram, Standard Oil of Ohio, TSYS, UPS, VantageScore, and VISA. For many clients he pioneered brand-enhancing relationship marketing programs.
In addition to writing the current and previous editions of The Art of Client Service for Kaplan Publishing, he also wrote Brain Surgery for Suits, which was published in 2000 by Strategy Press. Many agencies and marketing firms use the books as account management training tools.
Robert also writes a blog under the name "Adventures in Client Service," designed to help people get smarter on how to serve clients well, which in turn should lead to better advertising.
Robert does book signings, has conducted workshops, and given talks on client service, direct marketing, discipline integration, agency search, and related topics for a wide range of organizations, including the Association of National Advertisers, Columbia University, the Direct Marketing Association, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, DM Days, Kaplan Communications, Mercedes-Benz, Messner, MWW, and Omnicom.
Robert has a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His undergraduate degree is from George Washington University, in Washington, DC, where he graduated with honors, and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He has a certificate in organizational and executive coaching from New York University's school of continuing and professional studies.
Robert lives in Manhattan with his wife Roberta and their cat Sam, and the world's best dogs, Alvin and Molly.
This review is from: The Art of Client Service: 58 Things Every Advertising & Marketing Professional Should Know, Revised and Updated Edition (Hardcover)
Hi, my name is Alana Renfro and I am a graphic and web designer for interactive and advertising agencies. The 2003 edition of The Art of Client Service was the first one that I read when I first joined the agency world... and I loved it! Many of the ideas are common sense, but it is written in an engaging, informative and most importantly- memorable- style.
Coming from the Creative side, it is helpful to understand the Accounts point-of-view, best practices and useful to implement them into your own daily practices. Many of the suggestions and rules laid out in this book are easily implemented into your life, especially if you are a one-stop shop or solopreneur!
The 2008 edition I now own and it is even better! There are new chapters, an updated bibliography for you fellow avid readers, and even more practical service examples. I highly recommend this book- get the 2008 edition, study it, implement it and become known for your phenomenal understanding of clients, creatives and accounts... and laugh a little bit, too.
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This review is from: The Art of Client Service: 58 Things Every Advertising & Marketing Professional Should Know, Revised and Updated Edition (Hardcover)
I'm a 20 year old advertising/ marketing student from Canberra, Australia. I came across "The Art of Client Service" in a core unit as part of my degree. I fell in LOVE with this book from the very first page - it is honestly one of the most interesting, informative and intelligent advertising/ marketing books I've ever read. The writing style is great - straight forward and easy to read. I know I will be referring to this book until the day I die. In the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to mention this book would be an ideal gift for anyone in the advertising/ marketing industry.
Thank you very much Robert Solomon - I look forward to reading more of your work in the near future! :)
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This review is from: The Art of Client Service: 58 Things Every Advertising & Marketing Professional Should Know, Revised and Updated Edition (Hardcover)
It almost doesn't matter what you do, chances are "service" -- from understanding, waiting on, performing for, pleasing to just plain getting along with others -- plays a part in your working life. That's why this book is relevant. It disguises itself as a book about best practices in a specific business (advertising) but it's really about best practices for succeeding at being professional in all kinds of businesses.
It's smart, funny, a very engaging read. And swift -- you could sit down and read the thing in a single session. (The size of the book is great, too. Unusual. Charming). But there's nothing "slight" about it. It's really useful. And it's particularly useful for people beyond the usual target of a (ostensibly) "business" book.
This author gives you what you need to know to get ahead, stay ahead or get back in the game -- whether you're working at Saks, on a motion graphics team at Pixar, or are a freelance creative like me -- who now needs to know how to do what people like the author used to do for me when I was inside an agency.
We're all in "service" to a better idea. This book gives you lots of ideas to help you do what you do better.
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