Meet the Conductors

I’m proud of the account service staff here at CurrentMarketing for a number of reasons.
First, our lead account people approach client challenges from more than one perspective as communications professionals.  Our folks have worked in creative, media and production functions, here or at other agencies.   These rich, textured backgrounds allow our people to think in multi-faceted directions in addressing clients’ marketing communication needs.
Second is the way this agency — including our newly established HR Team — prepares our people.  I just heard from three of our younger account execs/coordinators who are at an AE workshop in Chicago today. It sounds like they could have conducted the first half of the day, which was dedicated to essential internal and external communications on the clients’ behalf.  Apparently the CurrentMarketing way of doing things is consistent with some of the industry’s best practices.
Third is our thought leadership. At the Advertising Age 2010 Digital Conference, last week, it was the consensus of a panel of marketers that “they could care less whether it’s a digital or traditional shop that takes the lead on a marketing campaign, as long as they figure out how to orchestrate campaigns consistently and collaboratively.”  That’s exactly the imagery we’ve used internally in recent weeks to describe what our account people do for our clients.  Because, no matter how many instruments are playing at a given moment, it’s the conductor who must ensure harmony and integrity in the execution of the plan.
As clients, large and small, continue to seek out options for their marketing communication needs, many are considering multiple resources from multiple disciplines.  (I spoke with one local marketer last week who is using no less than five different resources!)  We tend to look at ourselves as marketing partners rather than vendors or resources.  Partners are concerned with outcomes and the long term.  Vendors and resources are interested in the next purchase order.  If I had to chase purchase orders, I think I’d have to get out of the business.
Naturally, we want to be a client’s go-to team for everything communication-oriented.  But if not the sole player in the orchestra, we know we’re the client’s best choice to lead the other players.
Last, is the high praise I heard recently from a client (who once worked on the agency side of things) about our extreme level of service.  One of our account coordinators was working over the weekend, addressing issues for this small but always-important account.  “Megan,” the client told me, “always makes me feel like I’m her only client.”
That’s the way we conduct our business.