Being an account manager isn’t just about keeping clients happy—it’s about balancing their needs with your company’s goals and making sure both sides are moving forward. Whether you’re focused on growing your client base, boosting retention, or improving communication, setting clear and realistic goals is key to staying on track.
Here are three goal-setting tips to help you stay organized and drive results.
Align Client and Company Goals
The first step to effective goal setting is making sure what your clients want lines up with your company’s objectives. If the goals don’t match, you might end up putting effort into the wrong areas, which can frustrate both your clients and your team.
To keep everyone on the same page, schedule regular check-ins with your clients to make sure their priorities align with what your company is trying to achieve. For example, if your company is working on rolling out a new product, you can position it as a solution to help your client reach their own targets, making both of your goals work together.
It’s also a good idea to use agency management software to track goals from both sides so that it’s easier to see where things overlap and stay updated in real-time.
Break Down Big Goals into Smaller Milestones
We’ve all been there—looking at a big, year-long goal and wondering how on earth we’re going to get it done. The trick? Breaking it down into smaller, manageable steps. When you take a big goal and turn it into bite-sized tasks, it becomes way easier to tackle, and you can measure your progress along the way.
Say your goal is to increase client retention by 10%. That sounds big, right? But if you break it down into monthly or weekly milestones—like increasing client engagement, scheduling more touchpoints, or implementing specific client feedback—you’ll have smaller, achievable steps to follow that help you hit that 10% by the end of the year.
Be Flexible but Stay Accountable
Things change fast in account management. A client’s focus might shift, new market trends can pop up, or unexpected challenges might come your way. While flexibility is a must, it’s also important to stay accountable for the results you’ve committed to.
The best approach? Regularly review your goals and adapt them when needed. If a client switches up their strategy halfway through the year, don’t be afraid to adjust your goals accordingly. Just make sure to document those changes and keep tracking progress. Being accountable doesn’t mean you have to stick rigidly to the original plan—it’s about making sure you’re still delivering results, no matter what curveballs come your way.
By setting clear, actionable goals, account managers can make their jobs easier while driving better results for both the company and clients. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll stay on track, even when things get hectic!
