Our Account Management Training Day with Brian Maleham

This week saw the marketing team group together for the day in the meeting room to listen to the oracle of sales – Brian Maleham from BDM Solutions. Our aim was to improve our account management, and develop the way we work with our wonderful clients to ensure they’re getting the best possible service from each and every one of us.

“The currency of a business relationship is trust and value”

This was lesson number 1, and it links back to credibility. SilverDisc is quite possibly the first company in the world to practice ethical SEO – optimising websites that work with search engines, but with human usability at its heart. We’re one of Google’s Premier Partners, and the business has been around since before the Web and Google (if you can believe a time like that ever existed!) All of that is well and good – and it certainly makes SilverDisc a credible business - but if we don’t continue to adopt a proactive approach to marketing, then we’ll get left behind. This is where trust and value come into play.

As one of our current (or prospective) clients, you want to trust that the person managing your account is adding value to your business. Here at SilverDisc, we endeavour to be at the top of our game, and that means a strong knowledge in:

• Our industry
• What’s new and emerging in the world of marketing
• Our competition
• The products and services we have to offer

Whilst I can sit here and tell you that every one of my colleagues is knowledgeable, more than capable, and proactive, you need to believe it yourself. As my mother used to say, ‘trust needs to be earnt’. And from the moment a client gets on board, we’ll keep working to boost our credibility in the eyes of our clients.

“It’s desire, not ability, that determines success”

Now, this was the next step to our training, and it’s all about attitude. This ‘success’ could be measured personally, or through the success of our clients – but as far as we’re concerned, it’s both. We’re only interested in a win-win outcome, building a relationship with our clients that benefits them, and that allows SilverDisc to continue to develop.

To cut a long story short, if you enjoy your job, you’ll do a better job at achieving what you set out to achieve.

“Sell the sizzle, not the sausage”

This links back to how we communicate with our clients, and it’s a world away from a hard sell, that’s not what we’re about at all. It’s important to recognise opportunities for a client and explain how they would be beneficial to their business. It’s about understanding that not everyone is as knowledgeable about marketing as the people in this office, and shedding light on what a certain marketing activity could achieve. We aim to encourage a proactive approach and avoid missing opportunities for the client in question. It’s all very well stating that PPC would be a great next step, but if you can’t explain the specifics of why, then why would someone invest in it?

“People buy from people they like, know and trust”

Luckily, everyone in this office is personable. We each have our strengths, and dare I say it, weaknesses. But we’re lucky enough to sit in an office where our website development team is sat in the same room. My manager sits two seats down from me, and I’m opposite the content team. Behind me are the PPC experts. So, if any of us need a little bit of advice, it’s a case of scooting your seat over, and asking the question!

I’d like to think that our clients feel the same way, and that if they have a question, they can pick up the phone and ask – no matter how big or small that query might be. We’re all human at the end of the day, and we’re here to provide a skilled service. Personally, I enjoy the relationship I have with each of my clients (you know who you are!), and I hope they know that if they have a problem, I’ll do all in my power to solve it. I have no doubt that this is a view shared by all of my colleagues.

A huge thank you!

So, all that’s left to say is a huge thank you to Brian in his expert delivery of his account management and development training.  It was great to get everyone in the same room for the day to discuss our clients, and how we can better adopt a proactive approach to our marketing activity. It was hugely beneficial to engage with the more personal and emotional side of business to ensure the best possible outcome for both parties. It goes without saying that it was an informative, relaxed and hugely valuable training day, and we look forward to implementing the steps we’ve learnt.

Thanks Brian!