[...]... to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style It concentrates on fundamentals: the rules of usage and principals of composition most commonly violated.” I tried to take those words to heart The Art of Client Service concentrates on fundamentals: the rules and principles that define outstanding account management and client service And it strives for the brevity, levity, and... from the client on both the concept and the choice of illustrator He was mystified by the client s disappointment I certainly don’t blame the client, who was very supportive of what we were trying to deliver I blame me I did two things wrong: First, I missed the client s signals about his lack of full endorsement of the choice of illustrator and the associated cost Second, I didn’t manage the client s... become one of these elite practitioners? Well, you really can’t study to be one, because account service is more art than science I know this because I was a scientist—a cell biologist—who became an account executive I became Director of Client Services, then started my own agency business group It was acquired, and today I sit atop the world’s largest and most sought after aggregation of marketing services... who was also an art director, had done a little sketch of the idea he had in mind for the illustration The client positively loved that sketch “It’s the perfect payoff to the headline,” he said “It’s witty and charming.” The creative director also had brought along examples of the work of the illustrator he wanted to use to execute the sketch He showed the examples to the client 17 The client wasn’t... briefed by the client, and come back later in the afternoon with a couple of headline ideas The client would choose one, we’d write copy and do a layout that night, send a comp to the client in the morning, get sign-off with minimal changes, go right to finished art, then transmit the finished files to the newspapers There’d be no creative brief, no usual rounds of concepting, no face-toface presentation,... Manage Client Expectations from the Outset A creative director and I were presenting some concepts for a print ad to a client we really liked Although this client had limited experience working with agencies and evaluating creative, he was smart, knew what he wanted, and respected our work We presented three ideas The client responded positively to all of them, but was absolutely passionate about one particular... moment of misplaced certitude, I offered to make a little wager on the outcome of the campaign My client was a clotheshorse, so I suggested the loser take the winner to a certain very exclusive men’s store and buy the winner one item of his choosing With a smile and a laugh, he took the bet I was sure I would win, and figured I’d pick a pair of socks or something equally inexpensive I didn’t think my client. .. agencies and marketing services firms of every type, size, location, and culture This gives him an unmatched perspective on client service, and what he has to say is instructive The book concludes with an essay, “What Makes a Great Account Person?” If your curiosity gets the better of you, read it first In his introduction to The Elements of Style, E B White writes, “The Elements of Style does not pretend... this book Instead, I suggest you pay attention because of all the mistakes I’ve made I learned from my mistakes the hard way: by making them and then scrambling to recover xiii from them You can learn from them the easy way: by reading this book and heeding its counsel If The Art of Client Service helps you avoid even just one mistake— with a client, with a colleague—it will have served you well This... sources of information and insight Think about the new ways your client can address a problem or capitalize on an opportunity Present those thoughts whenever appropriate and in whatever form and forum are most effective for your client At many companies, product and marketing managers come and go When new clients come in, their first instinct often is to put the account in review Your years of knowledge . class="bi x0 y0 w0 h1" alt="" THE ART OF CLIENT SERVICE © 2002 The New Yorker Collection from cartoonbank.com. All Rights Reserved. R OBERT SOLOMON The Art of Client Service This publication is designed. It concentrates on fundamentals: the rules of usage and principals of composition most commonly violated.” I tried to take those words to heart. The Art of Client Service concentrates on fundamentals:. became Director of Client Services, then started my own agency business group. It was acquired, and today I sit atop the world’s largest and most sought after aggregation of marketing services and