Why Your Account Manager is Probably on the Naughty List
We all have dark secrets, skeletons crowding our closets, things we’re too ashamed to admit about ourselves in the light of day. Guess what? Your account manager is no different. Here, I reveal five of those secrets. Prepare yourself: A few of them may be shocking, but they should help you gain insight into the person you trust with your business.
Secret No. 1: You are not a priority.
Pick yourself up off the floor. Breathe. Everything will be ok. The truth is that affiliate managers don’t spend 100% of their time on the program. People in these positions sport a coat of many colors. So, if your e-mail isn’t answered right away or your phone call heads to voice mail, chill out. Your manager still loves you. It’s just that she/he is either loving on some other affiliates (don’t be jealous), or fighting crime (See Secret No. 3).
Secret No. 2: Your manager is not perfect.
Shocking, I know. For the most part, managers are human (See Secret No. 3). They make mistakes. It might be a creative error or a financial error. It might be a teensy weensy slip-up or a mind-blowing doozie. How you react to this will make or break your relationship. If you expect perfection from your manager, I wish you all the luck in the universe in finding that perfect person. When your manager does screw up, keep things in perspective by remembering the good times and the many ways she has helped you grow your business and your bank account.
Secret No. 3: Your manager is a crime-fighting superhero.
When they aren’t fielding questions and phone calls from their clients, affiliate managers are working to hunt down and destroy the bad guys. Kind of like how Batman and Robin protect Gotham City, only in our line of work, this consists of fraudulent affiliates and bloodsucking software. Good managers want to run clean programs, and they want to preserve your online reputation as well as their own. Trust that they have your best interests at heart. You never know … while you’re fretting over an unreturned phone call (see Secret No. 1), your manager could be out fighting crime that’s sucking away your profits.
Secret No. 4: Your manager doesn’t know everything.
Even though account managers are superheroes in disguise, they still don’t know everything. Even Superman gets puzzled from time to time. However, trust your manager enough to know that he will climb every mountain and search high and low (a shout-out to Sound of Music, likely to be playing on some channel somewhere during this holiday season) to find you the right answers or die trying.
Secret No. 5: Your manager is not a mind reader.
Account managers possess impressive superpowers, but telepathy isn’t one of them. If you are unhappy with something, speak up. Good managers will do whatever is in their power to address your concern. Is the communication too much or not enough? Do you have ideas for more eye-catching creative pieces? Do you need help determining the next step with your marketing plan? Share your thoughts and concerns. But don’t just hit them with whining and complaining. Toss them a bone every once in a while. Managers don’t get a lot of love, so surprise yours with some kudos from time to time.
There you have it. Account manager secrets revealed, and why he or she is probably on Santa’s “naughty list.” Keep this insider information in mind and you’ll be rewarded with a relationship built on trust and transparency, both of which lead to bigger business and a fatter wallet.