The Art and Science of Account Management

With a decade of marketing experience Melissa Hafeez has expertly guided both national and regional brands across diverse industries, including healthcare, insurance, CPG, and e-commerce.

She thrives on developing full-funnel messaging strategies, spearheading integrated campaigns, and leading creative testing. Some of her notable partnerships include AAA, Sovos Brands, and City of Hope.

Melissa has also worked with Oakland Museum of California, SOREL Footwear, MedExpress Urgent Care, Xonar Technology, and Delta Community Credit Union. When she's not crafting compelling brand stories, she enjoys embracing the outdoors and building meaningful connections with people.

We caught up with her as part of the Art of Account Management series.

LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it?

Melissa> I had my eye set on the agency world since I was in high school but it wasn’t until I stepped into my first unpaid internship that I really understood the different departments of an agency and how they work together.

Call it fate, but I was brought on to my first internship as the account management intern.

There was something exciting about collaborating with both the creative and media teams, while also developing a deep understanding of our clients' businesses.

From that point forward, I never looked back and continued to gain more and more experience in account management.

LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made account management such a great fit?

Melissa> Building genuine connections with people is something I deeply enjoy. For me, it’s not just about understanding business needs – it's about getting to know what people enjoy, what makes them tick, and how they see the world.

This level of understanding really helps in creating trust and strong partnerships. I lead with empathy and try to put myself in other people's shoes, which often sparks fresh ideas and solutions.

I love working in a team, asking questions and encouraging everyone to think outside the box (even if that means playing devil's advocate now and then). This not only sharpens our ideas and process but also gets everyone engaged and committed to the cause. I also see the forest for the trees which is key when you’re trying to navigate the ‘grey’ area.

Looking at things holistically ensures we’re strategically focused and aligned while having a keen eye for the details ensures we’re performing quality work.

These traits – being relationship-focused, empathetic, curious, and detail-oriented – are what have made account management such a great fit for me. And honestly, they're the kind of skills I’d encourage anyone to hone in on in this field.

LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in account management?

Melissa> Let your curiosity shine. Don’t shy away from asking questions, no matter how simple they might seem – it’s imperative to not just understand the tasks at hand but also the bigger picture.

Be mindful of your growth progress and how you present yourself. And finally, build relationships. Form connections not only with your peers but also with leaders who inspire you.

These relationships will be invaluable as you navigate and advance in your career.

LBB> Thinking back to some of your most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?

Melissa> Navigating client-agency relationships can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope. Each client and agency operates from a unique ethos, with distinct values and business philosophies. The real challenge arises when there’s a fundamental misalignment in these values.

I think it’s important to consider these areas as early as the RFP process. The pitch phase is not just to evaluate the business opportunity but also the cultural fit.

That said, some of my most rewarding and strongest client relationships have been forged in these situations through mutual respect and a shared commitment to common goals. It’s about finding that common ground and growing from it. The beauty of these relationships lies in their potential to push both parties to innovate and collaborate in new, exciting ways.

Every challenge is an opportunity in disguise – I think it was John Adams who said that.

LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?

Melissa> Communication and adaptability. Embrace the candid conversations and learn to be both frank and friendly. Be adaptable and understand how to work with diverse personalities.

Early in my career, I asked a hiring manager in an interview what types of people she works well with. She smiled and replied, “As an account person, you have to work well with everyone.” After getting over the initial embarrassment of my question, I took some time to chew on this but over time (and experience) it became clear how much of a guiding principle this is for account management. We work with so many different clients, industries, internal departments and vendors that it’s imperative to connect and collaborate with a myriad of personalities and working styles.

LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion – is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why – and what does productive disagreement look like?

Melissa> Absolutely, there is definitely a place for disagreement. It's the spark that comes from diverse perspectives and can lead to a more holistic approach to client work or challenges. What's critical, though, is nurturing a respectful dialogue throughout the disagreement. This means treading carefully with emotion. Following your values and intuition is key, but it's equally important to maintain professionalism. This means communicating confidently and calmly, ensuring your passion doesn't overwhelm your perspective.

LBB>Historically, account management has been characterised as the mediator in an adversarial client and creative relationship – what do you make of that characterisation, is there any nugget of truth in that or is it wildly inaccurate?

Melissa> There is definitely a nugget of truth but I would push to say the role of account management transcends mediator by being an accountable leader. As an account lead, we are constantly balancing priorities, fostering thought leadership, building strong relationships, and ensuring we are not just meeting expectations but exceeding them. It’s a team effort to deliver on this and that means leading the charge and holding the team accountable towards exceptional work.

LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as account management you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more – and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too. What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?

Melissa> When possible, I focus on the data and learnings. Leveraging data and analytics makes us stronger marketers. It allows us to craft data-driven insights and weave them into the fabric of our creative process. Not only does this impact the initial creative development, but also future creative opportunities where we can continuously evolve, test and learn.

That said, it’s certainly a balance of art and science and it’s crucial to not lose sight of the broader picture. Creativity thrives when it aligns with cultural trends and finds ways to stand out amidst the noise so it’s important to see the forest through the trees and allow creativity to illuminate the journey.

LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from an account management perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?

Melissa> A couple of years back, I had the privilege of spearheading a transformative project with Xonar Technology to rebrand and launch its groundbreaking new product while overhauling their digital presence. We delivered a comprehensive rebranding toolkit including the design of a new logo, product naming, branding materials, a product demonstration video, and a fully reimagined website.

As the account lead, a major challenge I faced was navigating this process with clients who have never worked with an agency before. Though the project moved quickly, I was careful to take the time to communicate expectations and next steps, ensuring our clients were clear, empowered, and aligned through every step of the process.

The most rewarding part was seeing the excitement our clients had to finally have a stand-out brand that matches the advancement of the technology. They could not be more excited to introduce their product to the world.