What Every Account Executive Should Know: 3 Critical Insights

Working at a marketing agency as an Account Executive is more than just juggling deadlines or sending status updates. It's about managing expectations, maintaining alignment, and becoming a bridge between clients and creative teams. In this dynamic role, you’re not simply coordinating tasks—you’re safeguarding clarity, trust, and outcomes.

Though my time as an AE was brief, it gave me powerful insights into what makes this role essential to a project's success. In this article, I’ll share actionable Account Executive tips every agency professional should know—from managing communication to documenting details and avoiding costly gaps.

Whether you're a new AE or thinking of becoming one, this guide will help you thrive in your role by balancing priorities, people, and performance.

Tip 1: Briefing Is Not Just "Brief"

Why It Matters:

Many AEs simply act as messengers between the client and internal teams—but that’s not enough. A great AE digests, interprets, and delivers the brief in a way that aligns all stakeholders.

Insight: A misinterpreted brief can result in hours of rework and project misalignment.

How to Execute:

• Ask clarifying questions during the client meeting.

• Break the brief down by department (e.g., creative, performance, dev).

• Use visual tools like a brief outline or Trello to standardize format.

Tip 2: Avoid the Information Gap

Why It Matters:

An AE works across clients, creatives, strategists, and sometimes vendors. One miscommunicated timeline or overlooked request can cause a breakdown in deliverables.

Case Example: A digital agency cited a 25% decrease in project delays after implementing an AE-led communication checklist.

How to Execute:

• Summarize each meeting and send notes to all parties.

• Confirm deliverables in writing.

• Set weekly alignment calls to catch gaps early.

Tip 3: Keep Records of All Data

Why It Matters:

You’re not just a messenger—you’re a record keeper. In client-agency relationships, memory isn’t enough.

Even casual chat messages or client calls may contain key agreements.

How to Execute:

• Save all call notes, chat threads, voice memos.

• Use centralized tools like Notion or ClickUp.

Flag critical decisions in bold or red to revisit later.

Quick Takeaways

• Briefing isn't forwarding emails—it's about translating context.

• Be proactive in follow-ups and confirmations to avoid gaps.

• Documentation is your safety net—from Slack to Zoom recaps.

You’re not just a PM—you’re a relationship manager too.

Being an Account Executive is often an underrated yet mission-critical role in any agency. You’re the connective tissue between client needs and internal execution. While the job may seem like project management on the surface, its true strength lies in communication, context, and control.

Even in a short AE journey, the lessons you gather—about people, processes, and patience—will shape the way you lead future collaborations. The better you become at managing expectations, the more trust you build—and trust is what drives long-term success.

So to every AE out there: keep listening, keep clarifying, and keep bridging the gap.

If you're struggling with unclear client feedback or internal misalignment, I offer 1:1 marketing consultations to help you:

• Build seamless AE workflows

• Improve agency-client communication

• Create templates for briefs, reporting, and follow-ups

📩 Contact me today to level up your communication strategy and make every project smoother, faster, and more successful.