Module 1
Introduction to Account Planning
Introduction to Account Planning
Meaning & Definition of Account Planning
Evolution of Account Planning
Practices in Account Planning
iR
Key benefits of Account planning
Key challenges in Account planning
Emerging trends in Account planning & Advertising
The major tasks & responsibilities of an account planner
m
Glossary of Account Planning
sh
Introduction
Great work is what wins business, but it is great planning & servicing that helps one retain the
business.
Ra
William Bernbach once said – “Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion
happens to be not a science, but an art”. (Thiagarajan, 2015) Creating a brand campaign is not
just about creativity, it is about reading the client’s mind and giving him a solution that will fit
his needs in the best possible way. And the entire process needs to follow consistent processes,
adhering to timelines and notto forget-client approvals.
Knowing what your customers appreciate and expect from your services is a strong foundation
for your marketing efforts. Marketing is not only about putting your work out there but also
,about taking your audience’s language and communicating what they actually need to hear.
This is where account planning comes in.
Account planning helps any marketing team turn business data into effective creative work
that satisfies your customers and leads.
A marketing strategy aimed at transforming pain points into strong assets creates a strong
customer relationship based on value and efficiency rather than a plain sales process.
Account planning is the process of mapping out important details about a new prospect or
existing customer, including information about their decision making process, the companies
iR
you’re competing with to close them, and the overall strategy to win them over, retain and grow
them.
Sellers aim to uncover buyer needs, problems, and pain points on an ongoing basis and use that
information to keep earning their business — by providing valuable insights and solutions.
m
It’s important to understand that account planning is a continuous process of researching,
strategizing, and presenting solutions that speak to where the account — and the market —
stand today. Done right, account planning boosts retention rates and customer lifetime value,
sh
and it helps orgs maintain predictable cash flow.
Ra
Sales, marketing, and account management professionals utilise account planning as a
marketing approach to target their existing clientele. To better comprehend the demands and
motivations of their clients and build enduring relationships with them, they might develop
account plans. They frequently carry out research on their target market for this purpose and
include it into their marketing strategy. Strategic planning, often known as account planning, is
crucial. The team in charge of managing an account is known as "Client Servicing" or "Account
Planning." In marketing jargon, the client is typically referred to as "Account." Understanding
the precise objectives of the customer, communicating these requirements to other departments,
,and coordinating the actions for successful implementation of the advertising campaign are the
core responsibilities of this department. In essence, client service is a pillar of the
communications industry, including PR, digital marketing, and advertising. The client service
staff works closely with the client, regularly coordinates to comprehend their demands, and
meets their expectations.
Account planning is a marketing strategy that sales, marketing and account management
professionals use to cater marketing efforts to their existing client base. They may create account
plans to better understand their clients' motivations and needs and to form meaningful
partnerships with their accounts. To do this, they often conduct research on their target audience
iR
and apply it to their marketing strategies. Account planning or strategic planning as often called,
is very important. Account planning also known as ‘Client Servicing’ is the group of people
managing an account. In advertising parlance, the client is usually termed as ‘Account’. The
basic function of this department is to understand the client’s exact requirements, to convey
these requirements to other departments and to coordinate the activities for successful
m
implementation of the ad campaign. Client servicing, essentially, is a pillar of communications
business – be it advertising, PR, digital marketing firms and so on. The client servicing team is
closely connected to the client, coordinates on a regular basis to understand the client needs and
sh
delivers on their expectations.
What is Account Planning?
Ra
Account planning is a discipline and occasionally a department inside advertising agencies
that collaborates with client servicing, creative team and media planning & buying department.
Account planning places the consumer at the centre of the advertising development process. A
campaign's success depends on account planning. It could be a division or a procedure, but it is
undoubtedly an important step in developing a brand campaign that puts the customer first. An
account planner's job involves conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, including
focused groups and interviews with a group of consumers to learn more about their
requirements, attitudes, and behaviours, translating those insights into advertising, brand, and
, creative strategies.
Account planning is an advertising agency discipline and sometimes department that works
alongside client facing managers (account management), buying advertising (media), and
creating advertising (creative). Account planning brings the focus on the consumer into the
process of developing advertising.
Account planning is crucial for the success of a brand campaign. It can be a department or a
process but definitely, a significant part of creating a brand campaign keeping consumer at its
centre. The work of an account planner involves quantitative research to gather insights into
consumer behaviour, needs, and attitudes as well as qualitative research by speaking with a
iR
group of consumers in focused groups and interviews. He acts as a bridge between the consumer
and various teams at an ad agency- creative, media and account and translated those insights into
advertising, brand and creative strategies.
Definition
m
Planning is the function that brings consumers and brands together with the help of research
and strategic thinking. It involves synthesising multiple feeds from life - popular culture,
politics, history, mythology, everyday behaviour by spending time with consumers and distilling
sh
it into a brand and its communication.(Bapna, 2012)
Evolution of Account Planning
Ra
The two acknowledged fathers account planning, Stephen King of JWT (J. Walter Thompson)
and Stanley Pollitt of BMP (Boase Massimi Pollitt) , both worked for two different agencies. It
was them who proposed the concept of forming a new department and restructuring the market
research and media planning divisions. It travces back to 1964 when Stephen King was
discontended with the way the media and marketing department of his agency were operating.
He thought of bringing change into xsisting system and conceptualising a revolutionary system
that would concentrate on blending customer research and insights to produce more creative and
efficient advertising.
Introduction to Account Planning
Introduction to Account Planning
Meaning & Definition of Account Planning
Evolution of Account Planning
Practices in Account Planning
iR
Key benefits of Account planning
Key challenges in Account planning
Emerging trends in Account planning & Advertising
The major tasks & responsibilities of an account planner
m
Glossary of Account Planning
sh
Introduction
Great work is what wins business, but it is great planning & servicing that helps one retain the
business.
Ra
William Bernbach once said – “Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion
happens to be not a science, but an art”. (Thiagarajan, 2015) Creating a brand campaign is not
just about creativity, it is about reading the client’s mind and giving him a solution that will fit
his needs in the best possible way. And the entire process needs to follow consistent processes,
adhering to timelines and notto forget-client approvals.
Knowing what your customers appreciate and expect from your services is a strong foundation
for your marketing efforts. Marketing is not only about putting your work out there but also
,about taking your audience’s language and communicating what they actually need to hear.
This is where account planning comes in.
Account planning helps any marketing team turn business data into effective creative work
that satisfies your customers and leads.
A marketing strategy aimed at transforming pain points into strong assets creates a strong
customer relationship based on value and efficiency rather than a plain sales process.
Account planning is the process of mapping out important details about a new prospect or
existing customer, including information about their decision making process, the companies
iR
you’re competing with to close them, and the overall strategy to win them over, retain and grow
them.
Sellers aim to uncover buyer needs, problems, and pain points on an ongoing basis and use that
information to keep earning their business — by providing valuable insights and solutions.
m
It’s important to understand that account planning is a continuous process of researching,
strategizing, and presenting solutions that speak to where the account — and the market —
stand today. Done right, account planning boosts retention rates and customer lifetime value,
sh
and it helps orgs maintain predictable cash flow.
Ra
Sales, marketing, and account management professionals utilise account planning as a
marketing approach to target their existing clientele. To better comprehend the demands and
motivations of their clients and build enduring relationships with them, they might develop
account plans. They frequently carry out research on their target market for this purpose and
include it into their marketing strategy. Strategic planning, often known as account planning, is
crucial. The team in charge of managing an account is known as "Client Servicing" or "Account
Planning." In marketing jargon, the client is typically referred to as "Account." Understanding
the precise objectives of the customer, communicating these requirements to other departments,
,and coordinating the actions for successful implementation of the advertising campaign are the
core responsibilities of this department. In essence, client service is a pillar of the
communications industry, including PR, digital marketing, and advertising. The client service
staff works closely with the client, regularly coordinates to comprehend their demands, and
meets their expectations.
Account planning is a marketing strategy that sales, marketing and account management
professionals use to cater marketing efforts to their existing client base. They may create account
plans to better understand their clients' motivations and needs and to form meaningful
partnerships with their accounts. To do this, they often conduct research on their target audience
iR
and apply it to their marketing strategies. Account planning or strategic planning as often called,
is very important. Account planning also known as ‘Client Servicing’ is the group of people
managing an account. In advertising parlance, the client is usually termed as ‘Account’. The
basic function of this department is to understand the client’s exact requirements, to convey
these requirements to other departments and to coordinate the activities for successful
m
implementation of the ad campaign. Client servicing, essentially, is a pillar of communications
business – be it advertising, PR, digital marketing firms and so on. The client servicing team is
closely connected to the client, coordinates on a regular basis to understand the client needs and
sh
delivers on their expectations.
What is Account Planning?
Ra
Account planning is a discipline and occasionally a department inside advertising agencies
that collaborates with client servicing, creative team and media planning & buying department.
Account planning places the consumer at the centre of the advertising development process. A
campaign's success depends on account planning. It could be a division or a procedure, but it is
undoubtedly an important step in developing a brand campaign that puts the customer first. An
account planner's job involves conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, including
focused groups and interviews with a group of consumers to learn more about their
requirements, attitudes, and behaviours, translating those insights into advertising, brand, and
, creative strategies.
Account planning is an advertising agency discipline and sometimes department that works
alongside client facing managers (account management), buying advertising (media), and
creating advertising (creative). Account planning brings the focus on the consumer into the
process of developing advertising.
Account planning is crucial for the success of a brand campaign. It can be a department or a
process but definitely, a significant part of creating a brand campaign keeping consumer at its
centre. The work of an account planner involves quantitative research to gather insights into
consumer behaviour, needs, and attitudes as well as qualitative research by speaking with a
iR
group of consumers in focused groups and interviews. He acts as a bridge between the consumer
and various teams at an ad agency- creative, media and account and translated those insights into
advertising, brand and creative strategies.
Definition
m
Planning is the function that brings consumers and brands together with the help of research
and strategic thinking. It involves synthesising multiple feeds from life - popular culture,
politics, history, mythology, everyday behaviour by spending time with consumers and distilling
sh
it into a brand and its communication.(Bapna, 2012)
Evolution of Account Planning
Ra
The two acknowledged fathers account planning, Stephen King of JWT (J. Walter Thompson)
and Stanley Pollitt of BMP (Boase Massimi Pollitt) , both worked for two different agencies. It
was them who proposed the concept of forming a new department and restructuring the market
research and media planning divisions. It travces back to 1964 when Stephen King was
discontended with the way the media and marketing department of his agency were operating.
He thought of bringing change into xsisting system and conceptualising a revolutionary system
that would concentrate on blending customer research and insights to produce more creative and
efficient advertising.
