Talya Alkilic.
This series of articles looks at the world of the account manager.
This time we talk to The Media Store account manager Talya Alkilic.
How did you end up in account management? Was it by design or a cosmic accident?
Straight out of university, where I completed a media and communications degree, I started working on the media publisher side. A few years later, I wanted to move agency side. With a bit of curiosity and a can-do attitude, I ended up working on a mix of retail, sport, education and global FMCG clients in client and planning roles. I naturally gravitate towards people, so working in client service roles was second nature to me. I am now an account manager at The Media Store, which is a combination of planning, buying, client service and project management.
Balancing clients’ objectives and creative vision can be challenging. How do you deal with that?
Balancing KPIs, client sales targets, and broader business objectives isn’t always easy. But the most important part of the job is having the courage and conviction to back your media recommendations. It shows a deep understanding of your clients’ challenges while highlighting your strategic and creative thinking. There’s real satisfaction in putting forward a bold, well-thought-out idea, whether or not it gets picked up. What matters is having championed something meaningful. Ultimately, our role is to tell a story and guide clients on the consumer journey through our agency’s Media Re-imagined framework.
What strategies do you employ to clearly convey creative ideas to clients and address client feedback?
At The Media Store, we immerse ourselves in our clients' world, becoming an extension of their team. Their challenges become our challenges, and we genuinely care about their success. To understand their business objectives and goals, we leverage our Media Re-imagined framework, which serves as the foundation of our strategic media response.
Our strong and connected relationships with our media partners keep us informed about the latest technology, innovations, and media landscape. This allows us to present compelling concepts to our clients with confidence and demonstrate our forward thinking. Because we are deeply engaged in their business and have taken the time to understand their needs, we can respond to feedback with honesty and conviction.
How to build strong relationships with clients?
At The Media Store, we're on the same journey as our clients, aligned in pursuit of shared goals, KPIs, and outcomes. Our role goes beyond media delivery; it's about forming strong, connected partnerships by truly understanding our clients' business needs and stakeholders. We listen closely, challenge thoughtfully and bring forward our media expertise to drive meaningful impact. Candid conversations are essential, creating space for bold, best-in-class thinking that not only builds trust, but also lays the foundation for long-term, collaborative relationships.
Do you have any go-to tips for navigating challenging conversations with clients? And effectively selling an idea.
It’s often as easy as picking up the phone and having an honest conversation with your client. Emails and Teams messages can be misinterpreted, when having tough conversations, and it is best to be prepared with what you want to say, be open to hearing the client and navigating through the issue or task at hand with a prepared solution.
Are there any emerging trends or challenges in the industry that account management teams should be prepared for?
The media landscape is evolving rapidly every day, and account management teams need to be agile and forward thinking to stay ahead of the game. One major trend is the growing demand for data-led, measurable outcomes. Clients are increasingly expecting transparency, real-time insights through dashboards, and clear ROI from their media investments. This requires account teams to be more fluent in analytics and attribution models, not just media planning, and use the data to make informed decisions on their media plans.
What advice would you give your younger self when you first started out in account service?
Try not to be so hard on yourself, trying to be everything to everyone, all at once can be tough. This career can be incredibly rewarding and will give you the foundational skills in project and people management. Continue be open to learning, especially from those who are in senior roles who have been doing this for a long time.
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