With Empowerment & Negotiation Workshops, A+E Networks Offers a Distinct Approach to Client Support

To support clients and foster connections AE Networks partnered with Columbia Law School professor author and negotiation expert Alex Carter to create a series of Empowerment ampamp Negotiation Workshops for brand and agency executives that address personal and professional challenges and promote negotiation skillsAs new technology including programmatic and artificial intelligence make it faster and easier to buy ads AE is embracing advancements but not at the expense of true client relationshipsquotIt39s so important to engage the individual to gain trust promote honesty and promote transparent dialogue People are critical to this businessquot explained Vice President of Ad Sales Marketing Pam Graham quotSales is about building relationships and what does that better than shared experiencesquotAdapted from a sales training Carter led for AE39s sales team the Empowerment ampamp Negotiation Workshops kicked off in 2021 and offer a service aboveandbeyond industry norms Graham said client relationships go beyond meetings and pitches quotIt39s about connecting and creating a communityquot she notedWhen the pandemic upended everyday life AE Networks wanted to help uplift clients Brand marketing and media agency executives shared that they were beleaguered and fatigued Women in particular struggled to maintain a worklife balanceAt first glance hosting seminars on female empowerment and negotiations doesn39t seem like AE Network39s purview However Senior Vice President of Ad Sales Nicole Durette said kindness inclusion collaboration and supporting one another are part of the company39s ethos The classes are an opportunity to deepen connections help colleagues and align with the mission of one of AE39s core brands Lifetime to uplift women It39s a new extension of client servicesquotWe think of ourselves as a boutique sales organization where you39ll get great customer servicequot Durette explained quotWe39re not the biggest publisher so we have to play a different game in this marketplace We pride ourselves on being solutionoriented providing resources and support to our clients in any way we canquotFor the first workshop in the summer of 2021 AE invited eight female executives to an intimate gathering at a small historic inn The George in Montclair NJ With Covid cases surging many people were reluctant to attend large gatherings so Graham said they needed a comfortable space and a small group To ease the burden of traveling AE opted to host events across the New York area including Westchester County Manhattan and ConnecticutquotWe challenged ourselves to figure out how to slowly enter back into client engagement in a way that felt comfortable and safequot Graham said quotOur goal was to extend the brand in a way to make us memorablequotBefore each event Carter researched the participants and their companies to familiarize herself with their work She circled the room over cocktails asking the women about their biggest concerns Then during the discussion circle she addressed those concerns and women shared their insights and experiencesAt early events participants discussed the challenges of managing teams remotely and nurturing their careers while juggling responsibilities for children and elderly parents during a pandemicquotPeople were pulled in a million directions all day long from work to home life back to work and so onquot Durette saidSome women didn39t even have a quiet space at home to claim as an office Carter offered suggestions to navigate challenges such as negotiating for home office space and asking managers for resources Participants weighed in with advice and best practicesquotIt became this wonderful environment where people shared their vulnerability and everyone wanted to help each other Alex provided coaching for everyonequot Durette recalledThe inaugural workshop was such a resounding success that AE recently expanded to Atlanta and will be hosting Boston later this year AE also plans to reunite early groups for additional classes to keep conversations flowingWhile the early Empowerment ampamp Negotiation Workshops focused on women Graham said they39ve also started to invite men AE has also offered workshops for its own rising sales executives to help them build interpersonal skills and manage client relationshipsRecently as more companies return to inperson work Graham and Durette said the conversations have evolved Timely topics include hybrid work career advancement and how to retain talent Readjusting to office life also means returning to commutes and finding childcare One participant wanted advice on championing a rising star on her team to stay at the companyquotIt39s so important to create moments and have conversations outside of businessquot Graham saidParticipants have started to build their own communities connecting after events over email and LinkedIn Some women have successfully negotiated for promotions and additional resources One participant adapted the class to share with her teamAnd while doing good is AE39s primary motivation the workshops have been a boon to business While some participants are longtime clients others are new contactsquotWe39re building a lot of trust and a new comfort level this approach is opening new doors for usquot Durette noted quotWe39re fortifying the relationships we have and creating valuable new onesquotClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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With Empowerment & Negotiation Workshops, A+E Networks Offers a Distinct Approach to Client Support

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Alli Romano

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With Empowerment & Negotiation Workshops, A+E Networks Offers a Distinct Approach to Client Support

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