Account managers are some of the most in-demand commercial professionals on the market at the moment, with plenty of vacancies on offer. However, competition is fierce and you increasingly need to do more if you want to stand out from the crowd.

So, how can you prove you're a cut above the average account manager? Here are a few common mistakes that many people in the role make; do your best to avoid them and you'll be well on your way to success.

Being hard to contact

Being busy is part of the job description for account managers, but that is no excuse for being hard to contact. Taking an age to respond to communications will irritate clients and colleagues alike and the best account managers give the impression of being constantly contactable despite their heavy workload.

Whenever possible, you should try to respond to an email or voicemail message within one hour. Even if you don't have time to deal with the issue immediately, you can send a response that indicates you are aware of what's going on and will get started on it as soon as possible. 

This can do wonders for your relations with clients and co-workers, as there are few things that annoy people as much as feeling ignored.

Talking a lot, but saying very little

This is a common trap that many account managers fall into - they are experts at talking, but actually say very little. Too many people in the role deal in the vague and talk a good game without committing to any firm ideas.

A truly successful account manager is able to back up everything they say with evidence and detail, meaning meetings and phone calls are rarely seen as a waste of time.

Forgetting the human touch

Another common account management mistake is that people are sometimes guilty of being too professional. You're obviously operating in a business environment and need to act accordingly, but you're still dealing with human beings and the personal touch can go a long way.

Everyone is different and some clients will be happy to chat at length about their personal life, while others will like to keep the small talk to a minimum. A good account manager is able to read these differences and adapt their approach to suit.

Promising the earth

All account managers want to please their client and this is perfectly natural, but it can get you into difficulties if you're not careful. Think carefully whenever making a promise; over-promising and under-delivering is perhaps the single worst thing an account manager can do. This only ever makes clients angry and makes you look incompetent at best and deceitful at worst.

Whenever possible, you should take the opposite approach and under-promise and then over-deliver. Using this tactic means your clients will be pleasantly surprised and you'll look like a star in their eyes.