How long have you been working at Webgains?
I’ve been at Webgains for just over a year and a half – it’s gone so quickly! A lot has changed since I joined; the team in France has grown lots and Webgains has had a new website, new platform and new feel. I have always worked in startups and Webgains is big enough to invest and make changes but small enough to get to know everyone.
What made you jump from working in the hotel industry to the world of performance marketing?
To be honest, it was completely unexpected. I had a friend that worked at Shopcade and she used to talk to me about digital a lot. One day she said another department was recruiting, why don’t I try and apply for the sales job, so I did and got the job. After that I knew I wanted to stay in digital as there are so many things to learn. It was an unexpected but good change!
How does your background in events management compare to working in the digital industry?
So, I used to work for the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. It was very stressful as I was managing lots of people on site at a young age. However, it has comparisons to my current job as you still have to build a relationship with the people you are working with. The challenge is the same as you have to convince them to fully trust you.
With events, you have to be super organised and really pay attention to the details. This experience helped me a lot when I moved into a commercial and account management role at Webgains. I am now more detail-oriented, overly organised, and put all my attention into clients’ needs and objectives, focusing on performance at all times – which you really need to do if you want them to succeed!
Can you describe a typical day in the office?
Every day is different. I move around a lot – sometimes I am in the London office, the next I’ll be in Paris or travelling to see my clients. My job is split 50/50: I look after the sales strategy in France and also run the account management for some of our top clients, so my days are very different, having to balance both parts of the job. I try to organise the two – whether that’s making calls to pitch clients, preparing a strategy or ensuring I hit my targets.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The fact that I have a hybrid role. It is very exciting and challenging ensuring those jobs have been executed properly. I also like the fact that when I sell to a big client I become the account manager for them, following them from the first call to seeing through their online performance.
I’m the only one to undertake this role at Webgains – I wanted to do both as I think it’s important to maintain and build the relationship with the client.
And the challenges you face?
My challenge is more on the sales side of my job as it is very competitive. Webgains is not as known in France as it is in the UK, so organising myself to ensure I hit targets, achieve sales and make people aware of us in France is a challenge.
How has affiliate changed the performance landscape of the French lifestyle industry?
French behaviours have changed a lot. I work on a fashion programme and when people want to buy a product, they check if a blogger is wearing and promoting the product etc. or search for a voucher code. Before, nobody would have done that, so affiliate in the lifestyle industry is becoming more common in France – even five years ago, people weren’t aware of what it was. Now it is a necessity as French behaviours are changing.
What’s so great about working in digital?
You get to meet lots of people and lots of it is about building great relationships. I’ve learnt lots at Webgains –The Webgains Academy gives us access to great free courses, industry-leading workshops and events, which is great. The French market is growing a lot so am proud to be one of the people helping the French market be where it is today!
Do you have any tips for those looking to enter the performance marketing industry?
Being open-minded is important because things change daily. It is a competitive market so you have to be creative in your approach. The industry is young and dynamic and so many things can happen – being flexible and adaptable is key to keep learning.
Also, never think that you know everything! Even if you have years of experience in the industry, you can still learn.
Three words that best describe you:
It’s hard to choose just three words! I am positive and enthusiastic, for sure. I’m spontaneous (which can sometimes be good and bad) and competitive. I play lots of sport, so the fact that I am competitive helps me in my professional life as I always want more!
Lastly, are there any exciting developments from Webgains you can share with us?
So many things have changed at Webgains – the people, processes and product have all developed this last year to ensure we grow our strategy for 2019. Most importantly, the advertiser platform has changed. Webgains is moving towards a deeper level of detail and an intelligent, predictive model of data management. Two areas we’re really excited about are a multi-channel attribution model and an AI-driven onboarding process.
Lots of exciting things are in the pipeline, so keep an eye out for upcoming news. Come and see us at PI LIVE – we will have a great stand and Richard Dennys is talking at the event. I am sure he will share more news at the event!
