Today we are introducing our latest recruit to the team; Gillian Carmichael, who is joining us an Internet Marketing Consultant
GW: How are you? Welcome onboard to Ambergreen. You’ve been brought on board as an Internet Marketing Consultant. As the latest recruit, could you tell me a little about yourself and why the change to Ambergreen.
GC: Hi. Thanks for the warm welcome to agency life! I’m really excited to be working for Ambergreen who I first met when I worked client-side for Sainsbury’s Bank managing their SEO. I remember thinking back then that “I could really work with this team” and it’s great to see that the culture hasn’t changed since then.
My history?… a few years in publishing with a bit of freelance copywriting on the side for some local travel magazines in Scotland followed by a slight detour into digital marketing within the government and financial services sectors. I’ve always loved creative writing and web design so naturally digital marketing was an ideal fit.
GW: Why the change?
GC: A new challenge and the opportunity to bring a bit of client side to agency side.
GW: What do you think you can bring to the party?
GC: Client side perspective. It’s really important to understand the challenges faced at both sides – agency and client. Hopefully I can use my experience to find the right blend.
GW: What do you think are going to be the biggest challenges and opportunities for our clients in 2014?
GC: Aligning offline and online marketing can be challenging for clients but it’s worth putting the effort in. An integrated marketing strategy can help drive great results even for traditional media such as PR or DM that can often be difficult to prove a return on investment. It makes sense to align channels, set clear goals and get structures in place to allow client teams and their agencies to work seamlessly together.
GW: How can you help the clients reach their goals this year?
GC: I plan on immersing myself in client strategies and business objectives. A strong client/agency relationship starts with a clear understanding of what makes the client’s business work.
GW: How does being client side compare to working at an agency?
GC: The challenges are the same. It’s just the roles that are different. On client side we ask questions about return on investment, trading, competitor activity, product development, risk, budgets, the bottom line, roadmaps, supplier management … the list goes on. A great foundation to build perspective on what’s important to the business and to formulate clear goals.
Agency side answers all of this by developing market leading strategies to get clients to where they need to be, measuring return on investment and staying one step ahead of industry and competitor changes. Get it right and the two sides can really drive a business forward.
GW: Any words of wisdom?
GC: Share wisdom. It’s important for client and agency side to see each other as one team with shared goals.
Oh … and take the lift when you come to visit Ambergreen at our office in Edinburgh. I found out the hard way what it’s like to climb the stairs (4million steps later and one wheezy girl!).
