Years and Years – what I’ve learned about transitioning industries

As a teenager I was convinced I would be a PE teacher. I was and remain a lover of sport and the social aspects that come with being part of a team and sharing a common goal. No no-one was more surprised than me when my career path took me down the yellow brick road towards the creative/design world and thereafter into marketing.

My early days of being a junior designer in a young studio were not that much different to being in a High School sports team – a few of which I was Captain for. Everyone pulled together, supported each other and worked hard to win the work. And we all shared in the success of a win, in this instance through financial remuneration.

Those early years of my career taught me much about the value of relationships, teamwork and leadership. As a small and inexperienced team, we respected each other as individuals, worked to our strengths to succeed and most importantly, had fun. And as a young business we were able to experiment and learn. It was here that I began my journey of growth as I learned about Sales and Account Management. Customer Service, Customer Care, Client Focus – these are the terms used today for what was Sales/Sales Support, but the premise hasn’t changed. Understand your audience/customer/client needs and aim to service them better than anyone else and they will remember you as much as the good product/service you are selling.

Back then, I wanted to meet the people I was doing the creative work for and understand them better. I now know that this appetite for knowledge is what has helped me embrace and adapt to change. It was also the beginning of the formation of my work ‘tribe’.

My transition to the world of professional services came next – and having a UK investment bank as a client prepared me somewhat to what was to come. I joined KPMG’s marketing team for the Midlands – which is where my love affair with marketing really began as well as an appreciation for accounting [who knew!] and the value of reputation [Branding] within a regulated industry. I moved quickly into a Corporate Identity and Brand design role working closely with communication professionals across the UK. A move back to London and then a 5 year stint overseas working on the development and implementation of a global brand programme across 100+ countries followed. The relationships I formed during those years still exist today. And I became enthralled by international differences to how names and colours are perceived and how reputation is earned and easily lost. I soaked it all up and my tribe grew.

I stayed within the professional services industry for many years – moving from accounting to law, where brand reputation is even more valued, worn like a badge of pride by lawyers and business support professionals alike.

But it was my next move to a FTSE 100 consumer business in 2012 that provided the biggest learning curve for me. No longer was I marketing to 100s of clients who spent thousands, now I was marketing to millions of customers who spent a few pounds and expected no less value from that expenditure.

Royal Mail. 2012. The year of Gold Postboxes and Gold stamps for our gold medal winners of the London Olympics. It was a fantastic time to be a part of a newly formed digital team under the leadership of a visionary director who was brought in to lead the digital transformation of a 500+ year old heavily unionised British Institution.

My knowledge grew and my tribe evolved as the world of business changed – digital enablement, newly emerging competitors, the explosion of social media, and the Equalities Act of 2010 that expanded to online – information and data were now critical in driving business and marketing decisions.

My current role with a medium-sized mental health charity has afforded me the opportunity to bring all of the experience I’ve gained over the years together perfectly – and I’ve love every minute of it.

Where once I spoke of clients, customers, revenue and profit, I now speak of supporters, beneficiaries and income. The more money we raise, the more people we can help. And to do that, we need to know what motivates our amazing supporters to donate, fundraise, volunteer and campaign for changes to mental health care services.

So, what have I learnt about transitioning industries over the years…

That change/evolution is inevitable. Yes, it can be scary but it’s what keeps us current and relevant as marketeers. Be comfortable with change – And be adaptable. Now more than ever.

Find and build your work ‘tribe’ – surround yourself with people who you share a common objective/goal with that you can learn from, who will support and encourage you but also challenge you inside and outside the workplace.

Know your audience – whether you have clients, customers, supporters or beneficiaries – know what motivates / drives them. Ask them questions, ask them often and involve them in everything you do. They will tell you if something is good or not!

Your Brand is your worth – no matter your size. Invest the time in it. Value it. If you don’t, then how will your audience? This includes your personal brand too! Relationships are key.