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5/1/2008 - May Rearview Mirror: How They Succeeded

Executive Marketing Panel: Sharing the Roadmap for Success

The BMA Colorado April 2008 Dinner Meeting presented a panel of local marketing executives to share lessons and advice on career success based on their different paths of advancement.

The Four Panelists:

Matt Garrett, Vice President Marketing, Exclusive Resorts

Formerly VP Marketing Aegis Communications Group; earlier marketing roles at Equifax, IBM, Coca-Cola. Selected by Brandweek magazine in 2006 as one of top 10 “Marketers of the Next Generation.”

Beth Barbee, Principal/Partner, Darwin brand strategy consultancy

Twenty years of agency and client-side experience in brand strategy, working with such brands as General Electric, Novell, Taco Bell, Mrs. Fields Cookies and MediaOne.

Jon Landers, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Community, Pelago

Recent start-up experience with HomeGrocer.com, iMotors.com and Solagent. Fortune 500 corporate experience included Quaker Oats, Sara Lee and RJR. Non-profit experience with National Geographic Society and Experience Music Project.

Lisa Haldeman, Vice President of Client Services and Strategy, Leopard

Over 19 years experience of agency experience. She works closely with Leopard’s strategists and account managers to set strategy for Leopard’s accounts, including IBM, SAP and Cisco.

The Panel Moderator:

Ken Giffin, Director of Marketing, Verio

The Panelists Respond to Questions:

What boost have you received in your career, and how did it help?

Beth – About 4 years ago, I was urged by a colleague to facilitate a strategy session for a 25-person board. It was something I had never done and I was concerned because everyone knows that boards of directors can be contentious groups. But I agreed to do it. Once I started, a light-bulb went on that I had not anticipated. I found that I was really good at facilitating a large group strategy discussion, and I really liked it. It awakened me to this ability I had and I branched out to include this in my service mix. Clearly someone had seen something in me that I hadn’t seen. It taught me to face unexpected challenges by diving in and doing something.

What career setbacks have you had, and what did you learn?

Matt – When I was about 24 years old, I was working at IBM. One Friday I got word that I would be laid off the following Monday. This huge stable company, I was shocked. But it forced me to come to grips with the fact that you have to take control of your own career. It made me stop to think of what I really wanted to do with my life. So I wrote out what I wanted to do, and I still follow that plan, I’m still on the road. It gives me focus to help me select goals and opportunities.

What tangible skills did you pick up that have proved valuable?

Jon – (1) How to give presentations to senior management. This taught me how to be comfortable and articulate in front of audiences. (2) How to perform indepth analytics in direct marketing. This happened at an early company I worked for that excelled in direct mail. It was hard and I didn’t much like it, but I gained an analytic skill that has served me well over the years as I gained broader responsibilities. For example, it pays dividends in helping me assess online metrics such as click-through rates.

Lisa – Three skills I think are important are: (1) How to assimilate and present information in a succinct, linear fashion; (2) How to work cooperatively in a team environment, and (3) Ability to sense the communication styles of different clients and adjust your own style to match theirs.

Matt – Two skills: (1) Ability to choose the right method of communication with colleagues. First look at the message you want to convey, then measure the value of the feedback you want to receive, then pick the right medium to communicate. For example, a face-to-face discussion might be better than an email. (2) Be comfortable in hiring people who are smarter than you. You’ll improve your team by hiring the best people you can find. When it’s time for them to move up, you’ll move up too.

What trends should B2B marketers take note of?

Beth -- B2B marketers must recognize that their customers are also consumers. You need to be aware of consumer trends because these will eventually impact the B2B market. For example, consumer trends towards green (environmental) awareness and text messaging.

Jon -- I agree with Beth. I’m a consumer marketer and I think you need to understand how people sort and filter information these days. A lot of this is really evident in the consumer market. For example, I've found it useful to research the nuances of how kids choose to use texting versus cell phone versus Facebook in communicating with their various circles of friends.

Lisa – I think the challenge for B2B marketers in technology is how to prepare their sales people to effectively engage prospects who are already extremely well-informed due to the easy availability of information through online searching.

What advice would you give to our audience tonight?

Matt – What I always tell kids just out of college who are in the work world is: (1) you need to write down a career path that will give you a focal point to guide you in choosing jobs, work roles and employers. Write it in pencil and change it as you go along. And (2) Be opportunistic. Don’t always judge a new opportunity for how much money it will get you. Look at how it may contribute to your career path.

Beth – Take a stand. It’s very easy to pass the buck in decision-making. But you’re the marketing professional so make your professional opinion known. Don’t rely on others to make the decisions, don’t let opportunities pass to be assertive with your expertise.

Jon – (1) Stay curious. If you’ve succeeded once in your career, you can’t just rely on repeating that same success as you get older. The world will pass you by. You need to push yourself to learn new things, get uncomfortable for awhile, read, learn and try new things. (2) Have fun. If you’re not having fun, you’ll never do well. People who have fun doing their job are always working at it and doing better than those who don’t enjoy what they do.

Lisa – Don’t burn your bridges. The world is smaller than ever anymore.

Is it possible to over-manage your career?

Matt – Being opportunistic helps balance your approach so you don’t get too tied to a written plan.

Beth – Trust your core, gut instinct. Listen to that little voice inside. Never underestimate your intuition.

What are you reading these days?

Jon –Make It Stick, Citizen Marketer , a book on Buddhism and one on sailing.

Lisa – Hiring Secrets of the NFL

Matt – Two books on social marketing, one’s called The Open Brand.

Beth – Eat, Pray, Love and The Grown-Up’s Guide to Running Away from Home.

Read These Other May 2008 Articles

Newsletter May 2008 Contents

Industry News and Views, May 2008