Hi, Tassa, thanks for joining us for Coffee Qs! How long have you been in your current role?
I have been in this role for a year and a half now, but it feels longer. Quidco has been growing and changing a lot during that time.
In one sentence, describe your role…
My role is about driving sales and engagement for advertisers, from media planning to relationship building and strategic campaign development.
How did you get into performance marketing?
I’ve always wanted to work in e-commerce. When I started uni I used to say that without knowing what it actually meant. During my master’s degree, I was passionate about advertising and how brands can influence an audience through different channels and persuasion techniques.
After my experiences at Groupon and Kelkoo, I had a good understanding of online marketing tools, account management techniques and the players involved, but I wanted to specialise in one area.
Quidco offered me a role as a senior account manager they gave me a chance to learn a lot about all aspects of performance marketing, and meet a lot talented and skilled people.
What excites you about performance marketing?
The fact that the industry is ever evolving and I know I will never be bored. There’s always something new to learn and it allows you to constantly widen your knowledge around all things digital.
Because performance marketing is a new area, it also means that there are regulations developments too, which means businesses need to keep up. From change, many opportunities arise, but also threats for businesses. I guess some people are afraid of change, but I’m definitely not one of these people. I embrace change and love to learn, and I can quickly adapt myself to new situations.
What’s your biggest career milestone?
I would say securing a role at Kelkoo, as it opened my eyes to the scale of the market and how everyone is trying to get their share of the cake. It also gave me exposure to the biggest players in e-commerce in the UK and taught me how to maintain excellent service and build strong relationship with clients.
Do you have a professional role model?
It may sound cliché but my mum is. What I admire the most is that she is the hardest working person I know and got the strongest work ethic.
She is a psychologist so it’s very different to what I do. She has a passion for helping people. I truly believe she’s one of these people who make this world a better place and touches everyone who meets her.
What would be your top tip for newcomers to the industry?
Don’t be scared to step out of your comfort zone and try things. What’s the worst that can happen? Regardless of the result, you will learn a thing or two in the process.
Networking is also key! Go out to meet your partners, engage with industry events and talk to people. You learn a lot just by having conversations with people. Never stop being curious about the wider business world, not just performance marketing.
Lastly, I would say, stay on top of the data and train your brain to quickly pick up relevant pieces of information out of a pool of data. The industry relies a lot on data and it’s important to know how to read, analyse and identify trends.
The favourite Twitter account you follow?
I’m not very active on Twitter, but I recently started to follow Quora. It’s also a great app with practical advice and a helpful community sharing their knowledge.
If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Karl Lagerfeld! I love that he’s such an extravagant and funny character. He’s got a sharp tongue and a very critical way of telling his own stories about his childhood and experiences in the 1960s Paris fashion scene. He’s a genius. I find him fascinating.
Thanks, Tassa! 🙂
Have a rising performance marketing star in your team? Let us know.