We chat to Sharon Head, Vice President at e-Dialog for leading brands including Boots and Expedia about her career in direct marketing, her love of clothes and life away from the Big Apple…

You joined e-Dialog in London in May 2007, what were you up to before then?
Well I was working in the US and spent 12 years in direct marketing in retail, specifically for apparel retailers, which was lots of fun. I’d been in New York when I met my husband who’s a Brit. We got married and a few months later we decided to move to England to be closer to friends and family on this side of the pond. We decided to firstly take a sabbatical and go travelling for 4-months. So we had an amazing time in South East Asia, Australia and China before arriving here.

How does London compare to New York?
I think London is actually a lot cooler, it’s an edgier and younger city in many ways. London is really different so I’m enjoying being in the capital a lot!

So tell me a bit more about your work in the US…
Well I’ve worked with big brands Ann Taylor and The Children’s Place and started my career with The Franklin Mint, a very traditional catalogue and direct marketing driven company. One of the first things I did with them in 1999 was develop their first ever e-mail marketing campaign, which I literally had to create myself from scratch!

That must have been an experience?
Ha ha, it was! I was using SQL and doing HTML coding, really starting from the ground up. It was huge fun innovating with what was then a new medium. But after four years I was looking for more of a challenge and I considered going back to school to do an MBA. I put a CV together for that and then thought hey, lets send this out and see what comes back. As a result Ann Taylor came calling as they needed a team to develop their first ever website, so I was hired to help launch AnnTaylor.com.

So why the focus on apparel, are you a shopaholic?
Definitely, but the thing I loved about Ann Taylor and The Children’s Place and with apparel in particular, is that you can identify and connect with the customers behind the numbers. For example with The Children’s Place, what’s really lovely is that you were speaking to moms and dads, understanding the things that make their lives as parents easier and then building that into our marketing.

So that need for insight must have carried over into your work for your clients at e-Dialog?
Absolutely, with some of the brands that we work with like Boots I have really been able to use my experience to identify with what they are trying to achieve.

So how has the transition from client to agency side been?
Good question! Switching to the agency side has been great and what I’ve really like about it is the variety of work and the brands I get to work with. Agency life is always really dynamic and intellectually challenging and you get to apply your past experience across a broad range of situations. You really become a problem solver and people turn to you for your expertise and really want to listen. The value you can add to clients businesses is huge.

So you’ve been at e-Dialog for just over a year, have there been many changes?
Yes, we’ve grown hugely almost doubling from 40 to nearly 80 people. We’ve also moved into amazing office space just off Oxford St. They’re bright and colorful and open plan and everyone gets to chat and have lunch together. I think it really reflects the culture of the company. When candidates and clients come and see the environment we work in, I think it really showcases what e-Dialog is all about and what makes us special – our people.

If you could change one thing about the e-mail marketing industry what would it be?
I think the general perception that e-mail marketing sits off to the side or is stand-alone from other marketing activity. I encourage clients to view e-mail in the same way as other forms of direct marketing and as part of an integrated customer marketing strategy. I also encourage clients to apply the same discipline they would with offline marketing – that is to apply testing and analytics rigour and use data in the best way possible. Just because e-mail seems instantaneous doesn’t mean it should be treated with less respect than other marketing channels or that communications to your customers should be any less relevant. It’s just as important as any interaction with a customer in a store or catalogue you send to their home.

So which brands do you most admire from a marketing perspective?
Well apart from e-Dialog’s clients, I really admire Apple of course, great branding, the iPod, the iphone, need I say no more. Plus, they are pretty good when it comes to using e-mail with really relevant content and clever channel integration. Also I love my American imports. I am sooo happy to see Whole Foods and Banana Republic in London. Both great US brands who I think for know their customers and try to apply that to their marketing

Thanks for your time!

Description:
Business Analyst
We are seeking a Business Analyst with CRM / Database Marketing related experience. This individual will be a key client point of contact within the Data Engineering group ensuring that clients’ business needs are supported through e-Dialog’s technical solutions and application tool offerings. He or she will provide the bridge between the client’s data, the marketing tools and the client’s marketing applications.

This position requires in-depth understanding of customers’ business and marketing objectives and corresponding methods of achieving those objectives. A strong background in database marketing, internet applications, and data management is highly desirable.

Responsibilities include:
Serve as a core member of the Data Engineering Group for existing and new engagements.
Lead Discovery sessions with a broad spectrum of marketing and technical business clients.
Capture, interpret, and document business requirements.
Work with the technical team to develop a solution design capable of fulfilling the customer’s current and future marketing and analytic needs.
Solve our clients’ business problems through the application of technology, process analysis and improvement and systems analysis and design.
Write and maintain technical and functional specification documentation.
Establish and follow data quality control procedures.
Assess effort and pricing requirements for technical project deliverables.
Ensure accuracy and completeness of project deliverables.

Represent expertise to clients in the strategies, tactics, technologies and day-to-day needs of database marketing.

Provide one-to-one mentoring and share best practices with clients. Enhance clients’ understanding and strategic use of their marketing database.

Work with clients and internal account teams to develop solutions to suit specific client issues.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced fluid environment, balancing competing priorities. He or she will be skilled in creative problem solving and be naturally curious and driven to learn. The ideal candidate also will combine attention to detail with a broad perspective of a client’s business needs.

The candidate MUST have:
5 to 7 years experience in a database management, marketing or customer analytics environment with a strong understanding of the challenges that marketers face from day-to-day.

Hands-on experience implementing or using business intelligence or campaign management tools for direct or email marketing initiatives (i.e., E.piphany, Unica / Affinium, Aprimo, Valex)

Working knowledge of campaign planning, execution, measurement.

Focus on Internet space, database marketing, or e-commerce

Top-notch analytical skills coupled with a solid business foundation, particularly in marketing topics.

A poised and professional presence and strong verbal and written communication skills.

The ability to integrate the cross functional needs of marketing, technology, and other areas of an organization into an effective business solution.

Ability to effectively manage multiple projects with a commitment to meeting project deadlines

Willingness and ability to travel (approximately 10-20%).

The ideal candidate will also have:
Previous Programming experience or proficiency in SQL as well as solid knowledge of relational database technology, especially with star schemas and data mart architecture.

Experience building or managing internet applications (e.g. ecommerce, content management, intranets)

Hands-on experience implementing and using a leading campaign management solution.

Experience with business intelligence tools such as Cognos, Microstrategy, SAS, and Business Objects, in support of pre-campaign and post-campaign analysis.

A working knowledge of statistical modeling (knowing the business uses, limitations, and requirements).

Experience with project development lifecycles and QA/QC testing methodologies is desirable.

If you are interested in this position please e-mail your CV to jrichardson@e-dialog.com

The teams were lined up with the classic grudge match- Team Dobbo (Mufti) vs. Team Doddsy (Yellow).

First blood after kickoff came surprisingly quickly, given the tiny pitch, however some felt this could be attributed to the sheer numbers of players on the pitch. However, despite this impediment both keepers fended off ruthless attacks from all angles until with a ruthlessly driven strike Bryan Dobson (Database programmer leader thingy) set the scoreline in motion.

Once restarted, the goals followed quickly, with James Nguyen (Dev) following Dobson’s halfway strike with one of his own and new signing Bob “goal hanging” Kamal (PM) sliding a cheeky one past Jack Craig (Designer) however, 3 behind Team Doddsy were undeterred. Ben “Schemells” Scammels  quickly got his side on the scoreboard and Kuljit Singh (Dev) swiftly following with team captain Dodds also making his mark to level the scores.

The game proceeded with both teams matching each-other goal for goal- Hargrove netting himself two in his debut performance, Marcus Gearey (BSA) and Adam Careswell (BSA) also putting one of their many shots away. For Team Doddsy, Singh converted twice, Gary Kemp (Designer) managed to get one and Ali Saeed (Dev) giving a stalwart display of two personally created goals.

Man of the Match:

Roc Hargrove

Honourable mentions:

Rupert Houlton (Dev)- Clean sheet while in goal

Dishonourable mentions:

Bryan Dobson- feigning an injured toe before leaping like a salmon to score (Counted).

Ali Saeed (6’6)- Performing a hideous foul on James Nguyen (4’2) and then using the break in play to boot the ball into the unguarded goal (still counted!).

Animesh Raval- LATE

Scorers:

Team Dobbo                                                                                      Team Doddsy

James Nguyen- 1                                                                             Ali Saeed- 2

Bob Kamal- 2                                                                                      Kuljit Singh- 2

Adam Careswell- 1                                                                          Gary Kemp- 1

Roc Hargrove- 2                                                                                David Dodds- 2

Marcus Gearey- 1                                                                            Ben Schemells- 2

Bryan Dobson- 5

Final score: Team Dobbo wins 12-9 (aggregated from rather creative scorekeeping throughout).

Winning Captains Comments: “We may have ground their pathetic team into the dust, but I have to say the only true winner here is Email Marketing”- Bryan Dobson