Marketing Manager – Mel Smith

Stan T.

Day in the life of
Marketing Manager – Mel Smith

Mel Smith
Stanmore Insurance

There isn’t really such a thing as a typical day for me as each day/week has its own projects and activities to do. I always start the day in my inbox and check that there isn’t anything that needs my immediate attention such as a customer query or an issue with a supplier, then I refer to my weekly to-do list.

This week we are preparing for an event, so I am ordering promotion items (branded chocolates), getting collateral updated and printed, and organizing the logistics.

We are also launching a new project next month to help our clients manage risk, so I am also creating some email marketing messaging around this, getting the team up to speed, and assessing the data to pick our target list.

In addition, I am working on an article for a nursery publication (one of our services is dedicated nursery insurance). It is important that we make insurance relevant and accessible to our customers and prospects. There are lots of complex terms and acronyms in the sector so it’s my job to make sense of these. I will then create a story around the topic to engage clients and promote ourselves as a knowledgeable source of information and support.

I also have everyday activities that need to be completed, such as updating our social media channels, asking customers for reviews, adding new content to our websites, and keeping other team members in the loop on how projects are going.

Insurance isn’t always on a business agenda but it is really important as if it goes wrong then it can have catastrophic effects, so making clients raise this to a higher priority is a critical part of my role

Pros

  • Marketing touches every part of the business so I get to be involved in lots of different projects. Internal marketing including décor, staff communications, wellbeing, and corporate social responsibility. External marketing attending events, working with designers on collateral, choosing promotional items. Online marketing social media, website development, and hosting and promoting webinars.
  • Marketing changes rapidly so there is always something new to learn about, whether that’s influencer advertising, Google’s latest algorithm, or new legislation on the use of personal data.
  • It’s a creative and varied job. One day you can be writing an award submission, the next you are thinking of a way to launch a new product, then maybe you’re helping plan a staff celebration.

Cons

  • It can sometimes be a pressurized role with marketing deadlines that cannot be moved. You can’t change the date of an event for example or ask a magazine to delay publication. However, that being said I often do my best creative work under pressure and honestly time-flies.
  • Not everything you do will be used, sometimes you can spend a few days on an article or playing with a new advertising concept and they just don’t work. Don’t let it dishearten you, it’s all part of the process. I never delete anything as often I get to pinch bits from previous projects for the piece I am working on.
  • My to-do list is sometimes scarily long and this can be a bit overwhelming. That’s just because there is so much I want to do. It is vital to work out what is essential and what is nice to have. I have a separate list for quiet periods of the nice to haves so that I can revisit them and gradually tick them off.
  • In a small company you might be the only marketing member of staff, it is important to have other creative minds to speak to so that you can stay on top of your game. Building a network of other marketing professionals can be beneficial.

If you’d asked me whether insurance would be an exciting sector to work, in prior to this career change, I would have said no. But now that I’ve been in the sector for a while, it is so varied and fast-paced, it’s definitely more fun and exciting than you’d imagine!

Advice to students looking to get into marketing

I didn’t do a marketing degree, I studied Business Studies and loved the Marketing module. At Post University I took a marketing admin role to learn the ropes and moved up from there. The Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations offers some great courses and events; I’ve attended a few of these and have found them interesting, plus it is a great way to meet fellow marketers.

The marketing department at any business tends to have busier periods and might appreciate a helping hand. If there is a sector or a specific company you’re interested in, get in touch and ask if they offer work experience or if you can go in and help, being in a department is the best way to learn and gain experience.

Mel Smith
Stanmore Insurance
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Marketing Managers

plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

Salary: $154470
Salary Rank: A
Education: Bachelor's degree
Becoming One: Hard
Job Satisfaction: High
Job Growth: High
Suitable Personality: The Leader