Here at Movable Ink, we’re dedicated to helping our clients create with scalable, world-class visual experiences. So, we sat down with Katie White, Associate Director of our Client Strategy Team with a focus in travel and hospitality, to learn more about our new team and how Movable Ink is helping our clients embrace innovation.
Could you tell us more about the Client Strategy team’s goal?
We aim to understand our clients’ biggest priorities and deliver Movable Ink solutions that empower their teams to create sophisticated, forward-thinking and performance-driving programs with transformational business impact.
Most marketers empathize with the challenge of accessing data within their own tech stack. In fact, only 47% of marketers say they have a completely unified view of customer data. One of the biggest benefits of Movable Ink is that we can bring in all of those endpoints and assets together and create an engaging 1:1 visual experience in the HTML itself. Our team will be doubling down on this core competency, providing dedicated resources and prototyping quickly to launch and iterate cornerstone programs on an accelerated 6-month timeline.
What’s your role on the Client Strategy team?
The Client Strategy team has been designed to go deep on a smaller target list than our entire group of clients. To make sure that all of our clients benefit from our industry experience though, one of the roles I’m really excited about is doing extensive training and enablement on our respective verticals to ensure that our teammates are fluent in the issues, dynamics, and forces of each of our client organizations. I’ll be managing the travel vertical.
I’ll also be sharing my industry knowledge and recommendations with original thought pieces. Check out my “Seven design tips and trends email marketers should keep in mind“ and post about “Why Intelligent Creative Is the Key to 1-to-1 Travel Marketing”.
Most importantly, I’ll be working closely with our clients in the travel vertical to strategize and develop sophisticated solutions aligned with CMO objectives and unlock value from their existing mar-tech stack. What does that mean you might ask?
At Movable Ink, we’re firm believers that the progression of sophistication is defined by the source of data that is powering the strategies. So if we can work with our clients to tap into an API, powering real-time behavioral and customer data, we can power much more dynamic and compelling visual experiences than if we’re working with a static data file that lives in your ESP and gets refreshed on a weekly cadence.
Imagine how much more engaging your airline check-in email would be if the airline built anticipation with contextual data like personalization and weather, but also a live seat map giving you seat selection and upgrade options straight from email. From a business perspective, this also empowers the airline to drive ancillary revenue in a creative and less intrusive way (link to creative).
What do you find most exciting about joining this new team?
What excites me the most about joining this team is the opportunity to empower other marketers to grow their career and get some fun and sophisticated wins under their belt. I’m also super grateful to get to come to the office every day and work with lovely, smart problem solvers.
How do you think brands can stay innovative in 2019?
Start small and build confidence. Have comfort in the fact that you’re not alone and kick off with a phased approach that gets you some great quick wins. Simulate your end goal (like an API) with web crop or rules engines test that will build confidence not only in yourself, but also in your manager, your team, and the program itself. It will also help you build momentum and a business case for more resources.
About the author
Katie has spent the majority of her career in Travel & Hospitality, driving strategy for guest engagement programs at both Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and HotelTonight. Most recently, Katie led the global Engagement Marketing Team at HotelTonight while working cross-functionally to advance consumer learning, product enhancements, and retention initiatives. She used the power of Movable Ink’s technology to transform the email program and bring real-time, personalized visual experiences to her readers. Prior to HotelTonight, she drove co-marketing strategy for over 25 partners at Google Express.
Katie’s passion for travel runs deep and before landing at Movable Ink as Associate Director of the Client Strategy team’s Travel & Hospitality practice, she spent 8 months exploring the world.