Q+A with the Experts Brand Manager, Jessica Woofter
Q&A with the Experts is our series highlighting the Fervor team. Our goal at Fervor is to make your organization “really, really, ridiculously good looking” -Derek Zoolander. To do that, we employ experts in their field: design, digital, social media, and brand strategy. We cover all the bases, so your team can hit a home run.
Jessica’s marketing experience:
“I was an account executive at another agency for large, corporate brands,” says Jessica, “I did that for seven years – working my way up from intern-status. Marketing-wise, I grew to be a guiding voice for the client. But a lot of that job was centered solely on marketing a product. At Fervor, there is a greater focus on the client’s holistic mission: social campaigns, content strategy, and brand appeal.”
Jessica came to Fervor and hit the ground running. Many clients have benefitted from her handling their brand.
“My first day at Fervor was on-boarding a new client. In fact, it was one of the key clients I manage today. Therefore, I was introduced quickly to Fervor’s process which focuses on the client’s Ideal Advocates. That was different for me – focusing on the relationships first then the product they sell. I love Fervor’s approach – it’s more enjoyable and effective in the long run.”
How brand management impacts the client:
“When organizations think of marketing,” says Jessica, “it’s easy to come up with one million ideas on how to proceed. But brand management seeks to narrow down that list, pick the best ideas, and make an impact for the client.”
For her clients, Jessica serves as the main point of contact. When a CEO or marketing director has an idea or question, they take it to Jessica.
“Our clients have a lot going on. I might be 10% of their day (shooting me an email for marketing updates) which is great, but that means I need to communicate effectively. When I do that, the client benefits from brand management. We get to take a lot off their plate.”
Success for Jessica:
“I need organization. We have multiple clients, so organization helps me communicate with our team at Fervor and with the client. It’s also think support from Fervor team members helps a ton – we encourage and help one another daily. My bosses are always on call to give feedback. However, there is autonomy to make decisions – I don’t need the ‘OK’ for every single component I manage.”
Questions Jessica will ask a client:
“The first question is ‘What communication methods do you prefer?’ because that’s essential for getting on the same page. I also like to ask questions about personal life – about their family, hobbies, and interests. Work is what brought us together, but a strong relationship will drive that work forward.”
Three key words to the brand management process:
“The first would be ‘Organization’ because it’s so important to brand management. Thankfully, Fervor has strong online systems that help me stay in order. Then ‘Trust’ because deadlines need to be met, communication needs to be consistent, and show results. Trust is rooted in strong client relationship which I’ve highlighted before. The last term I’d say is ‘Attention-to-Detail’ because this takes marketing elements from good to great. Instead of focusing all my energy on one aspect of the process, I like to take a step back and make sure all components are running smoothly.”
Common mistakes in brand management:
“Miscommunication and not asserting oneself. Fervor is assertive and does not waver on direction. A mistake in brand management is passive voice like “we might want to do this’ but instead, I get to say ‘we are doing this.’
In addition to Fervor’s hard skill set, Jessica knows the relational importance of marketing strategy.
“Managing the client relationship is crucial. It’s weird to say, but if the interpersonal communication is off – that can be a huge mistake in brand management.”
Jessica on-boarded a new client, and the CEO said his company went with Fervor, over other clients, because of Fervor’s relational feedback. Jessica was integral in following up with that specific client before securing their business. Now she gets to lead their marketing effort with the same relational approach that won Fervor the job.
What brings Jessica joy to the job:
“A clean email inbox (laughs). I’m joyful when we meet client needs. The sign of a job well done is less stress for the client. That’s our goal here at Fervor, and it’s become my goal as a brand manager.”
Curious how your brand is doing? Connect with us to get your brand graded.
More in the Q & A with Fervor experts series: