Since the employees here at Driven Local have been a close knit group from the get-go, we want you to get to know us just as well as we know each other. To help you do so, we sat down with our SVP, Megan Martell, located in our Denver office, and asked her about everything from life at Driven Local to the future of digital marketing and more – let’s take a look at what she had to say:
Q: How does a day in the life of Megan look?
A: The best way to describe my life is “professional multi-tasker.” As a mother and Senior Vice President of a company, I feel like there is very little me time. I wake up early – ALWAYS. Mornings are quiet and calm and allow me the opportunity to get organized for the day. I have the ability to make my to-do list (using an old-school notepad) before our other offices are working and clients start requiring my time.
7:00am kids are up and require every bit of my attention until they are dropped off at 8:15am. From there, my days are filled with talking to customers, helping answer questions, strategizing campaigns, reviewing KPI’s, creating proposals, hopefully getting a run or work-out in, reading and educating myself, and calling potential prospects. Post Driven Local duties, I’m taking my kids to sports, making dinner, doing laundry, putting everyone to bed, and eventually at the end of it all, having some me time to unwind and reflect on the day. I do not think there has ever been a time where I did not have something to do! I have learned how to delegate and prioritize over the years – which has been a big help. Also smile. You gotta smile a lot through the day because it just makes it better.
Q: What goals do you have for yourself and Driven Local in the next 5 years?
A: I would like each employee (and myself) to meet both their personal and professional goals. I would like our very bright, capable employees to feel like they are all a part of something bigger and that they feel like they all play a big part in Driven Local’s success. In this type of business it literally takes every person contributing to the cause to make us successful.
Q: What are some of the skills of your top team members?
A: We have a great team of people from all backgrounds – ranging from advertising, franchise, sales leadership and training roles, digital, engineering plus some top members just out of college. Together we all bring something to the table. There is respect and collaboration. We don’t always all agree but we are all focused on the common end goal which is growing the business. I am really proud of what we have accomplished thus far and what lies ahead!
Q: What was your “aha” moment? The moment you realized that the digital marketing industry was where you wanted to be.
A: Well I came from print Yellowpages where customers in some cases would have to wait a year for their ad to be delivered to households and start generating phone calls. But with digital – the idea that you can create a website and start a PPC campaign and start generating calls the day a business opens in AWESOME! Not only that, you can determine ROI on the campaign in the same day as well.
Q: How do you see Driven Local changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?
A: Digital marketing will continue to get even more competitive with the margins getting smaller and smaller. We will continue to have to stay nimble, innovative and focused on the customers.
Q: Do you have a favorite customer success story?
A: I have so many great stories but one of my favorites over the past couple of years has been with a franchise brand in a very niche vertical. Now, we had worked with another franchise in the same vertical (owned by the same holding company), but when I had went to pitch them the timing was wrong and they ended up going with another agency. A little over a year ago I ran into their President at a conference. He told me to reach out the following week because they were shopping out their website and digital marketing. While they had already made up their mind to work with a local agency, they decided to hear us out because we had worked with their holding company. After sharing our success in their vertical they changed their tune and went with us. To date they keep blowing their previous year numbers out of the water. I love watching the success they have had.
Q: What advice do you have for businesses looking to enhance their online presence?
A: Work with a company that is willing to take the time to educate you on your options and that is willing to grow with you. This is an ongoing, ever changing relationship. Both parties have to be willing to work together and learn from each other. Every business is different and requires a different strategy. Find the company that understands that and is willing to take the time to implement a plan that works for you and helps meet your goals.
Q: What is your number one tip for other business leaders looking to break through in their industry?
A: There is nothing you can’t accomplish if you believe in yourself. Nobody is going to do it for you, it’s up to you. Dig deep, work hard, learn, absorb and surround yourself with great people – people that are better than you. You can always be learning.
Q: What other business leaders do you look up to and why?
A: There are so many. Arianna Huffington for her success with the Huffington Post and as an author. I love her quote: “Fearlessness is like a muscle. The more I exercise it the more natural it becomes not to let my fears run me.” Jeff Wiener CEO of Linkedin – I respect him so much for the way he leads by example. And Oprah – everything that woman touches or endorses becomes a success!
Q: What challenges are there with digital marketing and how can business leaders overcome them?
A: It is changing so fast. We have to keep up with technology and innovation so that our customers are able to get the most up-to-date data about their customers. It is also very competitive and the industry is loaded with a lot of misinformation. The best thing we can do is continue to educate and take a consultative approach with our clients.
Q: What do you think the future of digital marketing looks like?
A: Data driven. The more data we have the more we understand buying habits. I think the way we connect buyers and sellers will become more precise because of the data. I think that in the future business owners will have to spend less to reach their ideal customer, but they will also have to diversify even more on their approach.
Q: How do you think people will remember you?
A: I think everyone that has worked with me knows I have a lot of heart, that I really care and that there is nothing that I would not do to help out a customer or an employee. Also someone that has a good balance between work and family. Overall though – happy, I think people will remember me for being positive, happy and solution oriented.
Driven Local is an award-winning, full-service digital marketing agency that offers solutions for businesses of all shapes and sizes. To begin growing your business with us, call 1-800-454-9103 today.
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