I had the pleasure of meeting Joy Ugi at a General Assembly digital marketing panel discussion, where she was one of the experts on the panel. Joy and I had lunch a few weeks after meeting, where we discussed clients and technologies.
We decided our strengths would work well together, and Joy joined the Xenatek tribe bringing her genius and skills. Joy is not only business savvy, but like her name, she is a joy to work with. Clients find her a huge asset, bringing invaluable strategy to their digital game.
What is your favorite marketing platform to use?
My favorite marketing technology is Hubspot. You can tackle digital marketing in so many ways with this one platform: marketing automation, email marketing, social media, landing pages. And it’s hands-down the best UI for this type of software on the market today. Unlike its competitors, Hubspot is intuitive and made for the self-taught.
What types of campaigns are you seeing perform?
Email gets the highest ROI of any marketing channel I do. It always has. Whether it’s scheduled sends or automated campaigns, email marketing always sends tons of website visitors my way, which automatically means more conversions. This channel currently drives 100% of the leads for one of my clients, and 90% of the opportunities and closed-won deals.
What are some of your biggest wins in your career?
The biggest win in my career was when I left my job to pursue doing my own thing. There’s nothing quite as fulfilling and challenging as deciding what to do with your own time, talents and money. Another win in my career has been forming friendships with smart, kind people who aren’t afraid to teach me and hold me accountable. I’m so glad to have met them and learned from them at every stage of my career.
What is something you’ve learned that surprised you (in digital marketing)?
You never get over the surprise of the constantly shifting digital marketing landscape. Channels go in and out of style. Buzzwords are here today and gone tomorrow. New techniques come and go. And digital marketers have to be on their toes to keep up with it all, learn it, and then determine if, how and when they’re going to take advantage of these changes.
What advice would you give a marketing manager new to the game?
Learn as much as you can about digital marketing. Talk to as many people as you can. Read books. Listen to podcasts. Watch how-to videos. Write about everything you learn to help it sink in. Go to discussion groups. Join communities online. Get your hands dirty in digital marketing – be a know-it-all. You’ll have the confidence knowledge brings to allow you to do your job with excellence.
What’s gets you excited?
When it comes to digital marketing, what doesn’t get me excited? I could talk for hours about this stuff. The possibilities are almost endless for creative ways to reach your ideal audience.
What’s are the most important things to you?
What’s most important to me is my faith, family, friends, health and how I help people.
When not sharing her brilliance with clients, Joy enjoys live music, craft beer, and spending time with family and friends. Joy lives in Atlanta but has worked with non-profits, large software companies, consultancies, and small businesses across the country. When the only thing constant in life is change, Joy embraces the adventure of every new client that comes her way.
(Interview by Jenny Pitts)
