CHI IGBOAKA
Director of Central Marketing, Travelex
DIGITAL MARKETING
Chi Igboaka is Director of Central
Marketing at Travelex,
breaking down data silos to optimise the online customer experience and driving growth
through effi cient use of existing and new marketing channels. Since her move to
marketing from customer
strategy, Chi has gained
experience at both ends of the business spectrum, from multi-channel corporate to
BURNING MONEY.”
THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS PRETTY SMALL: IF YOU DON’T HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE CUSTOMER WHEN THEY WANT TO BUY CURRENCY, YOU’RE BASICALLY
at that time. And because of that, it’s not necessarily as structured.” Says Igboaka. “We didn’t sit down and ask: ‘What do we want our tech stack to look like in 2017?’ We said, ‘we need to do this now, so what technology do we need to build in- how can we integrate it?’ That’s why we have 40 points of integration.” But an incrementally developed system of marketing tools off ers businesses the opportunity to gradually build up their data pools without putting all of their eggs in one basket. In the case of Travelex, it has meant that the team can start putting that data to work while still continuing to mature their strategy. “Foreign currency can be challenging to sell, because people apparently only go on holiday 1.4 times a year (however that works!). The window of opportunity is pretty small: if you don’t have that understanding of the customer when they want to buy currency, you’re
basically burning money.” Being able to start acquiring and processing customer data as needed has been instrumental in Travelex’s digital transformation.
Perfect Alignment
The introduction of the Global Performance marketing team was also a big step towards Travelex maximising its digital footprint, since it saw the coming together of the key marketing sectors within the same team. “When we started, those areas weren’t collaborating… For me the most important structural change has meant that all these areas – PR, content, social, SEO – they have moved within marketing.” says Igboaka. “Having all the areas together, under the same remit, they tend to start sharing their learnings. It’s a great way to make sure that all their goals align across those
entrepreneurial digital start-up, in both retail and fi nancial services industries. In February 2017 she received the "Digital Star"
prize at the FDM Everywoman in Tech Awards.
areas.” Having a strategy that simultaneously feeds into and is supported by all areas strengthens the approach and allows for a more deeply integrated plan. “By having a shared goal it meant that when we were building our content marketing plan in 2016, for example, our content manager was talking to the SEO agency, talking to our head of PR, talking to our social media, eff ectively making sure that we are doing the right thing across the board, building the right content that’s going to help us reach that goal.” Once the whole team is on board with a single goal, the process becomes much more streamlined towards an effi cient plan that makes the most of the talent at your disposal. “The content that you want to build is content which the PR teams can go out there and talk about, which can be shared on social, which will help drive SEO. So our content will build from the bottom up, and then what we should come out with is four diff erent channel plans, but all building towards the same goal.”
Chomping Through Your Challenges
So what are Igboaka’s tips for businesses who are in the process of commencing their own digital transformation? “One of the things that my team do really well is to think big, act small. It’s all about looking at the bite-sized achievements that we can make today.” she says. “Yes, we want to have single customer view, yes we want to have that data warehouse, but given that we don’t, how can we use the tools within our remit to drive action and success today?” While the initial steps towards digital transformation may seem slow, by effi ciently breaking down your objectives, sharing goals across your marketing department and making the most of your tech stack, you can create a transformation strategy which will turn your data into a digital triumph.
travelex.co.uk
35 issue 30 summer 2017
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