The 10 Influential Marketing Leaders 2019

For people seeking excellence in a
property management partner, Valet Living
is the tried and tested resource that supports
communities where people want to live and
that improves property value.
What attributes are required to
overcome the challenges faced in
Marketing?
Your job as a marketing leader is to
elevate the discipline to an art and a
science that is rooted in strategy,
measurement and results. Since
creative without strategy will almost
never triumph over personal opinions;
research, testing and fact-based
analysis are truly the most effective
ways to engage internally so that
programs can succeed externally.
How do you strategize your game
plans to tackle the competition in the
market?
I’m a big believer in classic
frameworks like SWOT analyses and
Porter’s Five Forces model. Once
you’ve established a brand identity that
is driven by strategy using these timetested
tools, it is then critical to stay
loyal to the brand. If your brand truly
promises differentiation in a way that
others can’t, it’s not necessary to
attempt to “one-up” the competition at
every turn. But it is necessary to own
your differences.
What are your insights on the
implementation of technological
advancements in Marketing?
Technology is amazing – as long as it
truly furthers a connection with your
target audience. Amazon has done an
incredible job of using technology to
personalize the digital shopping
experience – expressing both warmth
and competence with every click in a
way that even some of the most
sophisticated call centers cannot. But
technology gone wrong - the
implementation of live chat
applications with one-week response
times, for example - only damages a
brand’s relationship with consumers.
According to you, what are the key
factors that a Marketing Leader
should consider while deriving
comprehensive marketing
strategies?
By far and away, the most important
factor is having a crystal-clear
understanding of the organization’s
business objectives. From there, it’s
about developing strategies that
connect with your target audience to
over-deliver on these goals and then
applying marketing fundamentals like
the classic 4P framework to reach your
target audience. With the Valet Living
portfolio comprised of B2B, B2C and
B2B2C services, there is no one single
approach that works for all. Before
making any final decisions, I’ve found
that there is also no substitute for
gathering input from the leaders of
each business line as well as field
representatives on the front lines.
How do you keep up with volatile
trends in the Marketing discipline,
pertaining to your expertise?
It’s easy to be distracted by the latest
buzzwords and the temptation to treat
all challenges with a tech-forward
solution. But at the end of the day,
marketing is really just about
connecting with consumers. The
classic marketing rules of effective
design and the 4Ps of marketing live
on today for good reason – they work!
The question is, how can technology
complement marketing fundamentals
to further business goals?
What are your future
endeavors/objectives, and where
does Valet Living see itself in the
near future?
Valet Living is disrupting the resident
amenity space, and it is truly exciting!
Although there are other mobile
applications in the amenity services
arena, there is nothing like Valet Living
Home. While powered by technology
for the convenience of our residents,
amenity services like home cleans, pet
walks, and package management are
delivered by W2, uniformed
background-checked associates who
are trained by hospitality experts. Valet
Living Home is tech-enabled, not tech
first. This ensures a consistent, highquality
experience that is unmatched
by any other solution in the
marketplace. As we continue to bring
Valet Living Home to additional
communities at a rapid clip, I will
continue with relentless focus to bring
Valet Living’s vision to life – driving
resident usage of the platform and
ensuring that residents choose to live at
a Valet Living community above all
others.
What is your advice for
budding/upcoming Marketing
Leaders?
The most important mark you can
leave on an organization is results.
Drive results, and find ways to
communicate them across the
organization that aren’t overly selfpromotional.
And recognize that
marketing is still very much a science
that must be learned. It’s important to
step out of the “flyer-making”
mentality and learn from those who
have invested decades in perfecting the
marketing craft.