At All Inclusive Marketing we are fortunate to have a leadership team that inspires, motivates and truly leads by example. Our spotlight this month is on Jodi Rieger, our Senior Account Director and someone who always inspires us to do better, ensuring we deliver best in class service by living our values – Delight, Innovate, Grow and Give Back.
With people as her number one priority, her strategic approach to problem solving and her knowledge of the Affiliate and Performance Marketing industry, Jodi is not only an impeccable leader but an integral part of the AIM team.
We asked Jodi a few questions to get to know her better. Read her answers below and you’ll understand why we love and respect her so much.
Question: You are a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Jodi: Oh gosh, open my closet and you’ll know the answer immediately. It’s black. For my wardrobe, it’s a little like Mark Zuckerberg’s gray t shirt – it’s just a go to and I don’t have to make many decisions and everything matches. Wearing black lets me fade into the background so I can observe and listen unnoticed until I’m ready to say something or join in. And it leaves room for something else to make a statement – crazy shoes or an over the top rhinestone necklace – or, I hope, the substance of what I’m saying.
Question: If you were a super hero (and we know you are), what would your super power be and what can we call you? (super hero name)?
Jodi: We talk about this a lot at home where fascination with superheroes reigns supreme. I’d love to be able to teleport anywhere I want instantly. I could be wherever I was most needed to save the day! I’ve not yet come up with the perfect name. Maybe we can crowd-source this one?
Question: Your favourite Inspirational Quote (and why)
Jodi: Oh I’m a sucker for a good inspirational/motivational quote and print them out all the time and tape them up all over the house. It’s super annoying. Here are 3 currently taped above my desk:
“I am unable to quit, because I am currently too legit.” MC Hammer, sort of (does this one count? I hope it counts! It makes me feel a little powerful but also reminds me to laugh at myself all the time.)
“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together” – Elizabeth Taylor and also almost everyone making fancy signs on etsy. This reminds me that no matter how I feel when I get up, I’ve got people counting on me for all sorts of things. “Pull yourself together, Jodi” is the mantra I repeat to myself when I start to feel overwhelmed about all the little things in a day that can pile up and get to you and make you feel crazy.
“Nobody ever got rich by not picking up pennies” – my Mom. I like this one because she literally does ALWAYS pick up a penny if she finds it and doesn’t understand why someone wouldn’t pick up actual money – no matter how small – that’s just lying there on the ground! But I also like to think about how no one gets anything by NOT doing something.
Question: Name one thing about your job that inspires you to keep working at AIM and gets you out of bed in the morning?
Jodi: As so many on the team have already said, it’s definitely the people!
Question: How did you become an expert in Digital and Affiliate Marketing?
Jodi: Accidentally! I had spent about a decade in retail buying and merchandising and a friend of mine worked in Affiliate Marketing and said – hey I think a lot of what you’re doing with retailers would make sense over here. So I tried it and it did and I’ve just sort of stuck with it!
Question: Tell us about your greatest achievement in your career, so far.
Jodi: A few years ago I had an incredibly challenging client with an incredibly challenging affiliate program and I worked with my team to deliver an annual strategy for them. At the end of this gruelling 5 week process of building and rehearsing the strategy, the client told me it was the best work she’d ever gotten from any agency she’d ever partnered with and then she hugged me. Then I got a round of applause from the team. And then the team and I had a dance party in the conference room.
Question: What are the three key trends in Affiliate & Performance Marketing today?
1) Attribution – still a hot topic and will probably appear on this list every time I get asked for the next who knows how many years.
2) User privacy – people want privacy online but they also want a highly customized and personalized experience. How can brands and marketers deliver both?
3) Personalization – follows from the above. How can we, as performance marketers, help our clients and partners deliver the most personalized and meaningful experiences for customers?
Question: What is your biggest professional challenge?
Jodi: My biggest professional challenge is also my biggest challenge in life – how to keep my cool and remember that there’s no such thing as “having it all.” I can’t do everything – not all at once anyway. There will always be something unfinished at the end of the day. There will always be dishes to wash, laundry to do, clients to call, problems to solve, challenges to overcome, things to learn. I’m always reminding myself to take a deep breath, prioritize (and re-prioritize!) the to do list, and tackle one thing at a time.
Question: What is the one piece of advice you can offer a budding Performance Marketer?
Jodi: My advice is the same for anyone – performance marketer or not –
1) Always raise your hand – be the person on the team who says “yes!” when someone needs help on a project, coaching through a problem, or even some mundane task to be completed. You will learn so much and you’ll be appreciated for your willingness to jump in.
2) Be open minded and willing to learn. Whether you’re starting out or have been in in the industry for a decade, always be willing to learn.
3) Approach challenges as opportunities. Of course, not every day is a great day. But you’ll have more good days, I guarantee it, if you can approach even the most difficult problems with a growth mindset and try to see them as opportunities.
Jodi is a seasoned digital marketer with over a decade of experience in performance marketing on both the network and agency sides. She has had the pleasure of working with brands like Toys R Us, Saks Fifth Avenue, Zipcar, and The Wall Street Journal. Besides being passionate about digital marketing, Jodi is also passionate about her coffee, her friends, her book club, and spending time at home with her family where you can almost always find a pajama-dance-party in progress.
