Stepping into the AIM Spotlight this month, is Jason Lilien, one of our Account Directors and an expert in Global Customer Acquisition.
Jason holds a Master Degree in International Studies from a top Argentine University, and brings nearly 15 years of multi-channel marketing experience to the team. He was previously the Marketing Director for Blurb where he was focused on helping to drive customer acquisition and growth through digital marketing and global expansion programs. Prior to that, Jason worked with companies such as TravelSmith (HSN) and Marriott, where he oversaw a variety of online marketing, catalogue, offline and other brand building and acquisition programs.
As an analytically-driven and results based marketer, Jason is highly focused on utilizing data to test, measure and understand more complex performance questions such as channel attribution. He is passionate about helping clients to build international audiences.
We had a little chat with Jason to learn more about him and here’s what he had to say:
Question: You are a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
JL: Multi-color. I enjoy color, diversity, the globe, and I couldn’t imagine my life as one color.
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)?
JL: I think I’d like to be able to put anyone I want together in a room to force positive and enjoyable dialogue. At a global level, I’d be sponsored by the UN to improve cultural understanding throughout the world, but on a local level, I would serve to get two angry neighbours together to speak and realize their differences aren’t quite as big as they thought. My name would be: Super Seymour
Question: Your favourite Inspirational Quote (and why)
“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.”
― Yvon Chouinard, Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
Whether in sports, business, education, or just in life, we’re taught that success means reaching goals. But I believe that winning the championship, beating your yearly revenue targets, or obtaining that new diploma won’t be nearly as fulfilling as the path you took to get there.
Question: Name one thing about your job that inspires you to keep working at AIM and gets you out of bed in the morning?
JL: The newness of what I’m doing every day. Our clients’ needs are changing, the industry is evolving and the technology is growing so fast, that nothing is ever the same. It sometimes feels like I get a list of new challenges every day, and get to spend my time working with my team to understand the issues, and develop and implement unique solutions to help support our clients.
How did you become an expert in Global Customer Acquisitions?
JL: I loved the world, the subtle intricacies within different cultures and global markets, and at some point many, many, years ago, this passion intersected with my professional development in marketing and business.
Question: Tell us about your greatest achievement in your career, so far.
JL: I think the greatest achievement has not been reaching one specific target, rather, having reached many professional goals, and doing it while enjoying the people, the work and the challenge. Again, the achievements are not what drive me, as much as the everyday process of working hard, working with integrity and trying to tell as many poor jokes as I can along the way.
Question: What are the three key International Growth Trends in Affiliate/Performance Marketing in 2018?
1) Internet security and privacy concerns will continue to grow as a hot issue and is likely to increasingly challenge how marketers can track user behaviour online to make informed decisions. As laws differ globally, and tighter regulations are implemented in regions such as Europe, marketers and business’ will be forced to prioritize data privacy, which will impact both the cost of doing business and the tools that marketers have to work with.
2) In the face of increasing challenges to data collection, marketers that want to win will still need to become increasingly strategic in creating more personalized experiences for their audience. A generic ‘Buy hiking boots’ message won’t be sufficient as your competitors target the same user with a message about ‘waterproof, breathable boots, perfect for your upcoming trip to the Amazon’.
3) Within the affiliate space, we will continue to see the blurred lines between traditional affiliate, influencer marketing, social advertising, display, strategic partner marketing, events, in-store etc. Our clients demand more than a simple focus on coupon and loyalty sites and affiliate has quickly become the one traditional online channel that has done more to incorporate multi-channel approaches and tactics into their CPA model.
Question: What is your biggest professional challenge?
JL: Trying to find the perfect balance between the needs of my team, my employer, and our clients. After working for most of my career in-house, I have now had to learn the increased complexity of putting everything you have into exceeding a client’s expectations, but doing so in a way that enriches, motivates, and supports the team, all while contributing to the financial health of AIM. In other words, it is very hard to sustain success beyond the short-term if one of these elements is not at an optimal level.
Question: What is the one piece of advice you can offer to someone committed to achieve global excellence?
JL: Prioritize and be pragmatic about your approach. The world is a big place and you can’t possibly tackle it all, and certainly not all at once. Chunk things out over time, lead with short/mid-term priorities, and always maintain a long-term vision and strategy, but don’t hold on too tight to any of it, because it will likely change.
