Grow above and beyond expectations with customer knowledge

Libby Inc.’s Foodservice Channel Manager EMEA, Jana Wilhelmus, shares her obsession for the customer and consumer, and how it has helped her team come up with creative solutions to engage their consumers today. She also touches on the trends to come that will change the face of e-commerce.

Xtatio: Please tell us about yourself, touching on your professional experience.

 Jana Wilhelmus: My experience is in international marketing, I have more than 12 years of experience in the premium drinks industry. This has helped me develop a good understanding of the luxury and lifestyle buying persona. I am currently leading the marketing activity and digital strategy of Libbey glassware brand across the EMEA area.

Xtatio: What are the 3 core sales competencies that sales & marketing professionals should focus on in order to be successful? 

Jana Wilhelmus: Being obsessed with the customer and consumer is what makes a marketeer relevant nowadays. Having the consumer and customer focus when working on your marketing strategy can only help you grow above and beyond expectations. 

Second, having analytical skills is a must. Not only to be able to build a simple pricing strategy and manage budgets, but to utilize online digital technology. Being able to analyse customer and consumer data and use that to get better insights for your target audience, is key. 

Third competence would be leadership. Being able to inspire by action and lead by example. Female leaders tend to be more collaborative and more nurturing, focusing on growing talent in the business.

Xtatio: Why is customer knowledge a crucial competency for sales & marketing executives?

Focusing on your customer gives you the opportunity to take a scientific approach towards your target audience, whether that is your e-commerce consumer or your partnering distributor. Using empathy and understanding, knowing when to address them and with which voice. After you establish that, you need to commit to high quality content and make sure you cut through the noise. We noticed that Libbey glassware was literally taken from the bars from consumers who wanted to have vintage glassware at home. Based on those insights, we created an Instagram community sharing lifestyle ideas and inspirations and slowly linking that to our e-commerce marketplaces. 

One of the key causes to this problem - we talk, present, actively sell without really listening. In my experience, the only way to create an authentic relationship and understanding of the customer’s problems is to genuinely care by listening to what those problems are.

Xtatio: Do you have any tips and tricks on how to develop more in-depth customer knowledge?

Jana Wilhelmus: To be closer to our target group at Libbey, we created an online community on Facebook, to keep the conversation going with our end-consumer, to inspire them, challenge them and give them a creative platform. Since we started two years ago, we now have more than 5.000 members from the international bar-tending community part of the Glassology by Libbey group. The daily conversations and online activities give us first hand insights which we then apply in new product development and marketing tactics. 

Xtatio: What is your perspective on the role of sales & marketing during the COVID-19 crisis? How is it going to change, and will these changes endure post-crisis?

Jana Wilhelmus: At Libbey, we make glassware for Retail, Foodservice and the drinks industry. Our marketing actions are currently focusing on supporting our partners during these difficult times. 

Using our social media platforms, we announced the "quarantine challenge" in which bartenders can participate and create a cocktail in a Libbey glass, using whatever ingredients they have available at home. The goal is to stay engaged with our consumers and support them in times of uncertainty. 

How is life going to change? There are a few trends we are observing. One of them is THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE ECONOMY, where digital experiences will become a genuine status currency. Social media is the obvious manifestation on how consumers accrue status in the online world. But now, what will happen next is, other experiences will emerge such as retail, travel and "get togethers" in the virtual realm. Another trend is SHOPSTREAMING, which is basically live-streaming + shopping in one, this is going to re-write the fundamental rules of e-commerce as we know it. 

Xtatio: What would be your advice to sales leaders and marketing professionals on how to lead the business through the COVID-19 challenges?

Stay close to your people, nurture your team and be ready to adjust every day. Be on the watch for new trends and think outside of the box in terms of product and root to market. 

Xtatio: Can you share with us how you prepared yourself and Libby Inc for the uncertainties faced in the coming months?

Jana Wilhelmus: Nobody was prepared for this situation. We had to re-adjust our sales and marketing plans to be relevant with the world "today", the most important is to keep each other updated at all times, to share internal information through messages from the management team, functional experts and company's communications. 

Xtatio: The current economic state has an immense impact not only on SMEs & corporates but also on scaleups and startups. What different business strategies do you use for your own business," Wonder mama" vs. "Libbey"? 

Jana Wilhelmus: My curiosity towards digital urged me to establish my own webshop and marketplace with Wonder Mama, when I decided to create my own baby shoe brand and to join the rollercoaster ride of the online business. It is small but fun, and my partner and I don't do it to make money, but to learn and help other parents with innovative baby products. 

Xtatio: Being a mother and leader is challenging. How do you manage to juggle both successfully: running a business and home-schooling your children? Any advice to women in your situation on how to keep the team motivated and kids entertained?

Jana Wilhelmus: Have a positive mindset and focus on one thing at a time. If you are helping with the kids' homework just do that, and do that only. If you try to juggle both work and school at the same time, it will not work. My husband helps me a lot, we usually take shifts. While one is schooling the kids, the other one is working. 

Focus, be realistic and stay positive. If you try to do it all 100%, it will not work. As a mother and a female leader, my mission is to keep everybody happy, productive, and give them opportunity to develop within the established boundaries. Regarding my side-business, this is something I always do at night or on the weekends. Instead of watching a movie, I teach myself SEO techniques to optimize my website.

Alla Idrisova is the Founder and CBDO of Xtatio. A woman who is used to standing out in male-dominated territories, she started out with a Master’s in Engineering, followed by a Doctorate in International Economics & Business. An INSEAD Alumni, a mentor for startups, an executive coach, a Sales Leader and sparring partner of Martin Peters at Xtatio, she is an all-rounder who works hard and plays harder, counting kitesurfing, snowboarding & hanging out with her 3-year-old as her hobbies.