It is with great pleasure that we find ourselves speaking with the godmother of email marketing, Kath Pay. Highly sought after email marketing thought leader, Kath, advises and trains marketers across the world. You can find her giving talks and sharing her experiences at most of the leading marketing events globally. And if she’s not at a podium imparting her knowledge, or consulting for clients, you will find her in a hammock sipping rum cocktails on her favourite Caribbean island. Find out what advice Kath has for marketers amid COVID-19 and her tips for aspiring marketers.

1.Please introduce yourself

Hi, I’m Kath Pay, CEO of Holistic Email Marketing. When I’m not working, you can find me at home, chilling with my cat Felix or maybe chilling on one of my favourite Caribbean islands. I’ve been in marketing for over 24 years and specifically email marketing, for over 21 years. Yep – it’s a looong time and I’ve seen many changes throughout this period. I spent 10 years on the UK DMA Email Marketing Council, and I currently sit on the MAC Committee of the EEC. I’m not one for entering awards, but I’m proud to have been nominated for and chosen as Finalist for the EEC Thought Leader of the Year Award in 2019. In 2010, whilst everyone was using the phrase; “Multi-channel” and “Omni-channel”, I introduced a new concept to the industry – the Holistic Approach. Today, you can hear and read about the Holistic Approach everywhere, as it is a sound concept that has become ingrained in the marketing psyche. I have a passion for teaching marketers to upskill themselves and think ‘out of the box’ when it comes to email marketing, and as such I’ve headed up training for Econsultancy on Email Marketing and Personalisation, as well as leading the IDM’s Email Marketing Award for over 5 years.  I’ve also taught courses for Digital Doughnut, B2B Marketing and Emarketeers, including lecturing for the MSc in Digital Marketing Communications which is accredited by the Manchester Metropolitan University. Finally, because I am so passionate about email marketing, I simply adore speaking and sharing my experiences and insights! Being an independent boutique consultancy, we don’t pay to speak, so I’m honoured to have been asked to speak at over 170 international and national conferences – allowing me to blend two of my passions – email marketing and travel, together 🙂

2. Please tell us about your business.

2020 is Holistic Email Marketing’s 10th anniversary, and as such we are one of the original boutique consultancies, made up some of the most experienced email marketing consultants world-wide. We have a three-step approach which we apply to all of our projects: Discover, Devise and Develop, and have had the pleasure of assisting brands such as: Transunion, Marks and Spencer, Mr Porter, eBay, Facebook – just to mention a few. Our ethos is what sets us apart from other consultancies: We believe that email marketing should be based upon the customer journey, its touch points and upon the customer insights gained from data mining. This is the essence of Holistic Email Marketing. We believe that email marketing is not a technology-driven channel, but rather a marketing channel that has incredibly sophisticated technology which enables data-driven, automated 1:1 marketing. We believe that email marketing, being a push-channel, is best leveraged when persuasive psychology and conversion-centred design principles are applied. The end result is marketing which the consumer interprets and receives as being customer service.

3. What have been the main challenges facing marketers in 2020?

Covid-19!

4. What in marketing or business inspired you this year?

How companies have stepped out of their shoes and into their customers shoes. I believe this has been a great experience for marketers because it really has brought home the fact that as a brand, you are marketing to humans and not just an email address. Humanity and empathy is now part of many brands’ marketing approach, and I hope it stays that way even after Covid-19 has passed.

5. What should marketers be focusing on in 2020?

Being nimble and evolving to the ever-changing circumstances of our current life. Don’t stay stuck on what used to work – you’ll be left behind. This is a time where you need to be creative, agile and prepared to test new approaches.

6. If you could give a tip to aspiring marketers what would that be?

Be inquisitive of your results and question everything – everything you’re told, everything you read and all your results. Be open-minded and take a pragmatic approach, rather than a purist approach.

7. You are sent to a desert island for 12 months – You can take 3 business books, 3 records and 1 luxury item – what would you take?

Oh my gosh, this is difficult. Both reading and music are integral to my happiness in life, so to limit them to 3 each is a very difficult task! So, 3 business books would be:
  • Friction – by Roger Dooley
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow – by Daniel Kahneman
  • How to be Vulnerable – by Brene Brown.
3 records would be
  • Ultimate Collection, Earth, Wind & Fire for when I want to feel uplifted and for a bit of a dance.
  • Michael Kiwanuka, Love & Hate – for chilling
  • Erykah Badu, Baduizm – just because I love her music
Phew! That was tough! Hmmm…I think my luxury item would be my hammock swing seat. I can sit, sleep, create relax and all the while be comfortable 🙂 You can follow Kath on Twitter and Linkedin