Social Media Portal interview with Jane Sherwood from the UK Marketing Network

Social Media Portal (SMP) profiled interview with Jane Sherwood, marketing manager for the UK Marketing Network

Social Media Portal (SMP): What is your name and what do you do there at On The Edge Bristol (and the UK Marketing Network)?

Jane Sherwood (JS): Jane Sherwood, marketing manager for the UK Marketing Network. I put together the marketing campaign including, but not limited to, creating the banners, emails, social media distribution etc. My aim is to get the event under the nose of the most relevant people!

SMP: Tell us a little more about company organising On The Edge Bristol?

JS: The UK Marketing Network is a community for marketing professionals throughout the UK. The Network gives members the chance to engage with like-minded professionals via our discussions area and post top industry news and events.

SMP: Briefly, tell us about On The Edge Bristol, what is it and when / where is the event scheduled?

JS: On The Edge is a digital marketing conference which will be held at the Paintworks in Bristol on 25th September 2012. It?s a one day, sit down conference devised to make maximum use of delegates time.

Each session delivers key insights and actions from world-class speakers that can be implemented immediately, covering the following sessions; PPC, Video, Mobile, Search Marketing, Digital Content & Social Media.

SMP: Who are your target audience and why (and who should attend)?

JS: The event is open to all marketing professionals, business owners and anyone who needs help creating or maintaining a digital marketing strategy.

SMP: Why was On The Edge Bristol started, and how long has it been going?

JS: This is our first year hosting the On The Edge conference series; we started in London in June and after the huge success we had there we decided to head off to Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, we plan on returning in 2013.

SMP: What is On The Edge Bristol event doing that?s different, does it have a different vibe to London?

JS: After our London event we?ve been able to refine our topics so that On The Edge is going to be even more relevant and productive for the delegates. With a little help from fellow marketers we?ve pin-pointed the current pain-points and hot topics which has enabled us to find the best speakers in these areas who can share their tips and tricks.

SMP: What will be the highlights at the event?

JS: My personal highlight will be the presentations on SEO and PPC as it?s an area which I haven?t covered that much so I?m finding it difficult to get a grasp on; learning all the tips of the trade will be very exciting!

In regards to the highlights for the attendees, it?s quite a hard call to make. All of the speakers we?ve lined up are renowned for their engaging and insightful presentations so hopefully the event will be full of highlights.   

SMP: How are you attracting attendees to the event?

JS: We have developed partnerships with a range of companies in our industry in Bristol. We also have a great website, which we are using to push the event. We also have a subgroup from our main LinkedIn group, full of South West professionals who are very excited about On The Edge.

We are also using our social media channels, which include: 45,000 Twitter followers; 7,000 UK Marketing Networkers; and 2,500 Facebook fans.

SMP: What are the most important things that attendees can take away from this event?
 
JS: Where do I start! The speakers are covering all key aspects of digital marketing including: SEO, PPC, Social Media, Digital Branding, Mobile, Video, and Digital Content. Each speaker will be providing key takeaways for each topic so the attendees will be able to immediately create a fantastic digital marketing strategy with the latest edge.

SMP: What are the low moments of what you have been doing so far?

JS: It has to be the website! Our Events Manager was confined to her bed for 3 weeks so the responsibility of building and populating a site fell to me which was terrifying as I had to learn it all from scratch and I?m definitely not at her CSS coding level!

SMP: What are the high moments of what you have been doing so far?

JS: The success we have already had! Reading all the fantastic comments from the London attendees was really incredible and within two weeks of marketing our Bristol event we had sold over 50% of our tickets which was such a rush. It has been amazing to watch all our hard work pay off.

SMP: What do you think the next big developments in marketing, PR & Communications and mobile space are likely to be - and what role does social media have to play in this?

JS: I think that augmented reality will become a big thing in a few years. From a social media perspective augmented reality will increase its publicity and could create more platforms to engage. I can?t imagine social channels slowing down, instead I think their integration into real-life will increase.

SMP: Do you see any differences in how advertising, comms, marketing, media, PR etc., are managed in the middle to north of the country in comparison to the south?

JS: There does seem to be more digital marketing agencies based in the South but I can?t imagine there would be any difference in their approach due to geography.

SMP: Best way to contact you?


Twitter: @jane_sherwood or @ukmarketingnet,
LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/janesherwood and On The Edge Bristol website


SMP: What did you have for breakfast and lunch?

JS: Shamefully I didn?t have any breakfast, I bought some Fruit Loops yesterday to see why Americans love them so much but alas, I woke up too late! For lunch I had pâté on a baguette with some coleslaw and potato salad; it was very scrummy!

SMP: What?s the last good thing that you did for someone?

JS: I stayed with a friend after an operation making sure that she was well fed, watered and looked after. I also have monthly donations to charities and try to call an elderly family friend daily to make sure he?s ok and see if he needs anything. I?m hoping that one of these counts!

SMP: If you weren?t running or working with On The Edge Bristol (or doing what you do) what would you be doing?

JS: I would love to own a little bakery, nothing flashy, no plan for world domination (just yet!), I just enjoy baking.

SMP: When and where did you go on your last holiday?

JS: Somewhere between graduating university and starting here I went to New York with some friends which was amazing. However since working at UK Marketing Network there has been little time for a holiday so I shall be dreaming of white sandy beaches tonight.

SMP: What?s the first thing you do when you get into the office of a morning?

JS: Try and dig my way out of the mound of emails which seem to appear overnight and hope that someone will offer to make me a cup of coffee!

SMP: If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

JS: I would like to know everything! It sounds a little ridiculous but I?d love an encyclopaedia in my head so I could access information about anything.

I?m constantly looking things up on Google and Wikipedia to find out more and even better, I?d never lose an argument!

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