MarTech Interview with Julie Gu, Head of Consumer Marketing at Prezzee

1. Julie, could you provide an overview of the significant milestones and experiences in your professional journey that have been instrumental in molding your career in the field of consumer marketing?

I started out in traditional print media but I knew that digital mediums would be the preferred platforms of the future. While at Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), we wanted to enter the Chinese market but debated whether to develop a newsprint product or launch a website. I was part of the team that recommended, developed, and finally launched WWD China as a purely digital play. It was the right call and hugely successful for the brand. That led me down an integrated digital-first marketing path that has persisted since.

Then while at ASMALLWORLD, a global invitation-only social network for English-speaking travelers, I made the shift from consumer marketing with a brand focus to consumer marketing for membership acquisition. This experience was instructional in helping me understand how to market a persistent daily product that was lifestyle and community driven as opposed to transactional.

I was able to combine my digital marketing and membership lifestyle experience at Hagerty, where we grew our core insurance business by leveraging a content-forward editorial strategy to engage automotive enthusiasts for increased awareness and engagement. During my tenure at Hagerty, I launched dozens of websites, newsletters, and events to increase our audiences and market penetration by 10x.

My journey is certainly not over yet, but these key experiences have helped me develop the digital expertise, member-driven focus, and content strategy that is critical to succeed with consumers.

Bulk Sends and Co-branding
2. How does Prezzee Business facilitate bulk sends for corporate clients, and what advantages does this feature offer?

Prezzee supports companies looking to reward employees, incentivize sales teams, or drive customer loyalty with a few key advantages:

• Bulk gifting discounts with generous percentages off the face value of each gift card purchased
• Freedom to choose from hundreds of brands, a curated selection or allow their recipients to decide
• Ability to personalize the experience end to end, from how the digital gift cards are delivered (by Prezzee, via email or SMS, or using the company’s messaging system), to the card design featuring your company logo and images, plus add a personal video greeting to seal the deal
• Companies can also further their cost savings with campaigns that add expiration dates on digital gift cards so you only pay for what was spent

Impact on Corporate Gifting
3. How has Prezzee transformed the process of corporate gifting compared to traditional methods?

Our digital first approach means that no one will ever lose a gift card using our platform and companies have the power to track delivery and spending all in one easy to access website. In addition, their recipients receive a best-in-class experience where choice is at the heart of what we offer. You can select from hundreds of brands, swap one brand for another, and save funds in our mobile device wallet to spend online or in-store.

Retailer Variety and Selection
4. Prezzee offers a platform with a wide selection of retailers. How is this variety curated, and how does it benefit the end-users?

We are constantly growing our list of brands with dozens added each month. Our goal is to offer brand selection in nearly every category from daily household essentials and groceries to clothing and travel. Plus our brand partners often offer additional discounts and bonuses that make gift card purchases valuable for gifting or self-use.

5. How do you approach creating and implementing business and marketing plans for both B2C and B2B segments in the North American market?

We offer products for everyone and take a wide sweeping approach to our marketing from the fundamentals in SEO, SEN, and performance marketing to affiliate programs that introduce us to new audiences, plus social media and direct sponsorships with key organizations. We also take a seasonal approach with holiday occasions and key gifting moments that include out of home and over the top campaigns.

Go-to-Market Strategy and Messaging for North America
6. What considerations do you take into account when designing Prezzee’s go-to-market strategy, tone of voice, and key messages specifically tailored to the North American market?

America represents the lionshare of gift card purchases across the globe and consumers have a plethora of choices. Prezzee stands out among the pact with our international offerings, 24/7 customer service, the ability to swap and spend so you’re never tied to just one brand or offering. It’s all about choice, convenience, and care – you can see this in the friendliness and relatability of our creative, the ease of use in our UX, and our emphasis on growing our brand catalog.

Communication and Education for Sales Team and Stakeholders
7. How do you ensure effective communication and education for the North American sales team and other stakeholders regarding campaign-related objectives, deadlines, tasks, and KPI performance?

Our enterprise follows an OKR foundation for business goals that ensures all employees and stakeholders commit to the same initiatives and track our progress transparently. We also collaborate and work within an Agile framework that makes operations bitesize and achievable.

Management of Marketing Systems and Vendor Relationships
8. How do you oversee marketing systems and vendor relationships in collaboration with revenue operations to ensure they align with marketing’s business requirements?

We align with sales and finance on a daily basis with automated reporting and triggers when issues arise. Planning tools like Monday.com and knowledge sharing via Confluence ensure that teams stay organized and in the know.

9. Can you share any insights or lessons you’ve learned during your time at Prezzee that you believe are valuable for professionals aspiring to excel in the field of consumer marketing?

You need to understand the business from end to end, it is not enough to just be a good marketer – to be great, you also need to be a finance partner, a product expert, and a sales leader. Putting yourself in the operations of each department will ensure that marketing can be effective in getting stakeholder buy in and achieving targets.

Closing
10. As we conclude our discussion, is there anything else you’d like to add or highlight about your role at Prezzee or the company’s vision for the future?

At Prezzee, our function is gift cards, but our value to the consumer is helping transform the way we give and receive. At our core, we foster human connection between brands and buyers, companies and employees, and friends and family.

For more such updates, follow us on Google News Martech News