Salome Gelashvili: "Marketing Department Must Be Able to Combine Creativity and Analytics"
Interview with Salome Gelashvili, Marketing Manager of JSC International Insurance Company Kamara
Tell us about how you got into the field of marketing, and what factors played an important role in choosing this profession?
I graduated from a faculty that had many paths, such as psychology, sociology, journalism, and so on. My final choice was journalism, but I was thoroughly familiar with related fields. Since I started becoming interested in things that made me well versed in marketing, I started working on various projects starting from my time as a student.
One of these was digital broadcasting reform in Georgia, which was a major project for our country. Today, I lead the marketing team at an insurance company, "Kamara," and as I work on each project, I feel that I can grow along customer requirements, which does not allow me to stay in one place in my field.
What challenges do you face as a leader in marketing during a time of technological change?
Technological development enables those working in this field to get closer to our customers. In the past decade, this process has made it easier to directly reach out to potential or existing customers. On the one hand, it is important that there are simplified tools that help us identify and align with our customers' desires, and on the other hand, relying on new technologies, we can easily initiate projects and engage audiences.
Technological changes have made each offer different. At the same time, it allows you to cover a predetermined audience, and specifically target what will be of interest to the user.
Today, the marketing department must be able to combine creativity, the ability to keep pace with technology innovation, and analytics.
What has changed in the field in the last 5 years, and what changes are expected?
In recent years, a digital transformation has changed a lot. The channels for the dissemination of information have changed, often replacing traditional media with new media. Nowadays, there are many ways for consumers to get to know a specific topic, which makes it a challenge for marketers to complete each project with maximum accuracy.
What do you think are the most important traits a marketing manager should have, and what is his or her role in the organization in general?
Marketing is one of the most important roles in an organization. This field is the face of the company, expressing its idiosyncrasies . Marketing has the tools to help the company find the right positioning. Every detail that connects a customer to a company, gives them insights into the company and helps them make a decision, is an important feature of marketing. And a manager needs to be well-versed in modern technology, and have the desire to innovate. It is important to understand the voice of a user, and be able to make the right calculations at the start of the campaign.
What are you doing to help the organization keep up with new trends and use innovative approaches in the field of marketing?
First of all, it is important to identify specific approaches that will benefit the organization. Technological innovation offers a lot of opportunities, and we must tailor it to the project we are working on. It is noteworthy that staff were periodically informed about current trends.
What’s your organization’s business model, in terms of marketing?
Our company is always trying to offer customers something that has not been done before; to seek and find a niche that interest and desire will turn it into a business. One of the main goals is to develop and offer customer-oriented insurance products. It is also very important to us that those topics are relevant to society; for example, one of our recent projects on gender equality, outlining the approach of the community and highlighting issues.
One word that describes your job.
Novelty.
The most useful advice you’ve ever received in your life?
Do not hesitate to come up with a new topic and figure out ways to implement it. Another thing that is always important; be realistic, and always convey this idea in user feedback or figures.
Think of a person who inspires you, professionally.
There are many people who give me inspiration in different fields. Generally speaking, it is the person who can start a business from scratch and, despite the problems, find the path to a successful organization.