Auguste Rodin came up with The Thinker, but we have our own – better – version. In this article, we introduce you to heart-hunter Ben. This marketing and communication strategist with a passion for deep-dive content loves nothing more than diving into the story behind the company. And that’s when outstanding stuff happens.
The Book of Answers by Carol Bolt is a permanent fixture on his desk. You could compare it to the literary version of the Magic 8 Ball. It might not be the first piece of reading material you’d link to the brain behind most of our content strategies. But it’s probably there for a reason.
‘It’s primarily a playful object, but I do use it to make very trivial choices. That way, I don’t have to clutter my head with them and can concentrate 100% on the important things.’
Like marketing strategies, for example? ‘Absolutely. Such a strategy is anything but a project with a single straightforward answer. It’s up to me to create a clear guideline, starting with a unanimously supported story about the company and ending with a set of very specifically agreed-upon marketing goals.’
‘How you get from point A to point B, how you tell the story, can be filled in in various ways. I might choose one approach, while a colleague might handle it differently. It’s precisely that “journey” that makes my job so interesting and unique, and from which I constantly draw lessons to apply to my next projects.’
‘Furthermore, stories cannot exist without people. What keeps someone awake at night? What makes his or her heart beat faster? Where do you even find those people and how can you convince them of your message? No matter how much we are involved with AI and all kinds of tools today, nothing is more valuable than working with people and around personal ideas every day. Without those elements, you don’t achieve true added value, and that is the human aspect of the business story.’
Outside of work, Ben also likes to take his time to carefully weigh his various options. ‘The best possible place for me to find peace and come up with new ideas is the golf course. You spend a few hours surrounded by greenery, in complete silence, and only have to focus on one goal. Actually, the golfing itself is just a side issue.’
‘There are actually many similarities between golfing and determining a strategy. The only certainty you have is the starting and ending point. How you get there, which club you choose, and which shot you take can all vary along the way depending on the circumstances. So it’s no wonder that everything falls into place for me there (laughs).’
‘I also enjoy more active sports, like padel. Unfortunately, injuries regularly throw a spanner in the works. Luckily, I’m someone who easily picks up new hobbies and stays busy with them for a while. For instance, I can happily dive into puzzling for months, only to suddenly throw myself into something completely different. You learn a little something about everything, and you can then use that elsewhere, in your job or in life.’
How do you ensure you always stay one step ahead as a strategist?
‘By constantly learning about how I can reach my target audiences in new or better ways. The world changes fast, as does the way people find and process their information and inspiration. It’s up to me to keep up and apply as many new learnings as possible to the right client cases.’
What, for you, is the difference between a good and an outstanding strategist?
‘In my eyes, a good strategist is someone who prefers to put on their proverbial boots and dive right into the middle of people and their stories. That’s where you’ll find the most valuable information for your strategic plans. An outstanding strategist, on top of that, constantly adapts to changing circumstances as much as possible and uses this new information to do even better next time. That drive makes the difference.’
What can you absolutely not do without to achieve the best results?
‘To go from that 80-85% success rate to 95%, you can’t do without a constant stream of valuable feedback. Both from the client’s side and from my colleagues. Otherwise, you risk getting stuck in theory, while a successful strategy should feel very practical and natural.’