Six years ago, she walked into Expliciet as a project manager. Since then, she has made the transition from following up on projects to managing her own clients. And how! Evelien ‘Ballie’ brightens up every meeting room with her laugh and takes care of every briefing to perfection. Outstanding organizational skills that she loves to carry through after hours.
As an account manager, Evelien is in direct contact with her clients. She is the key link for conveying those clients’ messages internally to colleagues.
But what exactly happens in between? ‘One of the biggest misconceptions about being an account manager is that it’s a desk job. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are days when I barely spend half an hour at my desk. One moment I’m visiting a client, the next I’m giving a creative briefing internally, then I’m working out a strategy or guiding internal brainstorms. Every day is different.’
That Evelien shouldn’t have expected a desk job became clear immediately in her first week. ‘On my first day, I was already in front of the camera to introduce myself to our clients. That immediately set the tone for how Expliciet interacts with clients. In a very personal and open way.’
‘Fortunately, for most projects, I’m behind the camera (laughs). This was also the case for one of my favorite projects of the past six years: Bewel Duel. The goal of this image campaign for Bewel was to put the social enterprise in a positive light. It was an all-encompassing project: from a key visual to an online campaign and videos featuring famous Flemings. It was great to develop this and see the results.’
‘This is also really something I love to do. Getting my teeth into something and wanting to win. The longer I’m in the role of account manager, the more this comes out in me. I don’t like beating around the bush. With a hands-on approach, I want to make sure everything gets sorted.’
‘Thanks to the trust I was given, I have grown along with Expliciet and I am where I am today.’
Getting her teeth into something is also what Evelien likes to do outside of work hours. ‘I really enjoy organizing dinners for friends and family. Even then, I want to take care of everything to perfection. From the cooking to the table setting. Everything has to be right. I like being busy so that everyone who visits me has a great time. If I were to do something totally different for a year? Then I would probably build my own small catering business.’
Are all Heart Hunters welcome in that small catering business, Evelien? ‘Absolutely! I have a good bond with many colleagues, even outside of work life. Being a Heart Hunter is hard to explain to outsiders. There are many companies where colleagues become friends, but at Expliciet, there is a real investment in the culture, which takes it a step further. One of my favorite moments so far? The karaoke night on my very first Explidition in Krakow. Everyone was totally into it! I knew immediately that I had ended up in a top group.’
How do you ensure you are a next-level account manager?
‘By focusing on what gives me the most energy. Client contact. Especially when the client is very open and involves us closely, I feel the trust. That way, I can really help them move forward. When clients reveal their full business story, we don’t just act as a marketing supplier, but we truly enter into a valuable partnership. And then I can clearly convey that story here internally.’
What for you makes the difference between a good and an outstanding account manager?
‘An outstanding account manager doesn’t just accept everything a client says. He or she dives fully into the business case and understands the client. And not just the product, but also what keeps the client awake at night. Besides pure marketing, you also have to master the business story. That’s an exciting challenge every time, because we work for many different sectors.’
What role do your fellow Heart Hunters play for you?
‘It’s not just the Heart Hunters, but Expliciet in general that plays an important role. The Expliciet of six years ago is no longer the Expliciet of today. We have grown in number of employees and in terms of expertise, approach, and vision. Thanks to the trust I was given, I have grown along with the company and I am where I am now as an account manager. And I look forward to continuing to grow.’