Marketing consultancy O.agency's Original Thinking podcast explores a range of topics facing today's leaders, from finding originality in a world of AI to managing the pace of change in business.
In the latest episode, O.agency Managing Director Kirsty Ostell talks to Michele Gettins, awardwinning CMO at iamproperty, about more than 23 years in marketing, building brands with personality, and why B2B and B2C businesses have more in common than people often think.
Michele began her career at Sage plc, spending 15 years in fintech and working her way up from graduate to Head of Commercial Marketing.
She later moved into FMCG with Mayborn Group, working on the Tommee Tippee brand, before joining iamproperty, the Newcastle-headquartered proptech business.
When Michele joined, iamproperty employed around 220 people. Today, it has a team of more than 700 and works with 7,000 Partner Agents across the UK.
Read some of the conversation Kirsty and Michele had around creativity, growth, AI and why brand should never be treated as just a logo…
What’s the danger with marketing still focusing too much on B2B and B2C?
We’re all people at the end of the day. It doesn’t matter if we’re at work or at home, we’re still human. We’re looking for things that inspire us, interest us, motivate us or make life easier. I don’t become a completely different person when I’m in my role as CMO compared to when I’m at home as a mum. So why would marketers treat those audiences as if they’re entirely separate? Business to people is so much better as a principle.
iamproperty has always had personality as a brand. How important is that?
It’s a huge part of the brand mix. If you want to build a great brand, it has to have a personality and that usually comes from the people in the business.
At iamproperty, we’ve been lucky to have two very big personalities in our founders, so the brand personality reflects them and the entrepreneurial nature of the business. We have lots of fab people in the team too who really embody our values and what we’re all about. That’s what makes it feel true.
Does original thinking always have to mean a big new idea?
Not always. Sometimes creativity is about looking at a problem in a slightly different way.
At Sage, we created a reseller pack that brought everything partners needed into one place – product features, benefits, sales tools, collateral and guidance.
It was simple, but it changed how information was shared through the channel. A lot of great ideas are like that. They make sense once you look at the problem differently.
O recently helped iamproperty launch National Estate Agent Day. Why was that important?
iamproperty is a champion of Estate Agents. They’re our customers and we want them to feel proud of what they do.
National Estate Agent Day was a really simple idea, but the impact was huge because it gave a whole industry one day to celebrate the work they do. Agents got behind it, suppliers got behind it, our team loved it and even competitors supported it. That’s when you know an idea has real purpose and will stand the test of time.
How important has brand been through iamproperty’s growth journey?
It’s been incredibly important – it has given us authenticity, consistency and the ability to stand out. A brand is the DNA of the business and when you can wrap that DNA into a brand that grows with the business, it has real commercial value.
What’s your view on AI and creativity?
Every business needs to understand what it will use AI for and what it won’t.
AI can help people become more efficient, it can take away admin and give teams better tools, but it should never own the outcomes. People still need to own the nuance, the impact, the consequences and the personalities behind decisions.
Creativity comes from being curious, it comes from asking better questions, talking to people, listening to customers and constantly looking for ways to improve.
To hear to the whole conversation head to O.agency’s Original Thinking podcast on Spotify or via www.o.agency/news