Interview with Quiet Mark CMO, Simon Gosling
“Should we speak quietly?” we mused as we opened our skype call, waiting for Quiet Mark CMO Simon Gosling. “I wonder if he will be like an enlightened monk, able to communicate his strategy for online marketing, through the power of his eyes”, we half-joked. We were surprised…
Quiet Mark is fighting the world’s second-largest killer pollutant
Quiet Mark is the independent global certification programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation. They provide scientific testing of products across various industries. Quiet Mark does this to determine which ones are the quietest. To the uninitiated, this may not seem like a ground-breaking cause. However, WHO research suggests noise is the second largest killer pollutant in the world. Noise affects mental and physical health. One million healthy life years are lost every year from traffic-related noise in western Europe alone. In short, it is a major health problem. Therefore, it was clear. Fighting health misinformation is not just about what is said, but also what is not.
Suddenly a face appeared on our call. “Hi, I am Simon”, he said, greeting us with a broad smile and energy. He didn’t look like a Monk. “Hi Mark, urm, Simon” we stumbled before correcting ourselves, embarrassed. Simon has a commanding yet calming presence, clearly accustomed to holding court. He laughs at our mishap and gently guides us back to our interview.
The mission is powered by a 360 strategy for online marketing
To our surprise, Simon is a man of many talents. Despite working for Quiet Mark, he is also a drummer and a confessed music nut. The irony – is this the right guy, we wondered? Like Stewart Copeland of The Police, he sets the backbeat to the interview. He calmly provides surprising insights into the issues humanity faces with noise. Interjected with dynamic passion, he is a man working with an organisation on a mission. He understands that for Quiet Mark to make a difference, they need to be trusted. However, to build trust, an effective 360 strategy for online marketing is needed.
Noise is damaging human health in unexpected ways
Simon commences the interview with a regular, up-tempo beat. He reels off stat after stat of why noise is a problem and a solution is needed. Excessive noise can increase sleep disturbance, stress and anxiety levels. It also prevents healthy recovery. Surprisingly, it is not just about the sound decibels. It is also about the irregular frequencies, sharpness and tonalities. So, this explains why people leave when this writer ever participates in Karaoke! However, Simon, as a seasoned musician, is in tune with this issue.
Is your business losing money because of the noise?
Simon explains that noise extends beyond human health. 52% of UK employees say they would factor noise into their future employment. Moreover, 79% say the loudness of the appliance matters when they are looking to buy. In essence, it can also hit companies’ bottom line. Furthermore, noise is not just about age. Some might suggest only old people are being grumpy about excessive noise. Yet, Quiet Mark’s research suggests 66% of 18-34 years olds would like a quieter home.
50% reduction in noise pollution during the pandemic
Fixing noise pollution is starting to gain momentum, in no small part due to the work of Simon and Quiet Mark. However, Simon with his enthusiastic modesty explains that there are other contributing factors. He talks about the fact noise was reduced by 50% during the pandemic. This was due to the reduction in construction, road and airline traffic. This has made people appreciate the sounds of nature and offered an “antidote to the pandemic”. The ongoing trend of human well-being further enhances this.
Still, this does not explain the high increase in demand for Quiet Mark certification. In the last two years, it has risen from 350 products to over 1200 products. The list of manufacturers rose by 33%.
The flywheel approach: An optimal strategy for online marketing
Like Phil Collins’s solo drum fill in “The Air Tonight”, Simon, unleashes a marketing masterclass crescendo. Leaning forward, Simon looks intensely into the camera. He describes how he follows a flywheel approach to strategic marketing with a calm authority. An approach followed by many of the biggest brands in the world. Traditional online marketing approaches often attract customers into a conversion funnel. It then pushes them through to a sale. But the flywheel approach follows an attract, engage and delight formula. In layman’s terms, it generates a positive feeling around the company. This consistently provides a great service and offers an optimal strategy for online marketing. It can include various forms of content creation, that aim to bring people into your “tribe”.
Using social listening to identify what people are saying, can be a powerful online marketing strategy
At Quiet Mark, working alongside CEO Founder, Poppy Szkiler, Simon has led an initiative to transform the marketing function. It has become a central pillar of the organisation. He utilises social listening analytics to identify what people are saying. This way he can fight misinformation. If anyone uses the Quiet Mark certification trademark, Simon knows. This offers a possible alternative to the popular children’s game “Simon says”. Furthermore, he monitors whenever anyone uses the word “quiet” across the online ecosystem. This leads to strategic marketing insights and analysis of the type of content he can create.
Speaking quietly, will not stop Simon from hearing you. There is real merit to this type of analytics. It helps Quiet Mark to understand what is happening across the online ecosystem. This means he can adapt its messaging to attract and retain new partnerships and supporters.
Leveraging your brand is a great digital marketing strategy
Unlike many marketing leaders, Simon doesn’t stop there. He recognises the importance of 360 marketing. He explains how he hosts The Quiet Mark Podcast. Named one of the top 20 health podcasts of 2021, it is in the top 10% of the most popular podcasts globally. The podcast interviews a wide range of experts who all share the same mission. This is a powerful marketing tactic as it helps elevate and leverage the Quiet Mark brand.
Quiet Mark CEO, named ‘Queen of Quiet’ by the Sunday Times
Just as we get ready to assume, the drumming is going to stop, Simon picks up the beat. He casually mentions he also uses push and pull media platforms. This helps put him in contact with journalists and the media. It enables him to provide soundbites on articles journalists are writing. Moreover, it also helps in the creation of content written about Quiet Mark. This has had a transformative impact on their strategy for online marketing. It has helped get Quiet Mark in front of hundreds of thousands of new people. This led to an article from the Sunday Times. They named Quiet Mark CEO founder, Poppy Szkiler “The Queen of Quiet”.
Getting PR in the mainstream media helps provide many additional benefits. As any good SEO expert will tell you, getting published on high authority online platforms is a key marketing strategy. This helps increase the strength of your website. Also, it is a key component of ranking highly in search engines.
Furthermore, Simon leads a team that creates ‘Quiet Times‘ the company’s monthly newsletter. This helps support all the content delivered across various social media platforms. The result is Quiet Marks’ 20k+ followers are constantly engaged and delighted.
Simon’s 360 strategy for online marketing has led to thousands, in organic traffic. Moreover, it attracts some of the biggest companies across the industry. Organisations from Dyson to Samsung, now proudly adorn the Quiet Mark logo. They use it in their packaging and marketing. This is impressive, especially when considering Quiet Mark has a small workforce. It demonstrates the power of a clear digital marketing strategy.
Quiet Mark has started a quiet revolution
Simon pauses and smiles as we get ready to end our call. We are taken aback by all the initiatives that he and Quiet Mark have put in place. This is no ordinary CMO or organisation. They are special and lucky to have each other. Finding a CMO with this level of expertise in 360 marketing is difficult. Finding one that is also a musical expert is almost impossible. As we say our goodbyes, it is clear. Quiet Mark has started a quiet revolution. It will improve the lives of millions.
0 Comments