THEO RIGAS - MARKETING MANAGER
This week we speak with Theo Rigas, Marketing Manager at Diversitech. Theo shares some insights on Diversitech's long-term brand and marketing strategy. He also discusses what he thinks it takes to be successful at his job and where he sees the company going in the next few years.
Q: What are your main responsibilities as Marketing Manager at Diversitech?
A: My primary responsibilities are many - driving lead generation is always a priority. Establishing brand visibility and credibility are key to attracting new customers and driving our growth, but providing a great customer experience is what retains our customers, and my team plays a critical role in both areas.
Another major part of my role is educating customers - ensuring they fully understand what our products do as well as the value they provide. We want our customers to know that we’ll be with them every step of the way, even after they’ve made their purchase, to offer them the support they need so they can get the most out of their Diversitech experience.
Q: What would you consider to be the Marketing department's key accomplishments during the past year?
I’m fortunate to have a great team that isn’t afraid to think outside the box. We’ve done some great work during the past 16 months. Together, we collaborated to create a brand style guide for Diversitech that didn’t exist when I first joined the company two years ago. This was a critical first step in allowing us to establish the type of visual consistency that you’ll typically see with most iconic brands. We leveraged that guide to build out a brand new product image library and re-design the product brochures and owner’s manuals which we see today. That branding was also re-purposed for our new corporate website which we just launched in the U.S. and will soon be launching in Canada.
Q: How does the working experience differ here from other places you’ve worked?
A: One of the great things about Diversitech is that we’re not considered a full-blown, large scale company yet. There’s still plenty of traces of a small, start-up environment. As a result, we often get things done a lot quicker; we’re not bogged down by red tape and excessive process. I can still go directly to Mr. Marvin Simms or to Senior Management and get a direct answer to a question any time I need one. I’ve worked in larger scale corporations in the past and there’s often a lot of process that stifles flexibility. And while process is great, it can be time consuming when you need to move quickly. In terms of flexibility and agility, working for a smaller company like Diversitech certainly has its benefits.
Q: Now that the company has been acquired by Absolent, what do you anticipate for the future at Diversitech?
A: These are exciting times for Diversitech. I think the Simms have done a fantastic job growing the company during the last few years. Absolent being an international corporation with a strong presence in Europe can certainly help Diversitech grow to the next level. I’m excited to be a part of the Absolent family and to see what the future brings!
Q: What do you find most rewarding about your job?
A: Knowing that we create quality products that help save lives. It’s also gratifying to know that people find value in our equipment. Occasionally we get feedback from customers telling us how our products went above and beyond what they expected - that’s incredibly rewarding.
Q: What is your biggest challenge?
A: My biggest challenge is constantly keeping up to date with all the technology, both in marketing and within our industry. It’s never easy but it goes with the territory. As marketers, we have to embrace constant learning and change. That’s non-negotiable.
Q: How do you overcome it?
A: A lot of it comes down to taking the time to invest in yourself. And that’s advice I would give to any marketer. If you want to stay relevant in this industry, then it’s critical that you keep refining your skillsets and learning the latest technological advancements. Technology is constantly evolving at such a rapid pace. If you don’t keep up, you’ll find that much of your knowledge is obsolete within six months.
Q: What skills best prepared you for this job?
A: A little bit of everything. I would say first and foremost, you have to have the soft skills to know how to talk to your team and communicate with your stake holders. You also have to understand how to be the brand voice in terms of conveying the company publicly to the customers. Equally important is knowing how to think like a customer.
Q: What role, if any, has the Marketing department played in Diversitech’s recent growth?
A: I would like to think we played a major one. I look at the fact that our lead generation is up 20% compared to last year. I look at all the work we’ve done just in the past year or so, fleshing out our branding and making Diversitech a strong brand visually. We’ve created marketing content that reflects who we are and provides information to our customers about the benefits of our equipment and how it works.
Q: What is your goal as Marketing Manager for the company in the coming years?
A: I would like to establish Diversitech as the gold standard in the industrial air filtration industry. I think part of doing that is not only creating great equipment but also creating a great customer experience. And that means great post-sale support. It means empowering customers to get the information they need easily and quickly. For example, a major component of our new U.S. website is our newly-created Support section - designed to help customers get the most out of their equipment. We built out a Dealer Portal for our distributors to interface with us in a much easier manner anytime they want. Putting the customer first is at the heart of most of our initiatives. It should always be our end-game.
Q: What do you think needs to happen to make that a reality?
A: Simply thinking about what the customers need once they have the product in hand. That means providing regular communication to make sure they’re happy with their equipment and that they know how to get the most out of it. We want to convey to our customers that Diversitech provides the best possible solution at the most affordable prices.
I would always encourage our customers to provide us feedback on a regular basis. That’s what’s going to help us improve. Everything we do, we do with our customers in mind.