Meet Paul, our Marketing Lead, who joined the organisation after managing the LilaConnect account at its lead marketing and creative agency for over four years. A real-life example of ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’ Paul is using his forty plus years in the marketing industry to help shape the future direction of LilaConnect.
Firstly, can you introduce yourself and your role here at LilaConnect?
I’m Paul, Marketing Lead at LilaConnect. I joined the company in July 2024, but have been actively involved in LilaConnect’s marketing for over 4 years, having previously worked for a specialist marketing agency where I personally handled the LilaConnect account.
I head up the LilaConnect marketing function, working with a dedicated and knowledgeable team of experts who in turn work with a plethora of suppliers and agencies who each play their part in helping us to achieve our objectives. Collectively we’re responsible for the assembly and delivery of the company marketing strategy, and managing both internal and external relationships with key marketing and design stakeholders to grow our business.
I’ve worked in marketing for over forty years (I know… I don’t look old enough!), and have witnessed firsthand the effect that digitisation has had on our industry. This lifelong career has exposed me to both traditional and digital techniques, and multiple disciplines from Sales Promotion to Experiential marketing, and everything in between.
What’s one thing that you are proud of?
I’ve only been with LilaConnect for a few months, but I’ve really enjoyed being able to hit the ground running having worked with the business as a part of the organisation’s lead agency previously. Within 36 short hours of starting the new job here, the team and I decided that the quarterly marketing plan that we had in place wasn’t going to cut the mustard, so we quickly devised a new campaign with a refreshed approach and the results have been nothing short of outstanding.
Our ability to be so agile is demonstrative of the culture here at LilaConnect – one that fosters a spirit of freedom and collaboration, along with encouragement from the Senior Leadership Team to explore new ideas that will help us to achieve our targets. This freedom gave the marketing team the chance to rework our strategy to be more forthright and aggressive in our approach. The results… well, a 110+ uplift in website sales in just three short months. Now THAT’S something that I’m particularly proud of.
What do you like most about the work we do here?
What I like most is the fact that it doesn’t actually feel like work. The LilaConnect team are a fantastic bunch, each knowing what they need to do in order to deliver, whilst us all having each other’s backs.
Our product is most definitely best in class, which makes our lives so much easier. We don’t have to work too hard to explain why a broadband connection from LilaConnect is a ‘must have’, no matter what your needs and requirements. It’s fast, reliable and affordable – all we have to do is explain those benefits to a receptive audience and have some fun while we’re doing it.
What’s next for you and LilaConnect?
For me personally, helping to grow the business and to continue to support those that I work with. I’ve always enjoyed coaching and mentoring those around me and am intent on developing the marketing team to become the future leaders of this business.
I’m enjoying working with the marketing team and our agencies to develop a brand that reflects the quality of the LilaConnect proposition and is representative of our core values. I’d like for LilaConnect to be compared to other major national operators in this sphere and be regarded as a serious contender; a broadband provider of choice backed by sensational customer service.
