I finally found an email marketing specialist to continue with my UAE Digital Marketing Interview Series! Much excitement.
She’s a lot more than a wizard with email but I’ll let her tell you more about who she is, what she does and what keeps her going.
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Who are you and what do you do?
I am Hima, currently based in Dubai and originally from Bangalore. I have a strong background in digital marketing, with over 6 years of experience in various aspects of the field. I currently serve as an Asst. Marketing Manager at a prominent real estate brokerage, Astro Properties.
How’d you get started in email marketing?
I transitioned from a sales career to Marketing. I did a 6-month online course from Digital Vidya – CDMM. This course covered all aspects of Digital. One of the channels for lead generation was E-mail marketing. E-mail marketing is challenging and not as simple as it looks. It needs both technical and creative skills.
How long have you been in the game, in Dubai/UAE?
I have been living in Dubai for over 10 years and last 6 years been working in the digital.
What keeps you in the field?
I love what I do, and I am passionate about all things digital. The adrenaline rush that pumps in when I see my company closing deals from my leads.
What have you found to be unique about email marketing in relation to the region/country?
Dubai is very dynamic and the city demands innovation. I think open and click rates for email marketing are relatively low and everything happens on WhatsApp. Having said that Email marketing still has its charm, when done right, it delivers leads that are way high quality with low cost per lead.
What’s your advice for anyone who wants to get into email marketing? Any general or regional specific advice?
Read and follow Jaaved’s email content and opt in for similar email newsletters. You will understand how not to not bore your audience. Everything that you read or follow can only be your starting step. It is all about practice, test, review/analyze and repeat. (Edit: I did not pay her to say this!)
Email marketing works well for lead nurturing, so try and make your emails as interesting as possible.
What are your favorite tools to help you get your job done?
Email Octopus + Canva is my favorite, of course there are so many others tools which do a fantastic job like Mailchimp etc. One need to figure out their comfort and become a pro in it.
Which helps you better: coffee or tea?
I am a coffee person.
What are some things in email marketing that absolutely grinds your gears?
Do all the work and you email lands in Spam – my biggest nightmare!
Do you think AI might come for your job?
AI is great, and has crossed its nascent stage. I use ChatGPT in my everyday work. For now I don’t think so but who knows in next 5 – 10 years, things might be totally different.
If you weren’t working in email marketing, what would you be doing instead?
Teaching maybe : )
Himabindu Jumjur is a seasoned Digital Marketing Professional Helping Real Estate Brokerages Maximize ROI. She’s based in Dubai, UAE.
