Providing support to in-house marketer through mentoring & coaching

Flex Marketing has been working with Bonson, an Australasian packaging manufacturer and supplier, since 2018. In the past few years we have helped grow the Bonson brand by initially getting hands-on with marketing implementation to gain a good understanding of the business and the most pressing challenges.

Addressing the branding was the immediate priority as there were multiple brands cannibalising each other without a unified, strong message. We led a re-branding project that helped to create a clearer brand hierarchy and stronger platform to project a consistent brand story from; leveraging the equity created from a single brand.

A few key projects came out of the re-brand, including the development of two websites for the Australasian business. In parallel with these projects was the need for more marketing resource. Having out-grown being able to depend on external help for marketing through our outsource services, it was time for Bonson to recruit for internal marketing resource.

Flex Marketing assisted Bonson with defining a marketing job description, advertising and recruiting a Marketing Co-ordinator. Since the Marketing Co-ordinator was employed at the end of 2019, our role has become less implementational and more strategic as we are now providing support as a mentor and coach to help with professional development, alongside guidance on strategy. We are also helping to lift some of the load from their Manager (who doesn’t have a marketing background) by acting as a ‘go-to’ person for reviewing marketing communications and providing feedback.

In this story we put some questions to Bonson’s Marketing Executive (recently promoted from Marketing Co-ordinator in recognition of her contribution and development) for insight into what it has been like having a senior marketer from outside the company to work with, coach and mentor her through Flex Marketing's Mentoring & Coaching Services.

What appealed to you about joining Bonson?

Bonson is a company that is truly devoted to continuous development. There are always exciting new projects, challenges and innovations underway, allowing me to grow together with the company! I am passionate about ‘everything marketing’ and I saw so much marketing potential at Bonson. This role is unique in a way that I’m empowered to make a difference doing what I love every day whilst being supported with nurturing mentors.

How did you feel about joining a business that didn’t have a Marketing Manager to report into?

It was a mixed feeling…in a good way. I was excited about what the unknown future held, knowing that it was going to be a great challenge and at the same time relaxed because having Andie working closely gave me the confidence that I would have the support of someone very experienced and caring.

What have been the biggest benefits of not having an in-house Marketing Manager?

Being able to really own the role and make a difference in the company. Every day I’m challenged in different ways and have the autonomy to achieve things I’ve never imagined. You also get to develop your business acumen. Being the sole in-house marketer means going beyond just doing the task at hand, you also need to understand why you’re doing it and what impact it has on the business. You need to be able to communicate effectively with everyone around you who may not necessarily know much about marketing.

And the downsides to not having an in-house Marketing Manager?

Probably not being able to see senior marketing people in action, however Flex Marketing plugged this gap by being very involved with my work and the upsides as mentioned above outweigh the downsides. As flexible working becomes the norm, it works similar to if we were working remotely.

What sort of things do you and Andie work on together?

Everything, including a wide range of marketing activities from having Andie attending regular work in progress meetings, reviewing email campaigns, developing marketing collateral together such as catalogues, signage and brand assets through to developing marketing plans and working on special projects. Whether strategic support or hands-on work, Andie has provided exceptional help and has always added value in all areas.

What were your initial impressions of Andie and how has this working relationship developed over time?

Apart from her expertise in all things marketing, Andie has always been very friendly, insightful to talk to, and you can tell she genuinely cares about your personal growth and the work that we’re doing together. I’ve always looked up to her as a role model and these days I can open up to her about almost everything. She’s also shone a lot of light on my career development.

Are there any key strengths you have observed or qualities that you admire in Andie?

Being able to achieve great work-life, juggling different roles in her career and home life. It takes exceptional time management and perseverance. I also admire her constant strive to improve – even though she is so experienced, Andie always puts effort into learning new trends and insights to stay current in the ever-changing marketing space. Her attention to detail is also very impressive!

What have you gained most from the mentoring and coaching Flex Marketing has provided?

I’ve experienced growth in all areas from soft skills to best practices and technical know-how… all thanks to this mentoring & coaching service with Andie. I guess the most valuable asset I’ve gained is the mentality to be able to see the bigger picture; managing situations with maturity and believing that there are no challenges you can’t overcome! Every marketing role is unique and it’s up to you to make something great out of it.

A supportive work environment is important for people, including myself, to thrive. Having Andie’s support has meant I‘ve never felt ‘alone’ being the sole in-house marketer at the company. Sometimes one cheering message from someone who understands your world makes all the difference!

If you could describe the benefits to another business thinking about engaging the mentoring & coaching services from Flex Marketing to help their marketers who are early in their careers, what would you say?

It’s a great investment to help you make better informed decisions and make sure your marketing activities are delivering the results you want for your company. Plus, it demonstrates how much you care about developing your marketing capability and team’s professional development – your in-house marketer will thank you for it! Andie is very experienced with her mentoring and coaching work, so you are in good hands.

About Bonson

Bonson has grown from a small family run business over thirty five years ago into one of Australasia’s leading food packaging suppliers and manufacturers. Bonson’s innovative and unique food packaging solutions help customers combine outstanding shelf appeal with superior functional performance and sustainability.

Proudly New Zealand owned and operated, Bonson’s state of the art food grade operation houses the latest in injection moulding, robotics, in-mould labelling (IML) and thermoforming technology that is capable of creating world class award-winning packaging.

Bonson’s solutions range from quality polypropylene packaging to plant-based and custom solutions. Underpinning Bonson’s operation are some of the most internationally recognised protocols. Bonson products are optimised at the development stage with sustainability in mind and their purpose-built premises are designed following global food safety and eco-operation principles. Bonson supplies products that are reusable, recyclable, bio-degradable or compostable.