Partnerships are at the core of clovio’s business model, as they’re our main source of income. Therefore, we need to have someone entirely focused on all our partners to ensure everyone is happy and that we’re delivering the best value possible. That’s where Gabriela comes in. With the job of handling partners for both the Best Reviews and Feeling Lucky websites, she needs to be extremely organized and observant of the market’s trends. Despite the hard work, she still finds time to do some recreational activities, and you’ll mostly find her at the beach on the weekends. Throughout this interview, Gabriela tells us how it was moving from Brazil to Portugal, the most important factors of her role, and some tips for anyone who wishes to become an account manager.
What is your role in the clovio team?
I’m a Partnership Account Manager in the company, which means that I help maintain relationships with our current partners and establish new partnerships. It’s my job to connect the readers and users of our online media brands with the right solutions for our partnered advertisers.
How did you become a Partnership Account Manager?
I think within the offline and digital marketing area, there are so many paths that you can follow and specialize in. During my digital marketing course here in Lisbon, I decided that I wanted to focus on the performance part of it, so I started working in a performance-based affiliate network, that was my first introduction into the account management world.
At the time, I was in between the advertisers and publishers. After a while, I realized that I wanted to be on the publishing side, with a more focused approach on establishing strategic partnerships, developing media packages, and negotiating placements. Luckily, here am I now.
What do you consider the most important aspect of your role with clovio?
Definitely organization and paying attention to the details. Among our media brands and having so many different partners, it’s easy to get lost. That was my main challenge in the beginning, especially working remotely full-time for the first time. I have to make sure I’m always up to date on the current and upcoming agreements, constantly following up on the performance of our online campaigns, and coordinating content creation with other team members.
What does your ideal work setup look like?
I’m usually an early riser, I find it easier to put myself in the work mindset right away, so I usually start my day around 7 a.m. with a coffee. I prefer working in my living room, I’m also more productive while listening to music, it helps me to forget about my surroundings and concentrate fully on what I’m working on at the moment, especially if I’ve decided to work in a cafe.
What do you like to do in your spare time and on weekends?
During summertime, you can always spot me on the beach. I love camping, going for treks, and visiting waterfalls, so any outdoor activity count me in. When it’s not sunny and warm, I’m usually watching series or looking for a new movie to discover.
For the days when I’m homesick, I always cook some typical Brazilian dishes. I also love to go to museums and see exhibitions with friends, Sunday for me is usually the perfect day for that.
You are originally from Brazil, so what made you decide to live in Lisbon?
Living abroad is something that I’ve always dreamed about, so after graduating in marketing and advertising back in São Paulo, I had to choose a path to follow within the marketing world. For me, branding and digital marketing were two subjects that I was really drawn to the first moment I got in touch with them. So, I went to London to pursue a Master’s degree in branding and upon finishing the course, I decided to move to Lisbon and start another specialization, but this time in digital marketing.
What advice do you have for those who want to manage media partnerships?
Make sure you manage your time in the most efficient way possible – the key to working remotely is finding a routine that works for you and keep you concentrated. Also, being a great communicator and having a strong commercial sense are essential factors to manage media partnerships.
Another aspect of succeeding as a Partnership Account Manager is to be constantly curious. That means you always need to be researching, looking for what’s new in the digital media market, and keeping a close eye on what your competitors are doing. This will ensure you can offer the best added value when proposing and negotiating new agreements and media packages.
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