Meet Marketing Director Jonathan Sharp from Ripple Marketing
simplyaskit | May 30, 2018
Welcome Jonathan
What is your occupation and what services do you provide?
I am a marketing professional. We offer a range of support services for small and medium businesses across all industries. Our three offices bring together a group of experienced marketing personnel with specialities including web development, graphic design, social media and direct marketing, advertising and video content. We also run regular free group workshops helping businesses to plan and grow.
Name of Business?
Where is the business located?
Our three offices are located in Brookvale, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Hunter Valley, and Surrey Hills.
How long have you been in marketing?
I trained as a graphic designer 25 years ago and since 2005 have alternatively worked as national Marketing manager and running businesses, always in marketing roles. I started Ripple Marketing just over 4 years ago.
Is there any particular part of the marketing industry you specialise in?
The idea behind Ripple Marketing is that we can answer and execute any plans the client has across multiple disciplines. My office specialises in Graphic Design, Web Design, and workshop training, whereas each of our other offices has their own specialities. It means as a group we can help any business.
What do you do for your clients that sets you apart from other marketing businesses?
It’s more about what we don’t do. We don’t use jargon, we don’t mark-up suppliers (printers or advertising space) costs, we don’t want to look, sound or act like an old-fashioned agency. We simply make it easy for customers to find, understand and buy from our clients.
What role does communication play in helping you operate a successful business?
Our very business is communication. Both with the client and with the client’s customers. We insist on a face to face talk with the client at the beginning of the relationship. This helps us understand the client’s passions and expectations.
What has been your favourite marketing strategy or work you’ve done that you are particularly proud of?
I am always proudest of the project I am working on at that time. I am working on a national event for next year that will break a World Record, build a huge profile for a group of businesses and raise a quarter million dollars for our chosen charity. In the past, we helped turnaround a landmark restaurant, built a family-friendly online community including a business listing, classified ads site, a deals, and competitions section and a place for family-friendly businesses to advertise.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in business?
That expectations have to be managed well. The only time a client has been disappointed with our services is when their expectations were not managed at the beginning. I am happy that in all cases we did the very best job and got the best results for the client, but the client had unrealistic views of what should happen - and we should have managed that better.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The keep a “Stop Doing List” on your desk. Every time you find yourself doing something that you really don’t like doing, put off, are no good at etc, put it down on the Stop Doing List. Then find a way to stop doing it. Outsource, restructure to avoid doing it, employ someone to do it etc.
What are your favourite hobbies?
I have three young children, two of whom were very sick when they were born. I now am really passionate about running events and activities that raise money for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation - a charity that buys life-saving equipment for Australian children’s wards and departments within public hospitals. In 2018 I will be hosting the 4th Northern Beaches Charity Ball at a secret location, in November I will be launching a self-built flying machine into Sydney Harbour as part of the Red Bull Flugtag and next year am planning a large national event - all to buy more equipment and save children like mine. I also don’t mind skiing and sailing either.
If you'd like to contact Jonathan or ask him a question - click here
