Field Notes with Ashley Wescott, Senior Field Marketing Manager of Exegy

Hello, everyone. My name is Ashley Westcott, and I am the Field Marketing Lead for Exegy.

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into marketing.

So, I started my marketing journey way back when I was in that transitional period between being a stay-at-home mom and a stay-at-home mom with children in school. I found myself with a lot more time on my hands, and since I dedicated the first part of my career to my home, my family, and raising my children to be decent human beings, I decided it was time to start working on my own career path. So, I started by creating a virtual assistant business, putting out ads on Facebook and LinkedIn groups—anywhere I could drum up business—to help small business clients as a virtual assistant.

Right off the bat, I was able to get five clients from a wide range of fields. I had clients in direct sales, a local pest and bug exterminator company, and a dental office—just completely different businesses across the board. I helped them with budgeting and marketing and focused heavily on boosting their social media presence. During this time, I also became a personal assistant to a field marketer. The more I worked with her, the more fascinated I became with what she did, the data, the travel, and the clients she connected with. I realised I was really drawn to that area.

As my work progressed, I was hired by the company that this field marketer represented, and I became a Field Marketing Coordinator. I worked with a team of 12 field marketers across the Americas, Canada, and the LATAM region, assisting them the same way I did with my first client. I was just thrown into this world of field marketing, learning from some of the best in the business. I soaked up everything I could and eventually built myself up within the company, establishing myself as a field marketer. Now, the rest is history.

 

That’s a fascinating story, Ashley! Can you tell us a bit more about what Exegy does?

Exegy provides a range of services that deliver innovative, fast, and reliable tools to the global capital markets industry. Simply put, we help companies get real-time information about market prices, analyse that data, and execute trades extremely quickly and efficiently.

It’s a complete platform: we offer data as a service, software as a service, and managed services. In the capital markets world, we provide and maintain the technology to make quick, efficient trades possible.

 

Can you tell us, Ashley, what your main focus is in field marketing at Exegy?

My role at Exegy has evolved quite a bit since I first began. In my first year, I took a step back and told the Head of Marketing that I wanted to observe and do things the way they’d always been done, with a few of my own tweaks here and there. I needed to get a grasp on this new market, as capital markets technology is a very niche field, and I wasn’t sure where to start. So, that first year, I focused on what they were currently doing: event marketing. I managed all third-party conference involvement for the company and even built Exegy’s first-ever internally hosted summit in New York City.

Now, my main focus is shifting Exegy from traditional event and booth marketing at third-party events to a more field marketing model and transitioning our event marketing from behind the booth to being on stage. In my second year, I was able to secure seven speaking slots for Exegy at various third-party conferences in 2024. I also added webinar campaigns and expanded our client summit to a second location in London. Recently, as I was working on my 2025 budget, I added even more field marketing program efforts in Chicago, Paris, and Belfast, alongside additional programs in New York and London.

I can’t tell you how great it feels to be trusted by leadership to bring this new focus to Exegy. And for the C-level professionals listening: if you’re hiring an expert to bring new strategies, give them that space and support. Exegy did that for me, and it’s enabled us to shift from a booth-based presence at third-party events to internal initiatives that create one-on-one interactions with clients. I’ll always be appreciative of the trust and support Exegy has given me to make this shift.

 

How do you define success in field marketing?

That’s a tough one. Success, for most, revolves around ROI and KPIs, and I do believe good data is important. But I also believe in measuring success in bite-sized pieces. Of course, you look at the overall results at the end of the year and quarterly as you go, but successful field marketing really is case-by-case. My best example of recent success is our New York client summit, which was our second annual event.

Exegy just revealed a new brand identity, blending elements from three companies that merged to create one Exegy. I was excited to showcase this at the summit, and we even included a new segment where clients spoke onstage about how they rely on our products and support. Picture a room full of representatives from the largest and most powerful banks in the capital markets, all competing to receive and send data as fast as possible. Exegy is the “secret sauce” that helps them do that.

At this event, we had clients onstage talking about Exegy among their peers and biggest competitors. I can’t take full credit for that, but it showcased Exegy’s stellar client relationships. I was able to achieve a 73% attendance rate, grow our attendance by 7% from the previous year, get 29 logos in the room, and bring in two co-sponsors. By the end of the day, we could account for $23 million in open pipeline and renewals in the room. As a field marketer, these are the results you strive for: the right people in the room, the right presentations, and the data to support it all.

 

What would you say is the biggest challenge field marketers face today?

In my particular role, I work in a niche community with intense competition. When I started, Exegy didn’t have a field marketing initiative, so the biggest challenge was learning about the clients and the products and figuring out an effective strategy without reinventing the wheel. Initially, I wanted to dive straight into complex ABM strategies, but I realised I needed to start with a solid foundation. I had to know my audience, understand the product, and establish strong relationships with the sales team.

Ultimately, the sales team and account executives are my clients. If I don’t know what they need for their own goals, then none of the larger initiatives will matter. So, the biggest challenge right now is starting small, avoiding the urge to cast a wide net, and building meaningful connections with both sales and clients.

 

What’s the most successful event or engagement piece you’ve hosted, and why?

The New York client summit and our recent London summit stand out. The success began with a well-curated client list. I worked with leadership and sales to identify the top clients we wanted in the room. We dug into data and looked at renewal dates, open opportunities, and business lines. Once we had our client list, I tailored the program around their needs. Exegy hadn’t used data-driven decisions for events before, so this approach was a bit new.

Thanks to this effort, we increased attendance, grew logos in the room from 23 to 29, and secured co-sponsors. Most importantly, we had $23 million in open pipeline represented at the event. These events start with understanding the client list, and the program evolves from there.

 

Specifically for events, Ashley, how do you measure an event’s ROI?

I look at who attended and the insights we gathered. We use SlideKnow, a survey tool that allowed us to ask key questions as presenters covered different product lines. The anonymous data we gathered showed us our clients’ needs, preferences, and challenges. For an event like this, one of the biggest ROIs is the client data we gain, which helps us stay client-centric and innovative.

Of course, there’s the financial aspect as well. How much potential revenue did we bring into the room? How many one-on-one meetings did we secure? At this summit, we had 23 client meetings and a wealth of valuable feedback, which was a major return on investment.

 

What’s your biggest marketing challenge at the moment?

Working in this niche market, with decision-makers who are constantly busy, makes it hard to get in front of them. For capital markets professionals, a day away from the trade desk is a big ask, but they keep coming because they’re eager to hear what Exegy has to offer.

 

How does Exegy stay ahead of its competitors in terms of marketing?

Exegy’s strength is its wealth of experience and reputation as a trusted partner and industry expert. Our core audience values stats, numbers, and reliable partnerships, so our marketing doesn’t need to be viral or elaborate. Field marketing at Exegy is about educating clients, maintaining close relationships, and driving innovation. Many of our competitors rely heavily on third-party trade shows, while we’ve shifted toward direct client engagement, moving away from booths at events. I believe this has given us a competitive edge.

 

What, in your opinion, is the biggest opportunity for field marketers today that wasn’t available in the past?

I’m a huge fan of AI. I use ChatGPT to better understand products and translate technical information into marketable content. I also use Google’s NotebookLM, where I’ve uploaded our latest product presentations. It’s like a personalised AI assistant that processes all this data, giving me insights I can verify with our product team. AI has helped me bridge knowledge gaps and make better-informed marketing decisions.

 

Let’s talk about marketing’s relationship with sales. Out of all marketing initiatives, which has your sales department been most grateful for?

Building a close alignment with the sales team is essential. I meet with each salesperson one-on-one every two weeks to discuss deals, clients, and goals. We strategise together, whether it’s setting up a webinar or workshop. Staying aligned with their goals makes sure that our marketing strategies support their objectives.

 

Can you tell me, Ashley, who your ICP is?

Our ICP includes clients who want an edge over the competition, are open to new ideas, and trust Exegy with their business. Open communication is crucial, especially when things don’t go as planned. Having a client who values that relationship is essential.

 

What’s a piece of traditional leadership advice you think doesn’t apply to modern field marketers?

Traditional advice might suggest focusing only on core responsibilities, but field marketing is cross-functional. We take high-level goals and break them into actionable strategies. Open communication with sales, client success, and leadership is key.

 

What do you believe is the biggest opportunity for field marketers today that might not have been available in the past?

When COVID hit, we shifted entirely to virtual events, learning we could connect with clients meaningfully even when remote. Now, I keep virtual options in my toolkit for remote clients. COVID taught me that creativity can keep us connected across the globe, and it’s something I’ll carry forward.

 

What does the future of marketing look like?

AI will play a big role in marketing, but human creativity will always be irreplaceable. Field marketing remains rooted in people and relationship building. At its core, it’s about making clients feel valued and connected, regardless of how technology evolves.

 

How would you describe the role of a field marketer in one word?

Can I say two words? Chaos Coordinator! We deal with everything: vendors, venues, deadlines, contracts, marketing teams, sales, leadership, clients, shipping delays, flights, you name it. My ADHD is my superpower here—perfect for the constant coordination field marketing requires.