Field Notes with Julie Horville, Senior Manager Field Marketing South EMEA of Mirakl

Julie, tell us a little bit more about you and your role at Mirakl.

Hi, Andrea. So, in fact, I joined Mirakl a bit more than two and a half years ago, in January 2022, and I have a 20-plus-year background in field marketing, mainly in SaaS solutions. So, very much B2B-oriented. And, yeah, that’s about me.

 

Tell us a bit more about yourself and also how you actually got into marketing.

Oh, wow. So, by chance, I would say. I was studying something very unrelated to marketing—I was in international law, specifically Italian law. For some reason, I was extremely good at Italian but not at all in law. So, I had to revise my plans, and by speaking with a friend who was looking at marketing and communications studies, I realised it was very much in line with who I was and what I could be interested in. So, I tried it, and it worked.

 

Sounds great. And what does Mirakl do?

Mirakl is a leading suite of SaaS solutions chosen by over 450 leading enterprises across the world, both B2B and B2C, to power their profitable digital growth in what we call all angles of eCommerce—from platform models to retail media, catalogue and seller management, payments, and more.

 

And, Julie, can you tell us what your main field marketing focus is at Mirakl?

Yeah, so I would say it’s finding new ways to generate a qualitative pipeline. We’re all about that, but also, something key for me operationally is bridging all our solutions within a unified field marketing approach, specifically for my markets. We’re also pivoting the market’s perception toward our comprehensive offer. We’re building on extremely strong brand awareness from our legacy solution, but we offer much more, and we need the market to know about that.

 

Of course. How would you define success in field marketing?

Well, that’s an interesting one. So, you have what you measure, of course, but what you measure doesn’t necessarily reflect all the work you do. It’s a combination of the pipeline you source, the one that’s reported as such, and the one you influence. It’s a large portion of your contribution to the business, I would say. In the end, it’s making sure you influence each and every opportunity created and, hopefully, in the assigned pipeline.

 

And in your opinion, Julie, what is the biggest challenge that field marketers face today?

I think it’s embracing AI the right way—not waiting, but doing it right. With the plethora of options and offers, you need to dedicate time to it to make sure it becomes second nature and doesn’t add work to your plate but is part of your daily operations.

 

Makes sense. Now, in terms of field marketing, let’s talk about events. What’s in store currently at Mirakl?

Well, of course, we have a number of events. We have our own events in various formats, such as third-party events, partner events, etc.

But what I also work on, and it’s not the only thing, is a podcast called Place to Be. I don’t know if you’ve heard about it because, for now, it’s mainly in French, but the good news is that it’s going international soon. In fact, it’s a program we launched a year ago, in mid-September 2023, and we’re releasing the 19th episode tomorrow. We’ve already reached over 60k listens, which is pretty cool. I’m working with our General Manager of B2B on that program because he’s the host, along with the support of others.

 

That’s great! It sounds like an impressive initiative. I’m definitely going to check it out. Now, what’s the most successful event or engagement piece you’ve hosted, and why?

This is why I mentioned the podcast—while it’s obviously not a lead gen initiative, it’s about thought leadership, and we’re now seeing returns with interesting sales conversations, which is very impactful and satisfying. In terms of events, I’d mention smaller formats, which are increasingly relevant because of our audience’s workload. For example, 30 minutes of networking, one hour of content with a panel discussion, live audience interactions with speakers, and closing with 30 minutes of networking. This format works well, especially for C-level people, since it allows them to get the most in minimum time without interrupting their day.

 

Yes. Now, you mentioned ROI based on events. So, how do you actually measure an event’s ROI?

There’s ROI, and then there are other outcomes. ROI would be the number of sourced opportunities with this event as the primary source. But we complement that with brand awareness, strengthening relationships with prospects, existing customers, and partners. All of this is crucial for a solid program, as you need these pieces as part of the ecosystem for long-term success.

 

How do you track the impact of your events on pipeline and lead generation?

In our CRM, we import leads, flag the most interesting ones, and push them as MQLs. This setup creates a segmentation of the people we met at the event, allowing us to source opportunities effectively.

 

And what would you say are the most significant challenges you face when hosting events?

People are extremely busy and constantly solicited, so it’s about creating the most relevant experience to draw them in. The content matters, but so do the people in the room. Networking is increasingly a priority, so the community aspect is critical, especially at C-level events where participants face similar strategic challenges.

 

Can you tell me about a particularly innovative or successful field marketing campaign that your team recently executed?

That would be the podcast. Podcasts are everywhere, but creating one with a lasting impact that reaches a wide audience and evolves over time is powerful.

 

What are your biggest marketing challenges at the moment?

I covered this earlier—embracing AI. It’s a challenge for field marketers in general, but we’re fortunate to work at a company engaged with Gen AI from day one. AI has been around, but this new wave is a civilisation change. Our co-founder even calls it that! So, it’s about doing it right, making it second nature, and constantly rethinking our messaging to resonate more with the market.

 

How does your company stay ahead of its competitors in terms of marketing?

Top-notch execution on everything we do is our standard. We try to innovate with experimentation, testing, and adjusting, and that approach yields results.

 

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

AI, without a doubt. It’s powerful, but it’s important not to lose yourself in it. You could spend all your time going deeper, but it’s essential to use it effectively.

 

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

Events, especially those with proven success over the years. We have a significant trade show that the team looks forward to every year. We also have a Mirakl-led event happening in France for the 4th edition, focusing on B2B, which our sales team highly values. Having a dedicated space for B2B professionals to connect has been impactful.

 

Which marketing strategies have yielded the most success in terms of engagement and lead generation?

Integrated campaigns. For me, a strong event with targeted content and digital touchpoints is key to ensuring it’s well-attended.

 

Can you tell us more about Mirakl’s ideal customer profile (ICP)?

We have several ICPs, but we typically engage top management as our solutions are transformative and require decision-makers early on. Depending on the solution, we also target different departments like marketing, finance, and IT, as each has a stake in the digital business and tech stack.

 

What career advice would you give to someone starting in field marketing?

Take guidance from the top, but challenge it based on field insights. As you’re on the front lines, your input is valuable for enhancing the go-to-market approach, processes, and identifying gaps.

 

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

Focusing solely on core responsibilities. Field marketing is cross-functional; you work with every part of the business, skill level, and expertise. You can’t just look at core responsibilities, or you’ll miss the bigger picture.

 

What does the future of marketing look like to you?

I recently read an article by a friend discussing why the traditional funnel is outdated. Buyer behaviour is no longer linear; it’s self-learning, looping back, and bypassing steps. This change, along with ABM strategies like one-to-few, is reshaping our activity. It’s vital to resonate with our audience’s pain points and challenges.

 

And finally, how would you describe the role of a field marketer in one word?

For me, it’s “Maestro.” You’re orchestrating every aspect—expertise, people, time, skills, and budget—to make your territory successful.