[NewsMaker] Selvan Naidoo

Q: What is your business focus right now?
A: The main focus is to offer clients a measurable campaign to drive brand awareness with the intention of driving sales and building brand loyalty.

Q: What is your main business challenge?
A: The biggest challenge is maintain the high standards of delivery / execution on all marketing functions. This is achieved with the support of an experienced team that has the knowledge and skill set to manage some of SA's top Brands.

Q: Most important attribute needed in your position?
A: Communication is key in this role - understanding the client needs and being able to offer marketing solutions to drive their business; communicate to the team to ensure all marketing elements are executed based on strategic plan.

Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry?
A: The need for multichannel marketing to deliver on top marketing campaigns. You can no longer use one or two channels and hope that the message is received. All marketing channels are powerful in some way and knowing which is appropriate, to which customers, can streamline the message. But a flyer or a business card is not a marketing strategy anymore.

Q: What do businesses need to do in this economy to 'market to the max'?
A: Make sure that they understand their businesses' target audience and have a unique proposition for their consumers that demonstrate that you have taken the time to ask what customers want and then set out to meet that need. A proposition that sets them apart and one that makes people take notice.

Q: What is Marketing2theMax's unique value proposition?
A: With the experience and divisions within Marketing2theMAX, we are able to offer a full turn-key solution to our clients. We also understand both the client and supplier side and offer clients strategy and world class execution. The business offers a full suite of creative, editorial and audio/visual production facilities ensuring that a client can market themselves in print, online, physically, or on television and they have no need to go and look for any of these services themselves.

Q: What have you learned as an entrepreneur?
A: That I cannot do it all myself and neither do I want to. I have learnt to surround myself with only the best team in the industry and offer only the best service to clients.

Q: What inspires you?
A: The drive to succeed, for the business, my family and for personal satisfaction. It is not enough to have one of those factors in place. All three keep me motivated at all times.

Q: Your life philosophy?
A: Work hard and play hard.

Q: At the top of my 'bucket list' is...
A: For Marketing2theMAX to become the biggest promotional company in South Africa.