Steph Chaplin is the global head of campaigns at Instagram influencer marketing service Takumi. She joined Takumi as an intern before the company had even launched. Since then, she has been an integral part of the core team working to develop and optimise the Takumi platform for brands and influencers alike.

“I ensure that brand campaigns across all markets are executed to the highest standard, developing internal campaign processes and recruiting and vetting influencers. I work closely with the product, finance and marketing teams to ensure Takumi provides the best possible service and results for everyone involved,” said Chaplin.

Chaplin’s recent promotion to a global role requires her to work with Takumi’s London, Berlin and New York offices to ensure international processes are running smoothly. Her days are varied but as the global head of campaigns based in the London office, she has the opportunity to travel a lot more, frequently visiting her colleagues in Germany and the US.

8.30am: I usually arrive at our London office at around 8.30am – I like to be one of the first people in as it can get pretty busy later in the day. This gives me about half an hour to have some breakfast and catch up on emails, especially any that have come in from New York overnight before my colleagues arrive. I also use this time to write a to-do list for the day and check the Takumi platform for any new campaigns.

With my new role, I don’t have as much time to check campaigns individually – that responsibility lies with my team of campaign managers – but I’ll have a quick look at how the campaigns are running, and ensure they are in line with client expectations.
Although it’s the responsibility of individual campaign managers to approve the projects submitted, I still get involved with what we refer to as ‘hero campaigns’ bespoke concepts, which require more manual work.

10am: There are 10 people in my team, so I make sure to sit down with them individually once a week to catch up on what they’re working on. We discuss each of their campaigns in detail, troubleshoot any issues they might be facing, and ensure they are communicating with their clients in the most effective way.

11am: Every other week we also have a global campaign management call between our London, Berlin and New York offices. This is a great opportunity to check in with each of the teams and to address any queries that have arisen since the last call. Recruiting influencers is one of our biggest targets, so we also use this time to brainstorm ideas to get new talent on board.

Takumi influencer marketing - Steph Chaplin 1

1pm: I always try to take an hour for my lunch and encourage everyone on my team to do the same. Despite being extremely busy, I think it’s really important they take a break. I like to use this opportunity to get out of the office and read a book somewhere.

2pm: A lot of my work revolves around Takumi’s expansion into international markets and given the time difference, I usually spend my afternoons liaising with the New York team. I schedule any international calls for after lunch, where we’ll discuss how we can improve processes and the different resources we can use to drive influencer recruitment and support campaign management.

4pm: Whether I’m travelling or in the UK, I attend regular face-to-face meetings with our influencers and their campaign managers to talk through any troubleshooting issues and any thoughts on the app. As I work closely with our head of product, we always try to action this feedback and optimise the platform for its users.

Feedback is an essential part of our business: last month we organised a number of influencer focus groups across the UK and US to gather information on their relationship with marketers. Having access to information like this is a great way to ensure we are optimising our services.

7pm: I’m normally ready to leave the office between 6.30 and 7pm but I like to remain flexible in case anyone in the New York office needs me. We utilise Slack as a business and this enables me to be available and flexible for my team.

My days are fairly busy, and I pack a lot in, but I love having a varied schedule. Takumi’s international expansion has given me the opportunity to take on an exciting new role as global head of campaigns and it’s great to be able to keep on top of what’s going on across all our offices.

Takumi’s workshop

Catch Takumi at the 2019 Influencer Marketing Show, where they’ll be hosting a deep-dive workshop all about how influencers, brands, and consumers all have trust issues with influencer marketing and how to identify transparent and authentic influencers.

If you would like to be featured in the next ‘A Day in the Life’ column, please get in touch by emailing: content@talkinginfluence.com.

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