Kyri Vasou

Dynamic and results-driven Sales Director with 7 + years of experience across multiple verticals. Worked as an Account Director at The Guardian for 3 x years in a senior-sales/consultative role managing a tea of 5 before moving into the digital ad agency world.

Proven track record of exceeding revenue targets, developing robust sales pipelines, and closing complex sales cycles. Adept at understanding client needs, delivering tailored solutions, and fostering long-term partnerships. Skilled in leading cross-functional teams, strategic planning, and leveraging digital marketing to support client objectives.

WORK HISTORY 

Adapt Worldwide     September 2023 - Present

Director of Business Development       Remote, UK

UK-based digital marketing agency specialising in paid media and conversion analytics. I was brought on to spearhead the new business development function of the restructured team.

My main priorities were to encourage the growth of existing accounts and the onboarding of new clients.

• Organised and led meetings with prospective clients and with existing clients; fostered relationships, produced and presented tailored proposals/decks to address needs and challenges.
   
• Orchestrated targeted lead generation efforts, strategically contacting key stakeholders and C-suite professionals through a variety of channels including cold calling, email outreach, and personalised LinkedIn InMail messages.
   
• Provided consultative advice to clients on media and the evolving digital marketing landscape; offering valuable insights and recommendations to optimise their marketing investments and achieve maximum ROI.
   
• Collaborated with internal teams to ensure seamless execution of client projects, from initial briefing to final delivery.
   
• Conducted in-depth analysis of consumer psychology and behaviour to optimise cold email strategies, identifying effective tactics and refining messaging to maximise engagement and response rates. Then, employed rigorous A/B testing methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness of various email structures, formats, and messaging approaches, leveraging data-driven insights to continuously improve campaign performance and drive tangible results.
   
• Collaborated and worked closely with internal teams, including the MD, to develop and refine our unique selling proposition (USP), pricing plans, and incentives, ensuring alignment with business objectives and market trends. 

Key Achievements

• Spearheaded the successful implementation of a comprehensive MarTech stack, including a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, revolutionising our approach to client engagement and streamlining communication channels. This initiative provided us with a structured database of contacts where none existed before.
   
• Skilfully targeted and guided numerous business opportunities, from initial point of contact to close.
   
• Enhanced client results through comprehensive analyses of their digital marketing strategies, which lead to results in the way of a 35% increase in ROAS for key clients. 

DAC Group       October 2020 – September 2023
Director of Business Development           London, UK

A global agency (headquartered in Canada) offering a suite of solutions from SEO, content, programmatic, to their own SaaS platform. Possessed the spirit of a start-up due to the agency’s limited presence in the UK market, I was taken on to generate more exposure and business for the agency; I oversaw the end-to-end cultivation of DAC’ sales processes.

• Leveraged networking events as strategic opportunities to cultivate relationships with prospective clients, and build brand awareness for the industry. Represented the company and nurtured connections within the industry.
   
• Played a key role in conducting SWOT analyses of the company's business offerings, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to inform strategic decision-making and enhance overall competitiveness.
   
• Employed creative tools like Canva to develop visually engaging GIFs for outreach campaigns, enhancing the effectiveness and impact of our communication efforts.
   
• Conducted comprehensive analyses of prospective businesses' online strategies, meticulously documenting problem areas and utilising visual aids to effectively illustrate opportunities for improvement and showcase the value of our services.
   
• Utilised HubSpot to design and implement sophisticated email sequences, delivering targeted and personalised communications to engage prospective clients and drive conversions.
   
• Produced compelling imagery and collateral materials highlighting areas for improvement in prospective businesses' strategies, effectively communicating our ability to address their pain points and deliver tangible results.
   
• Conducted thorough competitive audits, benchmarking prospective clients against industry peers and identifying opportunities for differentiation and growth.
   
• Demonstrated the capabilities and value proposition of our SaaS platform through engaging and informative product demonstrations, effectively illustrating its potential to address clients' needs and drive business outcomes.
   
• Provided mentorship and guidance to colleagues, sharing insights and best practices to support their professional development and enhance team performance.

Key Achievements 

• Doors opened and deals closed with a range of tier-1 brands in retail: Tesco, Pret A Manger, Baskin Robbins, Metro Bank, A.S. Watson (Superdrug, The Perfume Shop & Savers Health & Beauty), Vision Express, Hawes & Curtis and more.
   
• Mentor 9 x other members of the sales and marketing team across our European offices.
   
• Oversee the end-to-end execution of campaigns on a few key client-accounts.
   
• Enhanced client engagement through tailored communication strategies, resulting in a 30% increase in client retention.
   

Freelance/self-employed     April 2020 - October 2020
Consultant       Remote, UK

Before taking on the job at DAC, I’d left The Guardian to travel, but had to prematurely cut it short because of the pandemic. Upon returning to the UK, I worked as a freelance consultant offering copywriting, web-development and a holistic restructure of business processes (everything from pricing models to sales processes).

Traveling                       November 2019 – March 2020

                        South East Asia

 
The Guardian News & Media Group                     January 2017 – November 2019

Account Director       London, UK

Managed a diverse portfolio of over 300 key accounts, including high-profile clients and sold Guardian’s suite of online products (including their SaaS platform). My verticals were commercial enterprises as well as recruitment and ad agencies (by extension of the agencies I also worked with government bodies, the higher education sector and charities).

Clients included Netflix, Warwick University, the Ministry of Defence, E.O.N, PwC, SalesForce, Diageo, and Mediacom.

• Cultivated and nurtured existing client relationships through regular in-person meetings and thoughtful gestures, fostering a sense of partnership and loyalty while keeping clients updated on industry trends and company offerings.
   
• Collaborated with third-party organisations to develop creative ad deliverables tailored to clients' unique needs and objectives, ensuring the delivery of innovative and impactful advertising solutions.
   
• Took a proactive approach to account management, identifying opportunities for upselling and expansion based on demonstrated ROI and client satisfaction, effectively driving revenue growth and maximising account value.
   
• Conducted regular client meetings to assess needs, present solutions, and ensure client satisfaction.
   
• Led client onboarding and training sessions, enhancing clients' understanding of The Guardian's offerings and capabilities.
   
• Collaborated with internal teams to deliver tailored solutions that met client objectives and drove business growth.

Key Achievements:

• Consistently exceeded revenue targets and achieved over £1,000,000 in revenue through strategic account management and business development initiatives.  
   
• Generated 70% of the team-target (email to prove it!)
   
• Promoted within 11 months due to exceptional performance and client management skills.

Goldsmiths University of London - English Literature and Drama degree