#WomensMonth: Former Mrs South Africa Nicole Capper joins Humanz
Capper who started exploring the marketing field when she became Mrs South Africa, believes that her new role allows her use the skills and experience she has from various industries, to support the company’s strategic objectives across markets in Africa.
What interested you in a sales role?
I don’t see myself as a salesperson and this is the greatest value I bring to the table. My greatest skill has always been bringing brands, people, and opportunities together to create a synergistic environment for achieving goals and business objectives, whilst ensuring that everyone walks away from an interaction having achieved more value than when they walked in the door. I believe sales are the same.
Why did you decide to join Humanz?
For me, my highest priorities are doing what I love and adding value. Humanz checks both those boxes. I am working in my niche and doing what I love. The team culture is phenomenal: both myself and the team at Humanz have the same common goal of creating a more transparent and synergistic andscape for brands and creators, and it creates a unity not frequently found at many companies. This unity extends to the client partners we engage with and was an initial attraction for me in joining the team.
What do you plan to do in this role?
I want to cultivate harmony in the market by carving out a healthy space for brands and creators. I also want to invite agencies to be part of this deliberate process. We all need to ensure that the influencer marketing arena builds brand safety as well as nurtures creator growth. A place where everyone wins. We do not have competitors in the market - we only have partners.
Why is influencer marketing important?
Influencer marketing is ultimately word-of-mouth referral (the most powerful form of marketing still) but communicated through trusted and well-loved channels - creators - in ways that their audience relates to optimally. It’s authentic even if it’s paid for because successful creators only speak from their hearts. This means that they find the real benefits of products or services that resonate with their followers.
Influencer marketing gives a target audience the chance to get to know a brand’s story. It is not limited to static images or copy - it allows storytelling. This is one of the first steps in building long-term relationships with any audience.
There is magic in association. Synergistically connecting brands and humans together has the advantage of elevating both parties. When brands partner with quality influencers who produce quality content their voice is amplified in the market. This means they get to cut through the chatter online and grow into a leading authority in their industry. In the same way, the creators elevate their status by working with aligned brands.
Those who are just as committed as we are to ensuring these goals are fought for, and that advertising moves in the right direction - towards a multi-faceted far-reaching web of influence. My core responsibility will be spearheading the growth efforts of Humanz to further expand the adoption of its platform by all e-commerce sites, marketing agencies and talent managers.
I would also like more local brands and marketers to see influencer marketing as a serious contender with, and as a complement to above-the-line marketing that doesn’t always offer nearly as much traceability and audience engagement, and to change some traditional marketing stereotypes that many brands still hold on to. I hope to be a part of influencing this change.
What have been the biggest lessons you have learned in your career?
Failure is a win. I have grown my best character traits in the midst of agonising public failures. Failure is never fatal, and it’s become my compass.
Your goals are a guide and most of them are not meant to be accomplished. Most of the goals I set all put me on a path - the right path - one of action and intention. It’s in the trying, not the achieving, that we grow and eventually achieve success.
No one really knows what they’re doing. You don’t have to have it all figured out - whether its your life goals or your next campaign proposal. Gain confidence in the fact that you’re learning and figuring it out as you go, then surround yourself with people who can fill in your gaps with experience and perspective.
Then most importantly - it’s very rarely personal. What do I mean? Clients rarely think about your personal feelings when issuing instructions or giving feedback. It means you must develop a thicker skin, take in all feedback with a positive growth-oriented attitude, and move right on past it.
The world is busy and moves too fast for offence and over-sensitivity. Learn to communicate better - read books, sign up for courses, and learn to spend more time deliberately communicating instead of falling from one offence and misunderstanding to the next.
Who are the women who have influenced your career?
I look up to winning women in South Africa who never accepted no as an answer - whether it was in response to their career aspirations or a random project idea. Some of these who inspired me and whom readers may recognise for their standout careers are: Katie Mohommed, Farah Fortune, Zuraida Jardine, Madelaine Roscher, Joani Johnson, Tamara Dey, and Karen Zoid.
Each one of these women has had a profound impact on my life - some of them just by one statement they made that I will never forget. I aspire to be so deliberate in my conduct and communication that I can leave this impact in the lives of other upcoming winning women.
About Karabo Ledwaba
Karabo Ledwaba is a Marketing and Media Editor at Bizcommunity and award-winning journalist. Before joining the publication she worked at Sowetan as a content producer and reporter. She was also responsible for the leadership page at SMag, Sowetan's lifestyle magazine. Contact her at karabo@bizcommunity.com
