The post: Marketing & Business Development Manager, Montalto Estate.
The post holder: Tracy O’Toole
No two days are ever the same for Marketing & Business Development Manager Tracy O’Toole.
Here’s how she became a Marketing & Business Development Manager
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
My career started in Dublin at Limetree Concepts, a marketing and advertising agency, as an Account Executive. It was a small company so I was able to gain experience in all areas of advertising, marketing and public relations. I then moved to Northern Ireland where I worked as the Marketing Communications and Events Executive at the King’s Hall Complex/Royal Agricultural Society. Six years later I moved to the Crescent Arts Centre/Belfast Book Festival as Marketing & Communications Manager. I then worked at HMS Caroline as Marketing, Events and PR Manager.
In 2017 I was lucky enough to join the team at Montalto Estate as Marketing & Communications Manager. Montalto Estate is the beautiful new visitor attraction in Ballynahinch. Montalto recently celebrated its first year in business, 100,000 visitors and a 5 star tourist attraction grading from Tourism Northern Ireland. I have since changed roles internally and I now work as the Marketing and Business Development Manager.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I loved English and I enjoyed Maths.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I studied Retail Marketing at Dublin Institute of Technology. I recognised that many roles in the industry required you to be able to manage both PR and events, so I then completed a Diploma in Public Relations & Event Management. In Belfast, I studied for a Diploma in Online Marketing through the Digital Marketing Institute. Finally I completed my Professional Diploma in Marketing with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
How did you get into your area of work?
When I was leaving school I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to do but I knew the jobs that I didn’t want to do. I looked at the course online for marketing and thought it sounded interesting. I was often captivated by adverts and their impact on people.
After I achieved my third level qualifications, I sent out my CV in the form of a press release to a number of small agencies asking them to meet for coffee. From there I was able to secure a junior role in an advertising agency. I think it’s important to start at the bottom so that you can fully understand how a business works
Is this what you always wanted to do?
I always wanted to work with people and I really enjoy tourism – so yes. Promoting Montalto Estate to the public and encouraging them to take in its natural beauty has been an amazing experience. As part of the attraction’s first year in business we also opened a new history trail. The estate is steeped in amazing history, it’s the site of the battle of Ballynahinch and an ancient settlement site. It’s been enjoyable to discover this history and to meet people who are knowledgeable about the area.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
A recognised qualification in marketing is essential to progressing a career in this area. I have found that it gives potential employers more confidence in hiring you for senior positions. Although, if you are already working for a company and can show a passion and willingness to succeed, there is every chance you could be promoted.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
There are alternative routes to junior roles but I think to progress your career having Chartered Marketing status can help.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
You need to be a people person. Being adaptable and creative are also very useful skills.
What does a typical day entail?
In the morning I will check out social media to make sure nothing came in during the night that I missed. Then I check how ticket sales for our trails and gardens, events and workshops are going. Montalto Estate offers a wide range of products and visitor experiences from trails, gardens, cafe and retail to weddings in The Carriage Rooms, events and workshops.
My role usually involves planning and delivering various projects, so a typical day will usually include a project meeting plus campaign and strategy planning. I also oversee the rest of my team to ensure they have what they need to be able to undertake their roles. As I’m sure most people would say, there is something different happening each day which keeps it interesting.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best part of the job is the team that I work with. As Montalto Estate is a family run business it is a close knit team with each person having an integral role. The owners and staff are so passionate about what they do which gives everyone a great sense of being part of something.
Montalto was recently awarded a 5 star visitor attraction grading from Tourism Northern Ireland. This is something as a team that we are really proud of as there are currently only 14 of these in Northern Ireland.
One main challenge in my role is changing the perception of Montalto Estate in the minds of the consumer. Up until September 2018 the estate offered private accommodation at Montalto House and The Carriage Rooms is well known for being a unique luxury wedding venue.
When opening the trails and gardens to the public we did a lot of work to show that it was open to everyone and our great value membership options played a key role in this. Our natural play area is the stuff of childhood dreams and it’s so lovely to see families coming to visit, exploring and enjoying the estate.
Why is what you do important?
At Montalto, we encourage a reconnection with nature and to #ExploreMontalto. In this busy world with people spending so much time on their phones and computers they sometimes forget to look up at the natural beauty around them. The work I do helps to bring people into this space and I think that’s very important especially for making family memories together.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
I think people quite often think that marketing and events are glamorous roles. There are certainly elements of that but by far it takes common sense, attention to detail, hard work and a positive attitude.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
If I were to start a new career it would probably involve working with animals, but I am not sure what that would be exactly.
What is the one piece of advice you would give yourself on your first day?
You are more likely to do well if you can take a job on, work through it, ask for help when needed but most importantly complete it. Also, try to keep a positive attitude – you will enjoy your work more if you are having fun.
Describe your ideal day off.
Heading out for the day with my husband and dog. I can then come back and tell people about the beautiful and interesting places we discovered exploring Northern Ireland.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
Go for roles that will merge well with your life and try to steer towards industries that you are passionate about.
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