From humble beginnings to being the head of a multi-national media monitoring agency, Joe Hamman learnt from an early age how a strong work ethic, coupled with a clear vision can lead to success.
Not precocious by choice, Joe had to jump in and support his family with menial jobs from the age of 13, waiting tables and even doing a stint as security guard at Ellispark. “These jobs were not without merit, because they taught me the value of hard work and taking control of my own future,” Joe says. Seven years later he was invited by a stockbroker to head into the world of sales. It was not a successful venture, but by chance, Joe met one of Old Mutual’s top financial advisors who took the young man under his wing. “The advisor saw something in me and took me under his wing, teaching me how to negotiate the maze of successful marketing.” This mentorship would be transformative and usher in the second part of his career and soon Joe was headhunted by McGregor BFA, a pre-eminent provider of stock market fundamental research data and news to the financial sector and corporate market.
“That is where I discovered the world of media monitoring, where big companies want to know what the media is reporting on them and what their competitors are up to. I realized that the industry was poorly managed, as companies saw media monitoring as a grudge purchase, with little real value return. Most companies would attempt to go it alone, looking for news about themselves, but with no analysis, deriving no benefit from the info they gleaned,” he says. It was the perfect opportunity to turn the industry on its head and bring a fresh perspective and unique business model to the market.
After working in the industry for just under a decade, Novus Group was started in 2014, a risky move in which Joe put everything on the line, but persevered through hard work and with a sound business plan. The company today employs close to 100 employs and serves more than 700 customers.
Media monitoring to Joe means helping your customer and solving problems – his favourite aspect of the industry. “We help people and companies by finding out what the media is reporting on them in near-real time, and we solve problems by providing advice, suggestions and then developing solutions for their problems,” he explains.
With the media monitoring landscape becoming increasingly sophisticated, Joe thinks it will not be long before media monitoring becomes part of a company’s operational landscape.
“We see the integration of AI and automation transforming media monitoring, giving companies the benefit of gaining deeper insights into public perception. Media monitoring will also become more relevant across different industry sectors, allowing businesses to analyse consumer discussions and trends, and so tailor their strategies to meet demands,” he says.
This also means a growing need for media monitoring to customise solutions in obtaining relevant information in a timely manner. “Media monitoring will find increasingly innovative ways to integrate technology across social media platforms. Cross-platform analysis will thus become vital to organisations wanting to gain a holistic overview of what is being said about their brands,” Joe says.
One of the ways to leverage media monitoring is through competitor media monitoring, he says. “This can be an effective proactive tool for a business looking to gain insight into today’s dynamic market landscape, since it allows a systematic approach to analysing large amounts of data, which allows them to understand competitors’ media presence. In this way, businesses can refine their own approaches and identify opportunities to showcase their strengths. Media monitoring also allows them to identify areas where the business falls short and position services accordingly. In fact, seeing which media, influencers and platforms a company’s competitors are using, can enhance their own targeting efforts,” Joe says.
Harnessing media monitoring can be advantageous to businesses on many levels, Joe says. “The focus is on creating a measurable impact, instead of just sending out press releases into the void. Media monitoring tools can help business quantify efforts, while providing insight on how to drive future strategies. As platforms continue to evolve and trends change, business must embrace lifelong learning, and by using platforms offering courses that include how to optimize content and master industry-specific digital marketing tools, businesses can take that next step. By understanding search engine optimization, companies will elevate the reach and impact of their content, increasing visibility while ensuring the right message get out and seen. Lastly, networking is a critical skill to have. Leveraging platforms like LinkedIn, attending industry conferences, and joining industry-centric forums all must form part of the modern growth strategy. Relationships forged today can yield invaluable benefits tomorrow,” says Joe.
