"Digital marketing is always evolving and progressing, and so should those within its industry."
James Parkinson Tweet
I’m James Parkinson, Head of Marketing Content at Personnel Checks. We are the UK’s highest-rated background screening company providing fast and affordable DBS and background checks for employers.
Having been a background screening consultant, I know there’s a lot of confusion about the rules, regulations and requirements of background checks. So I understand how important it is to create content that educates and informs.
With a degree in English Language and Literature and working towards my second degree in Digital Marketing, I am equipped to lead my team forward with the sole purpose of making people’s lives easier – by providing the best content to help.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
James Parkinson: I’m James Parkinson, Head of Marketing Content at Personnel Checks. We are the UK’s highest-rated background screening company providing fast and affordable DBS and background checks for employers.
2020 and 2021 threw a lot of curveballs into business on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past couple of years, how can businesses thrive in 2022? What lessons have you learned?
James Parkinson: Many businesses have been agile and receptive to essential changes in the last couple of years, and as we embrace 2022 we will see those trends continue. It is important to keep up that momentum and strength to continue with the new ways of working whether it be remote, hybrid or with new safety precautions. With the post-pandemic foundations in place, businesses should be in a better place in many ways to keep growing.
The pandemic seems to keep on disrupting the economy, what should businesses focus on in 2022? What advice would you share?
James Parkinson: The pandemic has caused disruptions to the economy but also to how many people interact with things. Now, more than before customers need processes to be as simple as possible so they can complete their task in hand or purchase.
We all need to treat everyone around us with a softer touch, being empathetic about the struggles people may have had over the last couple of years. Although it may not seem obvious, taking the stress out of transactions will be beneficial for your brand reputation. Many people are running on short fuses at the moment and we want to make sure we don’t overcomplicate things unnecessarily.
How has the pandemic changed your industry and how have you adapted?
James Parkinson: The pandemic has shifted our customer base to interact with us mainly online. With mobile traffic expected to be around 80% during 2022, the customers’ mobile experience shouldn’t be an afterthought. The experience the customers has online reflects the potential of repeat business and loyalty.
An approach that we have changed and should be considered by all businesses is that websites have to be a priority with weighted importance towards the mobile site. Rather than designing for desktop then optimizing for mobile, all elements should be focused on how visuals, messaging and functionality works across all devices.
What advice do you wish you received when the pandemic started and what do you intend on improving in 2022?
James Parkinson: It probably took us all a lot longer to get into the rhythm of remote working because we had no clue how long it would last. As a fairly close-knit team, we kept in touch regularly but if I had known that we would still be working remotely or on a hybrid model now then we would have implemented contact strategies sooner. This not only applies to the staff at Personnel Checks but also to our customers.
There was an initial lag where everyone thought we would be going back to normal after a few weeks – little did we know we would end up with new systems, software, strategies and routines to ensure we stay hot on communication. As we continue into 2022 so will the new connection methods, and we intend to extend our customer comms plans to be in touch more regularly with our B2B customers.
Online business surged higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for 2022?
James Parkinson: Increasing web traffic through organic search should already be a key part of any digital advertising strategy, and this will become increasingly important in 2022. SEO is constantly evolving, and businesses need to keep up with changes, ensuring their strategy makes the most of new developments. Trends I expect to see this year include a focus on optimizing content for voice search, a shift towards more interactive content and a further increase in the use of good quality video content.
How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?
James Parkinson: Working remotely has actually meant I spend more time in front of a screen than when I was in the office. With the commute removed it means I can start the working day sooner. However, having newborn triplets at home does mean I get more screen breaks through the day than I may have done if still on site.
The majority of executives use stories to persuade and communicate in the workplace. Can you share with our readers examples of how you implement that in your business to communicate effectively with your team?
James Parkinson: Stories always help colleagues to relate to and visualise scenarios. I am definitely a person that chooses to tell a novel rather than a short and concise message – the benefit is not only the bond you get with your team but the better understanding that is ultimately gained.
As I work remotely it means I sometimes have to keep the stories shorter than I would like, as Zoom meetings shouldn’t take too long, and so I normally have a look through the content of the meeting in advance and try to think of examples I can share to add depth to the agenda.
By accompanying briefs and directives with stories it means they are more likely to remember the point as we have discussed, debated and laughed about situations surrounding it.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as the real challenge right now?
James Parkinson: Competition is at the toughest it has ever been. With the online market being saturated with competitors it’s important to stand out. Messaging has got to be more compelling to quickly grab the customers’ attention and make them choose the tab you’re sitting on rather than the multiple other ones in their browser window.
In 2022, what are you most interested in learning about? Crypto, NFTs, online marketing, or any other skill sets? Please share your motivations.
James Parkinson: Digital marketing is always evolving and progressing, and so should those within its industry. I’m continuously looking for ways to learn and develop as the digital world is where customers now and in the future are at – I want to make sure I can find them/they can find us and their UX is smooth and seamless.
A record 4.4 million Americans left their jobs in September 2021, accelerating a trend that has become known as the Great Resignation. 47% of people plan to leave their job in 2022. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued and misunderstood in the workplace. Do you think leaders see the data and think “that’s not me – I’m not that boss they don’t want to work for? What changes do you think need to happen?
James Parkinson: Businesses need to appeal to prospective talent more than ever – with many people looking for their next job it is important to build a great reputation as an employer. One vital aspect is to show your approach to staff support and your stance on positive health.
The culture of the business is changing for the better – with organizations openly supporting their employees to ensure their wellbeing is prioritized. Companies are holding an improved focus on mental health and promoting physical activity to encourage happier staff – the end results not only fulfilling their responsibility as an employer but increasing staff retention and becoming more appealing for prospective applicants.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
James Parkinson: More hands would be advantageous… I find my head is often full to the brim of content and copy I want to write but with only two hands I can’t produce it fast enough! Of course, having extra hands would also mean I could help change more nappies and look after our triplets whilst typing – that really would be a superpower!
What does “success” in 2022 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
James Parkinson: If I manage to make a difference then I would consider that a success.
This applies to every aspect of life – testing different strategies at work to drive the business forward, making life easier for a customer by giving them that extra bit of information they needed, trying different parenting hacks to help get through each day!
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank James Parkinson for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with James Parkinson or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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