Who I am & what drives me
When people ask what I actually do at advantago, my usual answer is: “I build bridges – between people, shared ideas and solutions.” My official title is Head of Business Development, but honestly, there’s a lot more to it than the name suggests.
For me, business development isn’t just about acquiring new customers or driving company growth. It’s a blend of market understanding, identifying needs and developing solutions – always with a clear purpose.
At advantago, that means working closely with internal teams, our clients and partners, while considering different perspectives and challenges. Collaboration on equal terms and shared success matter most to me – not only within advantago, but also in our work with clients.
What excites me about my role? Its incredible variety.
Whether it’s product management, marketing or sales – you’ll find me everywhere. I get to create, listen, advise and experiment with ideas – and ultimately help our clients overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
My Cross-Functional Role: Finding the Perfect Balance
A big part of my daily work is connecting different areas. Business development thrives on interfaces – and that’s exactly what my role is about:
- With colleagues in product management, I discuss new features and add-on tools: What functions does the market need? What requirements come from clients? Which trends should we keep an eye on?
- With the marketing team, I exchange ideas about content for posts or webinars and the right channels: Which formats work best? How can we engage our followers and their interests? Which ideas make it into our advangers academy?
- And in sales, the focus is on how we present solutions, inspire clients about our products and empower them to use them effectively. How do we reach our clients’ target audiences and support them with their unique challenges?
Honestly, sometimes it feels like I’m a translator, moderator and idea generator all at once. Every department has its own language, needs and goals. For a product launch, webinar or client campaign to succeed, one thing matters most: shared understanding – everyone pulling in the same direction!
To understand how something works, especially on the technical side, how teams structure their processes and, most importantly, what clients, partners and even the social media community expect, there’s only one way: communicate and learn to understand the people behind it.
Communication as the key that unlocks (almost) everything
If I had to sum up my everyday working life in just one word, it would be: communication.
I make calls, write emails and attend meetings – virtual or in person. For anyone with an office job, that’s nothing unusual.
But here’s what makes it special for me: it’s not the talking, it’s the listening. Even though, as someone with a lively temperament and a naturally extroverted personality, that’s not always easy, I believe true communication starts with understanding others.
Listening to understand, not just to absorb and process information but to pass it on accurately.
Taking time to listen is a core part of my role, even as a team lead. For me, leadership has always meant inspiring people to work towards a shared goal. If you do not listen, you will struggle to earn attention, and without attention there is no enthusiasm and ultimately no team spirit.
Listening and understanding are just as essential in working with our clients and partners.
Because the key question is not what we want to sell as a company. The real question is: What do our clients truly need?
To find that out, I make time for conversations. I ask questions, listen closely and observe market developments. Often, needs are not expressed in clear words. They hide between the lines, in how someone describes a problem or in challenges they might not openly name.
Developing this instinct continuously is absolutely vital for me.
Reading and interpreting between the lines is something I genuinely enjoy and one of the reasons I find my work so exciting.
Listening: What does the market need – recruiting & accessible communication
When I look back at conversations with clients and partners over the past few months, one topic stands out: recruiting.
The shortage of skilled workers is noticeable everywhere, in large companies, craft businesses, public administrations and municipal institutions, not to mention clinics, nurseries and all types of care facilities.
Whether it is a large city administration or a small SME, everyone is looking for skilled staff and trainees. And everyone faces the same question:
How do we reach the right people who might be interested in these positions?
It is not just about reach and targeted communication with potential audiences, but also about accessibility.
Communication must be barrier-free.
This means content must be designed so that it is understandable and accessible to everyone, regardless of language, education or possible individual limitations.
For me, accessibility is not just a legal requirement but above all an expression of respect and inclusion. It shows that we do not want to exclude anyone. We want to reach everyone and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive or access important information. That is why working with our partners who guarantee accessibility in the online world is so important to me.
A Matter Close to My Heart: Working with Cities, Municipalities and Institutions
I am currently working very closely with cities and municipalities, especially in the area of recruiting.
The shortage of skilled workers is even more evident here than elsewhere. Public administrations are under enormous pressure. They need to ensure services for citizens while filling open positions and attracting young talent, all at the same time and as effectively as possible.
Apprenticeship campaigns are a major focus of my work. It is not just about placing job ads somewhere. The first step is identifying the right target group, which requires listening and understanding the client, and then addressing them precisely.
To make this happen, a good and open exchange with clients is essential. Taking time for this is something I do consciously because it is crucial for planning the campaign. The goal is to reach the people the campaign is meant to attract.
In these conversations, certain questions come up repeatedly and are discussed in depth:
- What motivates young people to choose an apprenticeship, for example in public service?
- How and when can we approach them in a way that speaks their language?
- Which channels will reach them most effectively?
As I mentioned earlier, one key aspect is that we can develop tailored campaigns. Every institution or organisation is different, with its own challenges and needs, and therefore requires a customised solution. Together with my skilled colleagues, I embark on an exciting journey: from finding the right persona and target group, through all content preparations and the technical setup of the campaign, to implementation and attentive monitoring. All of this makes my work so interesting and diverse.
There are many tools available – don't choose them at random, but use them consciously.
What types of campaigns are considered particularly effective and efficient in recruiting?
Our tools are diverse. They range from classic display and online video campaigns to Spotify ads and newer formats such as TikTok and addressable TV placements.
Music accompanies people throughout their day and is consumed mainly during leisure time, for example when they pursue hobbies. Advertising on Spotify therefore means being placed in a pleasant environment, personalised, targeted and highly engaging.
Another strong channel that people still use in their free time is television. Unlike traditional TV spots, we can now target advertising much more precisely. Addressable TV makes it possible to reach specific audiences without wasting coverage.
In addition to these two channels, I am also a fan of classic online tools such as display or video ads. If a client already uses banners or video content on social media platforms, placing them in relevant environments that match the target audience is an excellent option. This creates double value without the need to produce new advertising materials.
My tip: It is always about combining the right channels. Not every campaign needs everything, but every campaign needs the right mix. That is why at the start of every campaign I focus not only on analysing client needs but also on researching which advertising materials already exist and on which platforms they are being used.
An example: For a municipal organisation urgently looking for childcare professionals, Spotify can be perfect because it reaches young adults effectively. For an image or employer branding campaign where the client is already active on social media, addressable TV might work better since the same banners can be reused as advertising materials, creating even greater visibility and attention.
Targeted communication instead of the scattergun approach.
What all our campaigns have in common is that they are highly individualised.
The advertising formats mentioned share one key feature: they are tailored precisely to the target audience and usually reach them in a pleasant, relaxed environment during their leisure time.
In the past, advertising was often a shot in the dark. You placed an ad and hoped the right people would see it. Today, thanks to the variety and depth of available data, we can use tools much more efficiently. This ultimately means fewer wasted impressions and greater impact.
Before every campaign, we work closely with our clients and partners to answer important questions:
- Which target groups do we want to reach?
- Which messages will resonate with the audience we want to engage, and how should they be designed?
- How do we combine channels so that every euro is spent wisely? After all, efficient use of budget is crucial. Spending a lot of money does not guarantee success. What matters is precise and well-thought-out campaign planning.
For me, this is another fascinating aspect of my work because it shows that creativity and technical data must go hand in hand. Only then do campaigns truly deliver results.
Looking Forward: My Perspective
My job brings many challenging moments and processes every day. Yet these challenges are exactly what make my work so exciting and interesting.
At the heart of everything is communication with people: with colleagues, with clients and with their target audiences.
We live in a time where skilled workers are scarce, markets change rapidly and people are constantly confronted with an overwhelming flood of information. Anyone who wants to stand out must do more than simply place ads. Our clients need to interact and communicate with their audiences.
It is about taking people seriously, speaking their language and understanding their needs.
Where are we heading?
The coming years will be exciting. I see three major trends that will shape the future:
Recruiting will remain a central topic. The competition for talent will become even more intense. Companies and public institutions that position themselves smartly will have the advantage.
Accessibility will become standard. Communication that is not inclusive will no longer be accepted.
Channel diversity will increase. New platforms will emerge, old ones will evolve. The key will be staying flexible and using and combining channels in ways that meet audience expectations.
For advantago this means staying close to the market, identifying trends early and translating them into solutions and products for our clients.
My role as Head of Business Development at advantago is versatile. I am the link between departments, between clients and their audiences, between ideas and implementation. I listen, analyse and develop solutions together with the team.
The foundation of everything for me is clear and purposeful communication on equal terms.
Whether at webinars, trade fairs and events or in any form of advertising, it always comes down to one thing: reaching people and placing messages effectively. This is what makes my work so rewarding and drives me every single day.
Would you like to get to know Christina over a virtual coffee?
