Katherine Ellwein is the Associate Vice President (AVP) of Marketing at Amerit Fleet Solutions, where she has contributed to the company’s growth over six years. Starting as a content specialist, she advanced through roles including digital marketing manager and director. In her current position, she leads a team focused on demand generation and performance marketing, overseeing pipeline development, sales initiatives, website management and brand acquisition. Ellwein plays a key role in aligning marketing efforts with business objectives, building meaningful client relationships, and driving revenue growth. Her leadership ensures that the company effectively engages its target audience and adapts to a constantly evolving digital landscape.
Recognizing Katherine Ellwein’s leadership in marketing, this feature highlights her strategic approach to demand generation and performance marketing. Through innovative A/B testing and data-driven strategies, she consistently drives results, underscoring the importance of staying ahead of industry trends and embracing emerging technologies to support sustained revenue growth.
Overcoming Digital Marketing Challenges
A significant challenge in my role is effectively reaching our audience in today’s fragmented digital landscape. With numerous communication channels like email, SMS, social media, and phone calls, it’s challenging to identify the best way to contact someone and meet them where they are. People’s preferences vary and understanding which medium works best for each individual or segment is essential.
Another challenge is the overwhelming amount of information available to consumers. When people search for information online, they are bombarded with countless options, and not all are helpful. It’s difficult to cut through the noise and provide relevant, valuable content. For our customers, this abundance of information makes it hard to find what they truly need, so we must offer something that aids in their decision-making process.
The rising cost of advertising is another hurdle. As the industry evolves and technologies advance, the tools and platforms that help optimize marketing efforts have become more expensive. This puts pressure on us to justify the ROI of these tools, especially when results may not always be immediate or quantifiable. Balancing investments in the right technologies while maintaining a clear bottom line is a difficult task.
I encourage my team and other marketers to embrace A/B testing, even if it means testing unconventional ideas
Emerging Trends in Fleet Services Marketing
One trend I’m particularly excited about is the resurgence of trade shows. After taking a significant hit during the pandemic, trade shows are regaining relevance. These events provide valuable face-to-face interactions with customers, allowing us to build stronger relationships. I’m eager to reconnect with customers in person and showcase our products and services more personally.
Another exciting trend is the increasing willingness of consumers to share their personal information. A few years ago, it was challenging to get customers to give their emails or phone numbers. Now, people are more open to sharing their information in exchange for valuable content or services. This shift has greatly improved our lead generation efforts and makes it easier to build connections with our audience.
Despite these positive trends, there are challenges. Economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and tariffs have created hesitation among potential customers. Many are questioning whether now is the right time to onboard with a new vendor or invest in a fleet maintenance program. This uncertainty makes it difficult for businesses to confidently pursue new partnerships or introduce new offerings, creating a climate of indecision that we must navigate carefully.
Success Through A/B Testing and Innovation
A significant success for us has been our increased focus on A/B testing across various digital platforms. We’ve been testing different ad creatives, messages, and strategies on LinkedIn, Google, and other programmatic channels. The results have been impressive, with our click-through rates (CTRs) exceeding industry standards by double digits. For example, while the industry benchmark for Google Ads display is 0.46 percent, we’ve achieved a 10.3 percent CTR, which validates the importance of continuous testing and refining our approach.
I encourage my team and other marketers to embrace A/B testing, even if it means testing unconventional ideas. Marketers often have preconceived notions about what will resonate with customers, but experimenting with different approaches can lead to new insights and more effective campaigns. Our success with A/B testing has proven that exploring various ad creatives and messaging can yield significantly better results than sticking with our initial assumptions.
This experience has taught me the value of being open to experimentation. By following data and adjusting our strategies based on the results, we’ve been able to refine our marketing efforts and achieve impressive outcomes. A/B testing has become a core part of our strategy, and I believe it’s a practice that can benefit any marketing team looking to optimize their campaigns.
Guidance for Marketers Facing a Shifting Landscape
Given the uncertainty in today’s market, my advice is to keep an open mind. Not every opportunity will turn out as expected, but you can always make the most of any situation. Many marketers are seeking new roles, and the job market is unpredictable. Sometimes, the work you end up doing may not align with your original vision, but that doesn’t mean it won’t lead to valuable experience or growth.
It’s important to give your best effort, even if the position isn’t exactly what you envisioned. Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow in ways you hadn’t imagined. Take pride in your work and the impact you’re making, regardless of the role.
For those working in marketing, I stress the importance of paying attention to analytics. Understanding the data behind your campaigns is crucial. Whether it's analyzing lower click-through rates or higher impression rates, it’s important to dig into why the numbers are what they are. Evaluating these metrics allows you to refine your strategies and make smarter decisions moving forward.
The key to success in our industry is continuous learning and adaptation. As marketing professionals, we must stay on top of trends, embrace new technologies, and experiment constantly. The ability to pivot based on data, test new ideas, and learn from both successes and failures is what ultimately drives growth. These practices not only help meet customer needs but also foster long-term success in a rapidly changing market.
