Q and A with Sian Welch – Senior Marketing Executive

 

What is your job title and how long have you been working at Cambridge University Press?

I am a Senior Marketing Executive working in the Society Marketing team and I have been working at Cambridge for 5 years – initially in Rights Sales, before moving over to marketing 3 years ago. I market both book and journal content for a selection of our most prestigious publishing partners.

 

How do you collaborate with the World Trade Organization (WTO)?

We have been publishing partners with the WTO for twenty years and over this time we have built a hugely collaborative relationship that spans Editorial, Marketing, Sales and Production. As a team, we work with the WTO to produce co-publications that address key issues within the International Trade community and to ensure that the information, ideas and policies included in these co-publications reach the widest possible audience. We also publish World Trade Review on behalf of the WTO.

 

What are the WTO’s main objectives and how do you help them achieve them?

The WTO’s overarching objective is to help trade flow smoothly and freely, with as few barriers as possible. We help them to communicate with a diverse audience by working together to produce and update co-publications that look into various aspects of world trade. It is really important that this information is made available to anyone that has an interest in international trade – whether they are actively working in the field, researching, studying or creating policies.

 

Do you have a preferred channel for marketing WTO co-publications i.e. social media posts, email campaigns, print adverts and if so why?

The way we market WTO co-publications has changed considerably in the past few years, with less focus on print marketing and more attention being given to digital promotions. In response to the way in which researchers are discovering content, we are now investing much more in search engine marketing and social media, which allow us to reach a wider and more international audience. For the journal, World Trade Review, we drive online usage and help aid discoverability of research published within the journal. One highlight is the WTO Case Law Reports.

 

Do you attend regular meetings and if so what do you discuss?

The WTO regularly hosts two large meetings: the WTO Public Forum in September/October and the Ministerial Conference, which usually takes place every two years. We exhibit at the WTO Public Forum and take this opportunity to catch up with our WTO colleagues on ongoing projects, as well as sales and marketing strategy for the coming year. It is usually a busy time, as we often launch new co-publications at the WTO Public Forum and hold ‘meet the author’ sessions in conjunction with the WTO bookshop.

 

Is branding a strong consideration for the WTO?

Definitely. Both the World Trade Organization and Cambridge University Press have their own identities and branding requirements, so it is important that we make the most of these two strong brands when creating publications and marketing materials.

 

And finally, what do you enjoy most about your working relationship with them?

I think my answer would have to come in three parts. First and foremost, I always look forward to catching up with our WTO colleagues each year at the WTO Public Forum. Secondly, I enjoy the challenge of learning about a subject area that has nothing to do with my own academic background (I studied the History of Art!) and finally, the feeling that we are working towards the same end goal – breaking down barriers, unlocking global potential and making information easily accessible for all.

You can find out more about WTO co-publications on our WTO hub.