This fantastic thing called “the internet” is paying me a livin’

I’m Dries.
I just rolled into, “this thing”, 17 years ago
& I still frickin’ LOVE it until this day!

in short:

The internet is the best thing that ever happened to me. Really! It helps me to better understand the world we live in and learn as much as I can, as fast as I can (what I tend to call learn to learn – its incremental you know). I stopped watching television, first the news, than the rest and used that time to discover as much as possible in the online world.

As a marketer, I’m particularly good in simplifying very complex challenges to it’s core, in order to come up with a full approach bottom-up plan, even to the level of business strategy, in a digital-first & ever changing world. This might be a one-off plan or a process depending on its complexity, hence the start of using my own terminology of this process; Digital Pathfinding.

I used to share snippets which are a part of a digital pathfinding way to life & business every week, but found myself pushing to get updates out the door just for the sake of it. So I stopped & focused on something else. I tend to switch very fast to keep things interesting and create progress at all times, if possible. You’re still welcome to subscribe although you could end up getting no updates in the future. Best to keep an eye on Twitter or Linkedin.

I used to blog on DriesBultynck.be but that domain is gone has been redirected now to this domain. If you want to get a bit of background of what I did on a tactical level a few years ago, feel free to download the unfiltered +150 articles here (29.8MB). I was particularly focused on SEO & Analytics, two major pilars of strategic thinking in a digital context (in terms of web1 & web2). The future holds something different!

I used to mail for 102 weeks in a row, every sunday. +150 people received “Remarkable reads, spotted momentum & behavioral patterns in media, digital, retail, economics, health, climate, etc. Often hollistic, sometimes very specific.”. But after 80 episodes, it got kinda boring and felt like an assignment to deliver a good storyline ever week. So… Kill your darlings they said and so it happened. Exit newsletter. Feel free to download all newsletters in pdf here (81MB).

A bit more story:

I can’t describe how wide I like to think & write about stuff. Some call it Strategy, others marketing, others business. I just write stuff I’m intrigued by. That’s it. I like to play around with Data and random stuff. I happen to find Retail (SMCG, FMCG & E-commerce in general) & Peoples’ and thus end-consumers’ behaviour fascinating. I’m online 247365. Why? Because I can!

I used to work on agency side but got sick of all the bullshit of trying to sell something clients often don’t need and the lack of thinking bigger in terms of culture, society and our impact (with the help of media) we have on people’s behaviour. I felt there was more to it. I’m still convinced I’ve been put on born and raised to spend time on things that matter, trying to achieve the biggest impact and potential possible while being the best person I can be. 

Hence… I’ve quit agency life and … started working at EEVE.

by day, I work @ Toadi EEVE, Waregem Belgium, where we try to accelarate our society towards a more sustainable world with the help of personal AI trainable consumer robots. Yes, that’s right. This is something unique & special. A new product category, up there with the Apple’s iPod, iPhone, and iPad, a very promising business model supporting a glocal way of working (global brand, local tribes, local production, global service) and an amazing people-first mindset. I help building brand, improve the customer experience and the performance of our marketing efforts, together with our hybrid team.

I strive to become the partner of all sorts of clients in different industries,
by helping them connecting the dots between their data
& their online and offline presence,
in order to deliver the best customer experience possible,
keeping in mind how the market works/acts and how people behave.

Short: I solve problems with customer intelligence, marketing analytics, concepts & tactics in a digital-first-intent world with the leverage of creative work, offline and online marketing/media. Peferably for Retail, SMCG, FMCG and E-commerce in general. Think go-to-market, performance-based scaling and strategic use of platforms following a self created three step program incl. building and coaching the team.

Personal & current focus

My current focus is based on the concept of inclusive growth, and if possible, effective altruism. If you’re following the global challenges we’re facing, I personally think we could all bend our capacity & talent a bit more to contribute towards a better place for all. Even a small contribution. Intelligence is a big chunk in that matter and I feel I need to be a part of that. The mix of data and personal/emotional connection with people to contribute to these global challenges, on a local level, is one of the things on my mind, all the time!

Current work:

This is Why I Do What I Do

The awareness grows why companies need an expert, mainly for three reasons:

  1. To help them set up and fill in the process for growth, without putting the daily way of working in danger
  2. To help them think differently about concepts and tactics, mainly execution in order to land on marketing communication, strategy and business eventually
  3. To help them build a better (independent, if possible) digital(-first) team and eventually company

Inbound/Online or Digital Marketing is great, but there is so much more to it.
It is only the surface you’re scratching! Drop the digital as it is just the way marketing evolves.

A big sublayer to make all of this work, is IT.
So, the biggest impact is made at the core, with the team!

On the technical part of things: You haven’t build enough!

If the core is well build, the rest is
more obvious,
more controllable,
better scalable
& better repeatable.

Wouldn’t it be great to build an (infra)structure,
that is the core of unlimited (commercial) possibilities,
anticipating & embracing the digital transformation that is going on right now?!

I can help you & your team to build this.

I can show you how to connect the dots,
between your customers and your multi-channel/omni-channel experience,
to ensure infinite (commercial) possibilities & growth,
by serving clients a better experience by building convenience.

This sketch below is just a modest interpretation of an unlimited & infinite loop of Commercial Possibilities. By using data & using a bottom up approach, the practicality will bubble up as a inside-out transformation into a digital(-first) team, department and eventually company.

commerce

Why This is the Solution for ANY Digital Centered Company

  • This will help you discover new online & offline business opportunities
  • This will help you translating those opportunities in a strategy and matching tactics informed, backed & driven by data
  • This will help you to set up the best e-commerce website with the focus on Conversion Architecture
    backed by my experience in traffic generation, lead generation & conversion optimization
  • From this obvious insights, your team will learn how today’s marketing works, in detail & hands-on with a strong focus on customer retention first!

You should check out some of my work on behalve of my previous employers.

tui
logo-jbc

logo-torfs

logo-fun

gamegear

lexus logo-braem

logo-vgw

Feel free to contact me to talk about this.
You can ask me anything, really!

How I Do What I Do

I have a different approach than other people in the field. I’d like to start with an inside-out approach. Getting comfortable with the team, discovering the needs at the first row is the best thing to do. I start from there and work, with the team, on the way up. Working in-house has so much more benefits if it comes to getting to know the organization, the team, the way of working and also everything that sets you back in any way.

Evangelizing, Coaching, Educating and Leading teams are my favorite things to do. I work with the mental model called OKR (Objectives & Key Results) because the bottom line is what counts. It helps to keep focus. It helps planning and prioritizing and much more.

What I Do

The value I bring to your company or project: the possibility to help shape and translate strategic decisions into execution with the matching data and metrics to follow up the progress. I’m a bottom up kinda guy and reach up to business strategy if allowed. I have an in-depth knowledge in Analysis of data (Descriptive Analytics and basic Predictive Analytics), Conversion optimization, traffic (re)generation, Above and below the line campaigning, e-mail marketing and referral & loyalty programs. I can move the needle in a shorter or longer period of time, step by step. I always think in function of growth & get my hands dirty with the team, with my understanding of digital, business, data and consumer behaviour as my strongest assets.

I can also be your external advisor to help you make difficult decisions or that second opinion you need to convince your management. Depending on your state of business (CRM, Sales, Products & Targets) I’ll either suggest a retention or acquisition focused approach!

I’m radically honest & have the possibility to pull some strings you might not want to hear about your business. Remember, I’m just trying to help you.

In short: I’m a strong all-rounder with a mindset for moving the needle.
I Excel in an Agile hybrid team focusing on Growth & OmniCommerce with Marketing Technology (You’ll definitely need IT!).

If your data is a core asset & you’re able to think Big,
You should Contact me, Today

Ask me ANYTHING.
Hit me up on Twitter or Linkedin
I’m available to speak at events as well.

Experience

  • +15 Years experience in Brand & Image building (came up with the name ‘Wijs’, did you know?)
  • +15 Years experience in E-commerce & CRM (Data-driven segmentation)
  • +15 Years experience in SEO : Research to tactics, (Technical) Consultancy, Training & more
  • +15 Years experience in (Web & business) Analytics
  • +15 Years experience in Data-driven Conversion & Analytics Architecture
  • +15 Years experience in Online Advertising & Consultancy (Google Adwords , LinkedIn , Facebook , YouTube, Bing, …)

This is How I Roll

I draw. _a lot_!
Lateral thinking fan.
Below, I’m giving a SEO training. No slides. Just whiteboard & a boardmarker. Let’s go!

whiteboard SEO education

Full whiteboard, some hours later.

whiteboard SEO history and future

My company (on the side) & projects

Speaker or coaching at

  • Google Analytics for Digital Marketing Post Graduates at Vives Business School (Bruges, Belgium)
  • Coaching Data & Analytics to Bachelor Network Economy regarding their start-up project at Howest Kortrijk (Belgium)
  • Google Analytics class for Bachelor Communication Management at Howest Kortrijk (Belgium)
  • “Let’s talk Content” for Communication Management Howest Kortrijk – Toerisme Vlaanderen Case (Belgium)
  • Google Analytics class for Digital Marketing Post Graduates at Artevelde Ghent (Belgium)
  • Google Analytics training VOKA Oost-Vlaanderen (Belgium)
  • Digital Analytics class for Digital Marketing Post Graduates at HoGhent (Belgium)
  • First Official Google Analytics User Conference in Belgiumcheckout the slides here

Contact Dries to Speak at your event or in front of a classroom ➟

Contributions

I’ll contribute, if I can.
Just contact me.

You also can find my writing on Medium.com

Personal

  • I’m interested in everything what stands for growth, in the broad sense of the word
  • I’m fascinated by people & who’ve build or are building out something cool & their story
    (compagnies, products, …)
  • I LOVE crate digging & electronic music, running a label myself as well
  • I really can appreciate the warmth of an honest analog vinyl record
  • I almost never say no to a good glass of red wine, … or make that whiskey! (hint: Speyside area)
  • I’ve got a weakness for extreme sports, breakdancing, snowboarding & café racer motorcycles
  • I love the night more than the day
  • I’m always in for ‘real talk’

Sometimes I’m ranting about other stuff, here (in Dutch).
If you’re into link earning (you catch my drift), having a chat or other stuff… ,
my Bucket list can be found here.

Courses

I try to keep learning

  • Artificial Intelligence @ Home – NMCT Howest (micro Bachelor degree 2018-2019)
  • The essence of Predictive Analytics for Managers – BAM (2018)
  • AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Marketing & Growth – Growth Academy (2017)
  • Strategic Data-Driven Marketing – Vlerick Business School Ghent (2015)
  • Data Visualisation – Allanta (2013)
  • Operational Marketing Research & Intelligence – BAM (2012)

Business

What I did before

  • Sep 2019 – Sep 2021: Digital Business & Performance Strategist  – Indie Group
  • Mar 2012 – Aug 2019: Senior Online Marketing Consultant + Head of Data & Analytics – Wijs
  • Feb 2011 – Feb 2012 : Online Marketing Consultant – Netlash-bSeen
  • Sept. 2010 – Feb. 2011: Online Marketing Consultant – bSeen
  • 2008 – Aug. 2010: SEO Consultant – Optimizer bvba (Responsable for internal knowledge academy)
  • 2006 – 2008: Website development & Front-end – IDcreation nv
  • 2005 – 2006: DTP & Flash websites – Studio Boa (Professional Photostudio)
  • 2003 – 2004 : Teacher (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, Excel, Word, Acces & initiation PC & internet)
  • 2000 – 2003 : Bachelor Multimedia & Communication Technology

Contact Dries via Email ➟

Get in touch

by simply sending me an e-mail at dries@driesbultynck.com
or fill in the form below.