2023 Honorees

Al Salomon

Director of Retention

“A lot of marketing is trial and error, and you need to be willing to fail if you want to succeed.”

Marketer2023

Tell us about your company and role.

I am the Director of Retention at DIME, a clean beauty and skincare brand! I’m lucky enough to have a role that I am passionate about. My day to day revolves around all things customer experience — from overseeing our loyalty program to strategizing our email and SMS campaigns. I wear many hats, but couldn’t love it more!

How would you describe yourself?

I’m a go-getter, talker, and high-functioning human. At work you’ll see me running around, giving TED Talks to my team, and jumping out of my seat when I finally solve one of the many puzzles from the eComm world. In other words, I’m incredibly passionate about my career and the success of those around me. 

 

Outside of my day-to-day work, I have two main passions — cooking and writing! I grew up on the East Coast where my dad ran his own restaurant. At a young age I was wearing an apron and testing out recipes in my dad’s kitchen. Fast forward to a few years later, I found another passion in storytelling. I went to school and majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing. I think there is something powerful about words, and the meanings they hold. Today I am an avid foodie, aspiring writer, and fierce marketing lover. 

What qualities do you think an effective marketer needs to have?

You need to absolutely love what you do. I can’t stress the importance of passion enough. There are many career routes you can take, and if you love marketing, you will pour your heart and soul into it. 

 

I’ve had to learn the hard way that there is no manual for an effective marketer. You can scroll through data all day, search LinkedIn until you can’t, and still, there will be more to learn. A lot of it is through trial and error, but you need to be willing to fail if you are wanting to succeed. Use your resources, focus on important partnerships, and rely on your team to take this crazy ride with you. 

What has been your biggest professional success so far?

I went from a one person team to growing a team of passionate women in the eComm world who are killing it at the retention game. It truly takes a village to figure all of this out, and I am proud of the team we have built here at DIME. We’ve implemented migrations to improve product synergies which has ultimately helped us succeed with customer experience and the personalization that is demanded. Some days it feels like a rollercoaster ride, but it’s a ride I would take every single day with the team I have along my side. 

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What causes are you most passionate about?

Equality above all, and opportunities for minorities in the workplace. As a first generation Latina American, I am doing a lot of firsts in my family. Having the same opportunities and support available has been what keeps me going. I can’t imagine not having this available to everyone.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing eCommerce brands?

I lose sleep over not having a single view of our customers. Brands ultimately are facing the struggle of figuring out attribution because of the lack of understanding of the customer journey, and the gaps that exist.  

What's your favorite loyalty program or subscription offering from an eCommerce brand?

I am going to be selfish here and say DIME! We’re all about hyper-personalized experiences and merging these two programs is key to customer loyalty.  

What do you geek out over?

Oh gosh, probably words. I read a lot of John Donne and Shakespeare in college. I’m not a poet by any means, but I love learning and getting to interpret literature. It’s really fascinating, and there is always something new to learn.