OnMedia, OnSite: Meet Grinnell’s Newest Account Executive

Grinnell has a new account executive! Meet Sarah Bacehowski, a marketing connoisseur at OnMedia. Back in college, Bacehowski majored in journalism but has been attracted to marketing ever since. In New York City, she worked with a media company for a few years before moving to Portland and then back to Iowa, working for and managing marketing agencies.

At OnMedia, Bacehowski works with any and all digital marketing tools, ranging from social media promotions, display and online pop-up ads, and sponsored content run on YouTube and Google. Whether you’ve heard an advertisement during a podcast episode, watched commercials on your television, or caught an ad on your favorite streaming platform, chances are Bacehowski helped put it in the forefront of your screen.

“If you think about it, there are lots of options in digital advertising. We have streaming services on our phones, tablets, on Hulu, whatever,” says Bacehowski. “We even have audio streaming, which is a really big thing right now. We can advertise to people who are working out or listening to podcasts.”

In her new role, Bacehowski has worked with banks and credit unions, community colleges, and smaller unique businesses. Though she is based in Des Moines, she travels to Grinnell with regularity. “I already see that Grinnell is an amazing community from the short time I’ve been here.”

Now that she’s here, she’s on a mission to help local businesses establish intentional marketing plans. “There are a lot of businesses that think they don’t need marketing,” shares Bacehowski. “Which is a huge mistake — marketing can be niche and strategic, but it doesn’t have to be hundreds and thousands of dollars.”

When clients meet with Bacehowski, she asks them to consider two things: both a realistic budget and a hard analysis on what helps their business make money.

“Once we hone those down, we can look at who we want to target. Ultimately, we want to solidify our current customer base and determine how to move beyond that.”

Because according to Bacehowski, the key to great advertising is a targeted approach. “For example, with our pest control businesses, we can fix a pop-up ad so you see results when you look up, say, ‘how to get rid of spiders.’” But most crucially, Bacehowski focuses on building customers for the long-term.

“I never create a marketing strategy for today,” she shares. “We don’t want a short-lived campaign; rather, we want to think about building a future consumer base.” For example, she has helped credit unions and banks move beyond promotions for CDs (certificate of deposits) and instead develop a plan to onboard and create a robust customer.

“CD promotions are great for the short-term, but if you create a ‘sticky’ customer and have them enroll in more than one service, your marketing becomes a 6 month investment instead of one.”

With advertising living on the digital landscape, marketing metrics are easier to track so that campaigns can be easily adjusted. “There is no more guessing how many people see a billboard ad. Instead, we can much better track a return on investment.”

If your small business is ready to get creative with your marketing, get in touch with Bacehowski by calling 515-451-8628 or emailing sarah.bacehowski@onmediaadsales.com. “From a marketing perspective, you should always identify what needs to happen, whether month by month or quarter by quarter. If you do it right, marketing becomes a great investment.”

Chamber Ambassadors from left to right:

• Nicolle Donnelly — Poweshiek Insurance Agency
• Trent Arment — MCG - Mahaska Communication Group
• Sarah Smith — Grinnell College with Grinnell College Community Connections
• Libby Eggert — Grinnell College with Grinnell College Community Connections
• Nikki Armstead — Grinnell Chamber
• Donnette Ellis — Grinnell College with Grinnell College Community Connections
• Blake Pearson — Converge Chiropractic PLLC
• Sarah Bacehowski — OnMedia
• Yesenia Mozo — Grinnell Chamber
• Evan Petig — The Grinnellian
• Jennifer McAlexander — JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security
• Jess Dawson — REMAX Partners Realty- Grinnell
• Rachel Arseneault — Ramsey-Weeks Inc. Real Estate
• Monica St. Angelo — Grinnell Area Arts Council
• Dan McCue — McCue & Associates LLC - American Family Insurance
• Donna Fischer — UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center