Do you agree with the opinion that advertising and marketing do not stand still and require the use of innovative methods? In modern conditions it is impossible to underestimate the role of advertising specialists, since this area is constantly evolving and does not stand still. Qualified specialists have always been appreciated in any field, but a professional practicing in various areas of work and constantly learning himself and teaching others is three times valuable.
A vivid example of a person who “made himself” and is considered a strategist in the field of new media, advertising, sales and marketing communications, Ilya Balakhnin.
Education
Ilya Alexandrovich was born in 1987 in Moscow. In 2009, he graduated with honors from the Department of Political Science of Moscow State University. Lomonosov. Later he graduated with honors from the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia and the State University of Management. But he was not able to work in his specialty, although Ilya Balakhnin always respects his education with great respect.
The beginning of the way
After graduation, Ilya Balakhnin began working in an advertising agency that provided social media marketing (SMM) services. It was then engaged in a new type of activity - promotion in social networks. Balakhnin quickly became an ace in the new field, and since, in his opinion, the agency was not working properly, he quickly left him.
Own business
Balakhnin opens his own business - the consulting agency Paper Planes, which offers a wide range of services, such as: SMM marketing, branding and attracting the target audience, developing logos and corporate identity, as well as developing educational events. At the moment, the organization is the best marketing agency in Moscow according to RAAR. The company has more than 400 successful cases that create its fame.
Own assessment
Managing partner and CEO Ilya Balakhnin speaks about the work of the agency only in superlatives. He characterizes his company as follows: “We are a key consulting company in Russia.” He confirms this loud statement with a large number of customers working with consumer markets. Evaluating his work, Ilya Balakhnin very respectfully talks about his clients, calling them with a capital letter. Perhaps this is one of the main secrets of the success of the agency. The customer is above all.
Speaking about his work experience, Ilya Balakhnin expresses the opinion that Paper Planes set a simple task four years ago: to grow by at least a ruble in revenue per year. 2014 was a very successful year for the entire market, and it grew by leaps and bounds by 36%. Later, the company experienced a recession due to the crisis, fearing a collapse of the economy. The first half of the year confirmed the fears - a fall of almost 9%. Then they launched several new services, including those unique to the market, changed the approach to marketing, and rebuilt several business processes. And as a result, 2015 was closed with an increase in revenue of 12%.
The company has changed a lot over this year:
- the number of employees increased by 10%;
- salaries increased by 1/3;
- the turnover was 7%.
The agency introduced a new employee training system, continued the implementation of Lean. Implemented more than 100 projects in 28 markets. The regional expansion has begun. Ilya is proud of each employee, assuring that only professionals work for him.
Teaching
In 2010, Ilya, with the support of IABC / Russia, opened an educational innovative project - Idealogy School. The project is primarily a way of thinking, it is a factory of new ideas. Ilya Balakhnin is the rector of Idealogy New Media Superhero Squat, Russia's first university of the future. The first school of strategic communications in Social Media in Russia presents a continuing education training course “Strategic Communications in New Media”. Work experience at school was for Balakhnin a start in a new profession - a coach.
New media
The leading social media practitioner Ilya Balakhnin gives particular preference to such a marketing tool as New Media. Speaking about new media, he notes that today it is no longer necessary to inform, but to strive for consumer involvement in communication with the seller. This leads to a de-verticalization of communication flows, today a person receives information from everywhere, and therefore a tough information filter is formed, in connection with which special emphasis must be placed on establishing horizontal trusting relationships with the buyer.
In an interview, Ilya Alexandrovich shared the main indicators of the success of advertising campaigns on social networks. Ilya Balakhnin called engagement the main metric, he notes the fact that today there is a departure from the involved audience in favor of its quality. When using entertainment materials and simple content tricks, any brand can increase the volume of audience engagement.
Balakhnin today
Over the past 8 years, Ilya has positioned herself as a leading specialist and strategist in the field of new media and marketing communications. He has accounted for hundreds of cases, a lot of loyal customers and cooperation with large companies both at the Russian and international levels. Within the framework of his Paper Planes agency and as an independent consultant, Ilya was able to collaborate with such large companies as Skolkovo, Russian Standard Bank, Microsoft, leading Russian mobile operators, international corporations, such as Coca-Cola, banks, and middle-sized representatives. and big business and even entire states. Among the successful orders, his agency has unique projects to promote in the Internet environment of states, experience in conducting communication campaigns to prevent raider attacks.
Trainings and master classes
Ilya Balakhnin, whose biography is closely related to marketing, is happy to share his experience and knowledge with beginner experts. He is the author of trainings and master classes. One of his last master classes, entitled “How to Benefit from Social Media,” is aimed at teaching those who do not already know how to use and benefit from SMM wisely.
As a speaker, Balakhnin actively works at scientific conferences and seminars, he manifests himself in the activities of a number of trade unions and associations. Balakhnin often acts as an expert and consultant for business representatives at various levels. His lectures collect a lot of students in many leading universities of the country. his participation makes prestigious many conferences on sales and promotion.
Publications
Ilya Balakhnin, whose books are today in the TOP of the best-selling publications on marketing, at a certain stage realized that he already has something to say to people. In 2011, the “pioneer of Russian new media”, as he is often called, began to write a book, within the framework of which he set the goal to share his rich experience in mastering new media spaces, which he obtained in the process of repeated communication with large businessmen of the world, during the decision the most difficult marketing tasks. In addition to the specified "title", Ilya for the significant merit called "New Media Guru".
In 2012, the publishing house Ideabooks Publishing published the book of Ilya “Horizontal World: Economics, Innovation, New Media”. The basis of this book is the experience of building a successful innovative business, consulting, huge consulting work. In the book, Ilya Balakhnin, whose work is left by the largest entrepreneurs in Russia, tries to convey to the reader ideas that a new information era has arrived in which the old methods do not work. Therefore, you need to constantly learn and implement innovative methods using the resources of new media. The book received a large number of positive reviews and will be useful to employees in the field of marketing and advertising. Balakhnin is also the author of several articles on innovative communications, information policy, business and leadership.