Client Talk: How VDAB Leveraged a Tailored Digital Marketing Strategy with The House of Marketing’s Expertise

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, public organizations like VDAB (the Public Employment Service of Flanders) need more than just conventional strategies to engage with their audiences. They require bespoke, data-driven, and practical digital marketing plans to stay relevant and effective. In a recent interview, Shaireen Aftab, Director of Communications and Marketing at VDAB, and Marijke Smets, Marketing Team Lead, shared the journey of working with The House of Marketing, a digital consultancy, to enhance their digital strategy.

A Chance Encounter Leads to a Productive Partnership

The story of this collaboration began unexpectedly, during a casual encounter at the school playground. Shaireen Aftab met Lies Taerwe, Managing Director of The House of Marketing, and the two struck up a conversation that soon moved from the playground to a professional setting. “We started to create the idea of a digital strategy for marketing for VDAB into a real theory,” said Shaireen. What began as a simple conversation sparked the beginning of a partnership that would help VDAB refine its digital marketing approach.

Marijke Smets, who had joined VDAB in the role of Marketing Team Lead, came on board to take the digital marketing strategy to the next level. By the time Marijke joined, the marketing vision for VDAB was already in its final stages, but they quickly realized that they needed a clearer, more focused approach. “We needed a clear scope to move forward, especially since VDAB is a large organization with many stakeholders,” Marijke explained.

A Structured Approach to Digital Strategy

The collaboration with The House of Marketing followed a clear, four-step process to refine VDAB’s digital strategy:

The Impact of the Collaboration

The impact of working with The House of Marketing was significant for VDAB. According to Shaireen, one of the key benefits of the partnership was filling a critical gap in expertise. “We didn’t have the right expertise or profiles within our teams to bring the theory into practice,” Shaireen shared. Marijke’s ability to combine her deep knowledge of digital marketing strategy with a nuanced understanding of VDAB’s needs was essential in making the strategy successful.

Marijke’s patience and ability to connect with various internal stakeholders helped smooth the implementation process. She was able to translate complex marketing theory into a concrete plan that was accessible even for those with little marketing expertise. “It was important for me to make things work,” Marijke added. “We needed something tailor-made for VDAB, and that’s exactly what we got.”

Key Takeaways: Working with The House of Marketing

When asked to describe their experience working with The House of Marketing in just three words, Shaireen responded: “Enlightening, flexible, and concrete.” These words reflect the transformation VDAB underwent during this collaboration. The process was enlightening because it revealed how much work was needed to turn their initial ideas into a fully fleshed-out strategy. It was flexible, with a clear emphasis on adapting to VDAB’s unique needs, and it was concrete, focusing on practical solutions that could be implemented in real-world settings.

A Bright Future Ahead

Looking ahead, VDAB is better equipped to manage its digital marketing needs. Thanks to its collaboration with The House of Marketing, the organization now has a clear, actionable strategy that aligns with its goals and the needs of its target audience. With this solid foundation in place, VDAB is well-positioned to continue matching job seekers with job vacancies and engaging with its audience more effectively in the digital age.

In summary, this partnership between VDAB and The House of Marketing stands as a prime example of how collaboration between organizations and experts can lead to meaningful progress. By taking a structured and tailored approach, VDAB has turned its digital marketing strategy from an idea into a practical and actionable plan.