Take Ten with Team HPNE: Meet Eric Vario
This month, we get a look into the marketing department at #TeamHPNE by chatting with Marketing Coordinator Eric Vario about important product launches, events, and his approaches to creativity and idea generation.
Marketing in general has a very wide scope - could you tell us a little about what a typical day entails for you and give a general overview of your specific responsibilities as a Marketing Coordinator?
As you mentioned, the term “marketing” can encompass a lot of responsibilities. On our team, I mainly focus on our email marketing, video marketing, and event coordination. Email marketing is typically seen as a crucial marketing channel, as it is received directly by the consumer in their inbox. For email, I design our weekly cadence, monitor our email health, and make sure that the content our customers are receiving is relevant and engaging. Most importantly, I make sure to frequently check-in with the team to ensure that our messaging aligns in an effective way with sales and business objectives.
I work with our video production company to create HPNE product and brand videos that capture specific messages. My role in these videos is typically to express the overall vision, then break it down into a script so that everyone is on the same page. I have been lucky to work on several high-quality videos throughout my time at HPNE, including Harvest Cart, OptiMaxx, and our 2023 Hype Video.
Something I have recently started focusing more of my time on is our event coordination. I was lucky to work with CGT Circle to put together a fireside chat event for women working in biotech in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area. On top of these responsibilities, I have also been able to create display advertisements for some of our paid media, and additionally take on any ad-hoc tasks that need to be tackled. Every day is a little different, which keeps the role exciting and engaging!
Early into your role, you participated in the launch of our newest facility, 14 Thurber. What was that like, and what did you think of the launch at the time?
I remember the launch day of 14 Thurber being a lot of fun. Everyone at the facility was very excited for the opening, and the energy was contagious. Prior to the launch, I had been going to the building everyday to take pictures of the construction progress, so it was really cool to see the facility open to the public.
This was one of the first events I got to help with at the company, so it was eye opening to see the work that goes into orchestrating an event of that scale. From curating items for the gift bags to handling PR communications, I got hands-on experience on a lot of event management tasks. Overall, the event was a huge success, which was extremely validating after all of the work our team had put into it.
How do you approach your creative process, especially when creating impactful and persuasive email content and generating new ideas?
A big part of my creative process is looking back at previous campaigns to see what has been successful in the past and what hasn’t. If we know that certain content is more intriguing to our audience, we can leverage those ideas as a jumping off point for creating new, more engaging content. Additionally, I like to try and incorporate designs and messages that are unlike anything we have used before in order to keep our marketing material fresh.
Personally, I love to play around with colors and other bold, stylistic elements. Even if we don’t use every design in a live campaign, playing around with these elements helps me look at our products and brand in new ways.
High Purity New England has a wide variety of products. What is one of your favorite products to create marketing material for and why?
Although I like working with all of our products, both manufactured and distributed, my favorite product to work with is our line of FlowMaxx Pro Quaternary Diaphragm Pumps. We have a lot of impactful photography, as well as a range of six pump sizes, which gives me a great variety of options when creating a new design. We also have a FlowMaxx product video that features a lot of close-up, intimate shots, as well as high-impact family shots.
There are also quite a few distributor products that I enjoy using in our marketing material. When working with a distributor product, we often include their brand colors in our messaging, which differs from the colors I work with on a typical day. Some of my favorite products to work with include our Preparative Monolithic Chromatography Columns from BIA, Process Pressure Sensor from Custom Sensors & Technology, and our SM200+ Battery Powered Electric Tug from MasterMover.
How do you stay up-to-date with current marketing trends in and out of the biotech market?
Since both the marketing and biotech industries are constantly evolving, there are a few different methods I use. Firstly, I follow a lot of marketing pages on LinkedIn that post frequent updates about new trends and technologies. Some of my favorites are The Marketing Millennials, Pretty Little Marketer, and Because of Marketing.
I am also in a bunch of marketing groups on LinkedIn where users post tips on more specific aspects of marketing like copywriting, SEO, design, and more. I most actively engage with Marketing Communication, Media and Marketing Professionals Worldwide, and for biotech specific trends, I use Pharma/Biotech Marketing Professional Network.
Lastly, for additional marketing tips, I like to check the HubSpot blogs page. They tend to drop weekly articles, and I find them to be insightful for staying up to date on both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing.
You were instrumental in the CGT Circle Fireside Chat we held last November in Cambridge, Massachusetts. What was it like working with CGT, and what were your biggest takeaways from the event? And any future events on your radar?
It was so lovely working with the team at CGT Circle. They were all enthusiastic and knowledgeable. This event was the first ever CGT Circle event on the East Coast, and we were honored that they not only let us sponsor the event, but gave us a lot of creative liberty when it came to getting the event off the ground. We hadn’t previously done many networking events, so it was rewarding to get to be part of the team that facilitated this one.
As for my biggest takeaway, it showed me the impact of presenting information through personal stories instead of numbers or facts. Our panelists Francesca Vitelli, Bethany Grant, and moderator Nina Bauer were wonderful, and I think all of the attendees learned a lot from them in a short time, as all of their industry insights were delivered through anecdotes of their time working in the industry.
In the immediate we have plans to partner with CGT Circle for events in Greater Philadelphia and Research Triangle Park in North Carolina this spring. More on that to come!
In the marketing department, you frequently work cross-functionally with other departments. What are some of the strategies you use for clear and effective communication, especially when you need to keep multiple departments on the same page?
I have learned to make a consistent effort in keeping all of my cross-departmental communication as short and concise as possible. Most people have busy schedules, especially those in upper management roles, and it is far easier to keep up with communication if it is quick and to the point. Where meetings are involved, I also find it is important to keep detailed notes that can be distributed to those on or off the meeting, in case something during the meeting was missed, or someone could not attend.
You have been on #TeamHPNE for multiple years. Do you have a favorite moment or experience you could share with us?
One of the most impactful things for me in this role has been the trust of my teammates. Even though this is my first position out of college, my colleagues consistently express their belief in my abilities, and challenge me with new tasks they are confident I will succeed in. One moment that sticks out to me was when I was a Junior Marketing Coordinator, and I was given an ownership role for all email marketing communication.
Up until that point, I was working on a lot of supporting tasks, but this would mark the first time I was able to manage a channel of marketing by myself. I was honored that the people around me trusted me to nourish our email campaigns and come up with new and engaging content for it.
Additionally, you have been around to see the launch of multiple new products. Is there one that stands out to you?
My standout launch is our OptiMaxx Tangential Flow Filtration Systems. I was able to spearhead a lot of aspects of the launch, including working with our video production team to create an animated video, and creating all of the copy that would end up on the website relating to the product, as well as many other items like PR and other product launch components. OptiMaxx has a wide variety of impressive features from a customizable open architecture to a low footprint, which was fascinating to write about.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a recent college graduate who is looking to enter the field of marketing?
Firstly, networking is key. Make sure your LinkedIn is up-to-date, and that you make meaningful connections with others every opportunity you get.
Secondly, decide what aspect of marketing is most interesting to you. There is a more creative side, which includes asset creation, copywriting and more, as opposed to a more data-driven side which focuses more on reporting and forecasting industry trends. I believe it is crucial to consider where your skillset will be best used before moving forward with your career.
We hear you like to travel! What is your favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I think I would pick Aruba. Anywhere near the water is therapeutic for me, especially the beach. In addition to all the beautiful beaches, Aruba also had really cool natural pools and caves. I love that there are a lot of different geographies to explore on the island.
What is the best concert you have been to, and are you looking forward to any in 2024?
That’s a really tough question… last year I went to a lot of great concerts. I would have to say my favorite was a tie between SZA and Lady Gaga. SZA put on a really good show, and there was even a point where she was singing right above me. For Lady Gaga, a friend and I were able to see her on the opening night of her jazz residency in Vegas. Her voice is incredible — it was not just a concert, it was an experience. I cried several times.
This year, I already have a few concerts booked that I am looking forward to, including Nicki Minaj and Kacey Musgraves.
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About HPNE
As the industry needs grow, High Purity New England, Inc. continues to supply the biopharmaceutical industry with a range of innovative products, from drug discovery and development to fill-finish, including their flagship product, custom single-use assemblies, as well as pumps, sensors, bioreactor systems, storage and handling solutions and other single-use solutions. Along with their own manufactured products for the global market, they are also a distributor for more than 18 brands in North America.
