We recently had a chance to interview Nick Ha, our Senior Sales Manager – SEA. It was an exciting conversation revolving around Vietnam’s thriving market and Nick’s extensive experience working in the advertising technology industry. Read on to know more about all the insightful bits Nick has shared with us.
Let’s go back to the beginning. How did you start your career in business development, and what has kept you motivated throughout the years?
I have four years of experience in an account management role before transitioning to a Hunter role with companies such as Google NBS, Ramco Systems, InMobi, and RocketLab. I continued my journey with Affle Group, focusing on lower funnel Adtech pursuits and exploring a variety of Ad channels to deliver to clients. Currently, I am working with Programmatic, which can be a challenging process in converting and changing the mindset of Vietnamese advertisers. Nevertheless, it has been a rewarding journey.
Can you describe your workday at RevX and what you enjoy the most about it?
I start my day by reviewing my schedule to ensure that I’m aware of any calls or meetings I have and to prioritize any necessary preparation work. Next, I check my emails and try to respond to any warm leads promptly so that they receive my full attention. I check my LinkedIn messages and voicemail and reply accordingly. Before lunch, I spend any remaining free time researching prospects. In the afternoon, I find that I’m more social and high-energy, so I channel that into outreach. I usually have the calls with mobile brands scheduled in the afternoon unless they prefer otherwise. I try to listen in on sales calls two to three times a week to keep myself updated about any new closing process and to understand what messaging will likely resonate with our target accounts. I update the CRM throughout the day to ensure everything is up-to-date. Moreover, I make time during the day to research the trends in the industry and try to understand the client’s requirements during the calls and developments within the industry to better serve our clients with the best possible solutions.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in sales, given your experience as a sales leader?
The journey may be challenging and difficult, but the rewards at the end are worth it. Therefore, it is important to maintain a resilient and positive attitude throughout. Always remember that as the first point of contact, you represent the face of the company, so it’s important to uphold its values and ideals.
Can you give us an overview of Vietnam’s AdTech market’s current landscape and key trends?
Vietnam takes pride in its strong and thriving gaming industry, but with maturity, there is a high demand for KPI for ROAS, with requests for quick results and significant traffic in the beginning. Moreover, the banking, food delivery, and fintech sectors are also essential in Vietnam.
The competition in the market is intense, and various players on TikTok are dominating the market. Meanwhile, Meta has taken a step back, and Google still holds a significant percentage of the client budget due to its strong client relationships and excellent customer success experiences in Vietnam. The programmatic landscape is also filled with many competitors.
From a sales perspective, what are the unique challenges and opportunities you have noticed in Vietnam’s AdTech market?
With the growing Vietnam Adtech market, the competitors in the market are rapidly increasing, which becomes a challenge at times. We try to tackle this by presenting the clients with unique solutions and meeting their exact requirements. Moreover, in the fast-paced Vietnam Adtech market, it requires a high level of adaptation and it is very important to stay on top of all the industry trends to be knowledgeable and to tackle the competition.
What are your thoughts on the future of Vietnam’s AdTech market, and how is the team gearing up for it?
Vietnam’s Adtech market is rapidly growing. With a rapidly transforming digital landscape, a youthful population, and a strong desire for innovation, the potential for growth in the market is undeniable.
However, there is a notable shortage of talent in the adtech and martech sectors, which is limiting some companies’ growth ambitions. Finding and training candidates who possess the necessary skills, a deep understanding of the market, and a strong network within the industry is a challenge. For fields such as programmatic advertising, which requires specialized knowledge, this can pose an additional hurdle for newcomers.
Companies looking to hire in Vietnam are primarily focused on local talent. They need individuals who not only possess the necessary skills but also bring a local network and language fluency to the table. Therefore, it is essential to build a team with expertise and keep it lean, around 4-5 people, to create a million-dollar team.
How do you manage customer relationships in this competitive AdTech market?
I manage customer relations with offline meetings, organizing entertainment after workshops, and keeping clients entertained are the most effective B2B methods in Vietnam.
What are your interests outside of work, and how do you manage them?
In my free time, I try to play football and travel as much as I can. I always try to make some trips to nearby locations such as Malaysia and Thailand as a workstation.
Interested in joining our RevX team? We’re hiring!
Lauren Heineck
