5 Questions for Markéta Balvínová

Markéta strengthened Marketup’s business development team in September. She brings experience from the agency world, where she has been working for the past four years. She managed projects at LHMS for Škoda Auto and further developed her commercial skills at Czech Promotion. In the interview, she reveals why the dynamic agency environment still excites her, which marketing trends she considers crucial for winning new business, and whether “youth first” is always perceived positively in the market.

The agency world energizes you and matches your natural pace. Am I right?

I’m generally a fast-paced person, so yes – you’re absolutely right, I enjoy it. It’s not just the speed, but mainly the variety and the fact that something is always happening. As I like to say: “THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING.” Every day you’re dealing with a different brand, a different strategy, a different challenge — you simply don’t get bored. And I really don’t like being bored. My job is mostly about communication, listening and reading people, which requires a certain dose of extroversion. In my personal life it’s the opposite — I dial it down to keep balance and not burn out.

Which marketing trends do you see as key for winning new business?

In the long-term context (and that’s what we want — to be a long-term partner), it’s not exactly trendy trends that win new business. Trends pop up constantly, and in marketing — and honestly in today’s world in general — it’s crazy to keep up, inhale a massive amount of information every day, and adapt quickly. I still see major importance in implementing AI (there’s a lot of room to improve and start using its full potential), leveraging data insights, and more importantly — acting on those insights and turning them into concrete actions.

Expectations for expertise are much higher now. Clients want a partner who understands their numbers, connects marketing strategy with business strategy, and places everything into context. For me that means: when I approach a client and offer a solution, I don’t just show “pretty pictures.” I explain how those “pictures” work across touchpoints and tie it all back to a business metric.

A successful young woman can be perceived in different ways on the market. Is it an advantage, or do people sometimes underestimate you?

Well, honestly, after a few glasses of wine I’m already starting to see blurry, I need a whole week to recover, and I’ve already found a couple of grey hairs. So I’m not that young anymore. 😀 Definitely not so young that any underestimation would throw me off.

I think I also have an advantage in that I don’t exactly look like the most fragile woman on Earth. I have quite a strong, confident voice, I don’t squeak, and I usually say things that make sense. 🙂

I can’t say I’ve had any real confrontation like that — usually a few sentences are enough and it’s clear. And truly, I don’t overthink it. I do my job, I deliver results, and that’s usually enough. And honestly, if someone is triggered by a “young successful woman” and sees her in some biased way, they don’t need to talk to me — they need to talk to their own ego.

Tenders are a natural part of agency life. What else should a business developer master to impress a new client?

That’s true, but tenders are only one part of the game. I always say I don’t want to be a pots-and-pans salesman. A good business developer shouldn’t “talk someone into something,” but rather help them make the right decision. The key is to understand their needs — and you find those by asking the right questions. That’s how you build a relationship and create trust. Even telling a client “this isn’t for you” can build trust — because it shows I’m not here to sell them my “entire family,” but something that genuinely helps.

And then comes the hardest part: understanding the client’s business and speaking their language. Not just marketing as such, but how marketing affects their numbers, what seasonality means for them, what the competition is doing…

And finally — being authentic and a “normal” human being. When I think about it, that’s probably the most important thing. I’d definitely stand behind that.

Where do you recharge your energy outside of work?

Those who know me know I can’t just sit and do nothing — and I don’t even relax by doing nothing. So my biggest recharge is exercise — I go to hot yoga, pilates, group classes and I also play tennis. I also get energy from spending time with people I care about — over a flat white, a spritzer or a glass of wine somewhere nice or out in nature.

My ideal recharge combo is: nice weather + mountains / forest / water + silence. Pure perfection.