PurpleClick: Perfecting Connections
Sometimes, a click is all that separates you from a beautiful reality. PurpleClick shortens that distance between clicker and “clickee”, matchmaking man and business by providing an assortment of online services-Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC), Online Display Advertising etc.-to companies seeking to be more discoverable. For its excellence in Search Marketing, PurpleClick was named Marketing Magazine’s Digital Agency of the Year for 5 successive years (2009-2013).
Today, PurpleClick operates all over Southeast Asia, and is still the first and only company in Southeast Asia accredited by Google, Yahoo!, Baidu. From what it appears, closing these online connections across all platforms is becoming the future face of marketing.
The man behind surging PurpleClick is founder Leonard Tan, Singapore’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2009. We met up with Leonard to find out more about his story:
Can we hear from you what PurpleClick seeks to achieve for all its clients?
You would notice that when it comes to the digital industry, we have the various founders who have successfully made a difference to our daily lives. We have Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google founders responsible for helping us get info at the click of a button. We also have Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder responsible for helping us stay connected with our friends. The list goes on, really.
However, there has yet to be someone to bridge the gap between businesses and their customers, serving as a conduit to success. We want PurpleClick to be the one to do this and to achieve this, we are using Search Marketing as a vehicle to change the way the world views Online Marketing.
Our vision is to help businesses grow by tapping on the digital goldmine, making Search Marketing work effectively for every business.
How and when did you find out that you had a knack for Search Engine Marketing?
Back in 2002 when I was doing my masters in E-Commerce (Chicago), my first encounter with Search Marketing was a consulting project with an SME in Chicago. That project wowed me and showed the way to the high-performing and analytical online marketing platform-SEM. I was convinced that was going to rock the world.
When I returned to Singapore in 2004, during my employment at Yahoo, I felt that I could do a lot more for my customers, especially the small and medium enterprises. It dawned on me that with all the skills and knowledge I gained working at Yahoo, complemented by my education background with a Masters in E-Commerce, I was equipped to help companies grow online by building a business of my own.
The rest was history.
As an award-winning young entrepreneur, what is the best piece of advice you have for business owners who are beginning to gain a footing?
Entrepreneurship is about having a positive mindset. It is both a learning journey and a humbling experience. There is no destination, only rich experiences. The more you learn, the more you improve. And the more you improve, the more responsibilities you take on (in particular, to help others). You’re basically on a mission, that is, to make a difference in your life and the people around, and only by doing that would your entrepreneurial journey be meaningful.
If there is only one thing to share, it will be: failure is the key to success. You must learn to fail in order to move towards success.
As an entrepreneur, the first mindset to overcome will be the fear of failures. Successful entrepreneurs are mostly bold, gut-oriented, optimistic, and full of crazy ideas to make things happen!
Would you care to share how you think technology needs will evolve over the next decade?
Digital consumption across devices has risen over the years and it is evolving into a manner where there is a strong need for reliable analytics for both personal and business usage. The digital landscape is clearly stepping up its game to be more cross-platform-friendly. Technology would have to be accessible and instant, with live data to sync with the consumers’ time of need.
With mobile adoption and usage sprouting at an incredible pace, consumers are likely to be growing in the dependence of mobile devices across all their daily needs, including search, purchases and payments. The single platform-be it Facebook, Whatsapp, Wechat, or any other mobile tool-that can first achieve the above, will rule the world. The only way for these tools to survive or grow is to constantly innovate in ways and features to improve life for consumers.
Do you have a mentor in particular you’d like to thank for your growth? What is something important from this person that you still hold dearly today?
I think I am the way I am because I saw my father start everything from scratch himself. My father worked very hard to create his own business empire. I wanted to be like him and excel beyond.
Not only this, but my father taught me the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and encouraged me to treat daily challenges as ‘part and parcel of business,’ which is a philosophy that I hold strong till today. Win-win is also another business concept I strongly hold to, with influence from my dad.
It is also to be noted that my customers drive me. They often give me feedback on my business and the products and services we provide. I learn a lot from them and try to improve my business based on their feedback.
Another person I am grateful to will be my ex-boss in Yahoo. He is not only my boss, but an important mentor and good buddy I go to for industry insights, advice, and network. I am heavily indebted to him.
When you hear the slogan Think Big, how applicable do you think it is to the life of an entrepreneur?
The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible. Entrepreneurs often find ourselves dreaming big; sadly, it is our own fears and insecurities that prevent us from realizing it. This is further exacerbated by the dynamic, fast-changing business world that directly affects the way you run your business.
The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.
If you don’t think BIG, think BIGGER!
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