We Know Email Series: Dwight Swaney - Return Path

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The following Question and Answer series profiles Return Path employees in a variety of roles and locations. Join us as we find out what they do, what they enjoy, and most importantly, what email campaigns they are loving lately.

What’s your role here at Return Path? You know all those emails you get from brands? Our company helps you get more of the ones you like, and fewer of the ones that annoy you. Specifically, I work to connect businesses with our products to meet their email marketing and data needs.

What initially brought you here? The people—everyone is inquisitive and challenging. They’re always answering your question with a thoughtful question that really makes you think!

Tell me something I don’t know about sales. When you think about typical sales people, they’re gregarious, they talk a lot, and they might even be a little bit pushy. However, some of the best sales people I know are actually introverted, and that makes them really good listeners. I think that listening is one of the most important things that you can do to earn customer’s trust. I once thought that not being an extrovert was harmful to my career, but now I actually see it as a strength. Ironically, knowing this has helped me be more outgoing at work events, which helps me in new ways.

What energizes you about your role at Return Path? I love being the person to pique someone’s interest in our brand, and be their guide to understanding what we’re about, and how we can make their lives and work better and easier. We paint a vision together. Those first conversations are always filled with possibilities for others—even better if they never knew it was possible!

What problem is the most fun to solve? I love subscriber overlap data. Brands are always intrigued to look at the other brands that share the inbox with their customers. It frames your email competition in a totally new light.

What about you might come as a surprise to those that work closely with you? I’ll swim in almost any body of water, and bring a bathing suit on every trip just in case. I also really enjoy digging in the dirt to plant trees and flowers. It’s very relaxing and I get to be outside too.

What’s the most memorable email campaign you’ve seen lately? I subscribe toWired Magazinebut because I have two young children I rarely get to read it anymore. I was thinking about cancelling the subscription until I started getting their emails. Wired’s emails are helpful on point about information that I want to read and they always stay top-of-mind when they’re in my inbox. I even get to read about companies that I’m doing business with and that really ties it all together for me.

What emails can we find in your personal inbox? I getThe Daily Skimmbecause I like its humorous approach to the world’s events. I also read emails fromWiredandThe Atlanticfor insightful reads and information about new technologies and trends. And I usually get one or two emails a week fromLast Bottle, it’s my new favorite site for buying discounted wine the tastes really, really good. My gym is also always trying to get me to join a Pilates or yoga class and one day I’ll finally be up to it so they can stay until I’m ready. Finally,Tellurideis one of my favorite places on Earth. I receive a couple emails from them every year about their concert series or events up there. I’ll always read it because I love to go—or at least imagine myself there.

What’s your favorite thing about working at Return Path? More than just feeling like we’re one mind, I really get the sense that we’re all of one heart too. Knowing that a colleague or a customer is always there for you is really meaningful. We’re always thinking about exploring the right things in the right way and it gives me a lot of comfort. I feel like work is an important and integrated part with my life. That’s something you don’t find everywhere.Thanks for chatting with us, Dwight. To learn about how Return Path can improve your email marketing, schedule a demo today. Tell them Dwight sent you!