Say Hello to Sophie Nicklin – CDM’s New Senior Consultant!

We’ve got someone special joining the CDM consultancy crew – and we’re excited for you to meet her! Sophie Nicklin is officially part of the team, and she’s bringing with her a love for strategy, a refreshing dose of honesty, and an impressive track record (did someone say 600% over registration target?!). We sat down with Sophie for a quick Q&A so you can get to know her better and see why we’re so thrilled she’s on board.

First up – what drew you to marketing in the first place?

Sophie: It’s probably in my DNA! My dad worked in marketing his whole career, and then my sister followed in his footsteps, so I feel like it was instilled in me from a young age. I still remember her showing me the Dove 'Campaign for Real Beauty' ad and being completely struck by how powerful a creative idea could be when paired with a meaningful message. I’ve always been creatively minded, and it just felt like the right path for me too.

What’s your marketing superpower?

Sophie: Strategy. I absolutely love it—the research, the planning, and really getting into the head of the target audience. For me, the foundation of any strong campaign is thoughtful planning. If you get the approach right from the very beginning, you set yourself up for success.

Oh, and post-campaign analysis! You’ll often find me refreshing Google Analytics a lot. There’s something really energising about seeing the results roll in.

So… why CDM?

Sophie: I’ve worked across lots of consulting projects over the past five years, but what really resonated with me about CDM was the hands-on, collaborative approach. CDM doesn’t just throw out a one-size-fits-all solution—it tailors everything to the client and always aims for best-in-class. That level of care, for both clients and consultants, was really refreshing. It felt like the kind of people-first environment where great work gets done.

What kind of marketing puzzles do you love solving?

Sophie: It always comes back to strategy for me. Often clients are focused on one or two key goals—like driving registrations or boosting revenue—but don’t always have the capacity to step back and refine the strategy that will actually get them there. And that’s where I come in. Strategy isn’t just about looking forward, it’s also about analysing what’s already happened—digging into the data, spotting patterns, identifying gaps. Without that foundation, long-term success is hard to sustain.

Brag time! What’s a proud moment from your career so far?

Sophie: Exceeding our registration target by 600%! This was for a niche, client-led event back in 2021, and there was a lot of uncertainty around how it would perform. What made the difference was a solid strategy—getting the right message in front of the right people at exactly the right time. It just clicked. It was one of those campaigns that reminds you why the groundwork really matters.

What marketing trend has your attention right now?

Sophie: I’m really interested in the continued rise of influencer marketing, especially in B2B. It’s still a bit overlooked, but I think there’s real opportunity to build trust and engagement by partnering with credible voices. It’s something I believe should be more consistently integrated into B2B strategies.

I’m also loving how AI is simplifying some of the time-consuming stuff—like analysis and reporting. If a tool can streamline my Google Analytics deep-dives and free up more time for strategy and creativity, I’m all for it.

What’s one piece of marketing advice you always come back to?

Sophie: Communication. It’s the one thing I always come back to and something I’ve consistently emphasised in every team I’ve led. You can learn marketing skills fairly quickly, but strong communication takes time—and it makes such a difference. Whether it’s internal collaboration or client relationships, clear and effective communication creates better work and a better working environment.

What’s something people might not expect when working with you?

Sophie: Probably my honesty! If I think a piece of copy isn’t quite hitting the mark or we need to shift direction, I’ll say so—politely, of course. I’m also upfront if a deadline might slip. I think people appreciate that kind of openness—it builds trust and gets better results.

Final thoughts – what are you most looking forward to at CDM?

Sophie: Meeting the team, getting to know some new clients, and getting stuck into some exciting new projects! I love variety, and I can already tell CDM is full of brilliant minds doing brilliant work.

---

Sophie’s now available to book!

If your marketing strategy needs a refresh, your team’s too close to spot the gaps, or you're chasing ambitious goals without the bandwidth to get there—Sophie can help.

Want to work with Sophie? Get in touch!