{"id":132719,"date":"2025-06-26T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T06:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.campus02.at\/marketing\/?post_type=campus_news&p=132719"},"modified":"2025-06-26T14:53:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T12:53:54","slug":"marketing-sales-absolvent-des-monats-juni-2025","status":"publish","type":"campus_news","link":"https:\/\/www.campus02.at\/marketing\/en\/news\/marketing-sales-absolvent-des-monats-juni-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Marketing & Sales: Graduate of the Month June 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not keen on a run-of-the-mill degree? Neither was Fabio Steiner.
\nAfter finishing school, one thing was clear to him: a traditional degree with lecture-style teaching and rigid timetables? No, thank you. It took a brief stint at university for him to realise what he really wanted \u2014 and, more importantly, what he didn\u2019t. When he came across the Marketing and Sales degree programme at FH CAMPUS 02, it marked the beginning of a journey that would ultimately lead to the founding of his own agency, Conversion Club<\/a>. In our \u201cGraduate of the Month\u201d interview series, Fabio shares what he learned along the way, who he works with today, and why \u2014 looking back \u2014 he\u2019s glad he had to wait a year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What motivated you to choose the Marketing & Sales programme at Campus 02 University of Applied Sciences?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

After finishing school and my time at the football academy of SV Kapfenberg, one thing was clear to me: fixed timetables, compulsory attendance, lecture-style teaching? Not really my thing!<\/p>\n

So, during my civilian service, I started a business studies degree at university \u2014 and after a year and a half, I quickly realised: a lecture hall with 500 people, where you're just an anonymous student ID number, and mostly \u201cboring\u201d monologues? Not really my thing. Suddenly, universities of applied sciences were back in the running, and during my research I came across FH CAMPUS 02<\/strong> and the Marketing & Sales degree programme<\/strong><\/a>. At the time, I\u2019d already had the idea of starting my own agency one day with my very good friend Robert Haidl (now founder of the agency Zeitgeist). Marketing & Sales sounded like the perfect match.<\/p>\n

Application submitted, entrance test smashed, interview done \u2014 and full of confidence and excitement for the course, I \u201conly\u201d made it onto the waiting list. A year later, it finally worked out. Looking back: the best thing that could have happened to me. Because it was in that very cohort that I met my future co-founders Dominik and Konrad (also known as JD and Q) from Conversion Club<\/a><\/strong>. Without that, our agency might not even exist today.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Can you share a special memory or highlight from your time studying?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s hard to pick out a single highlight \u2013 there were so many great moments, some so good I can barely even remember them. What made FH CAMPUS 02 special for me was my close group of friends. I\u2019m still very good friends with most of the people from my old crew and stay in regular contact. We motivated and supported each other, studied together, and pushed one another along.<\/p>\n

A real highlight was studying with JD in the run-up to the Bachelor\u2019s exam. During those two to three weeks, everything suddenly clicked for me \u2013 I finally understood what integrated marketing thinking really means. We studied every morning, had lunch together, and then continued with the material in the afternoon. That was the first time I thought: wow, something really has stuck from the last six semesters.<\/p>\n

The three committee exams were also memorable moments for me. What sticks especially in my mind is the look of disappointment on Professor Dr Eva Koban-R\u00f6\u00df\u2019s face after I only briefly glanced at the materials on my second attempt \u2014 assuming that would be enough. It wasn\u2019t. A real heartbreaking moment<\/em>. She gave me a proper kick up the backside back then. At this point: thanks for that \u2014 otherwise, I probably wouldn\u2019t have even passed my Bachelor\u2019s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Which aspects of your studies were particularly formative for your entrepreneurial journey today?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Online marketing these days is something pretty much anyone can teach themselves. There are plenty of resources and videos on how to create content, set up campaigns, or manage social media accounts professionally. What sets us apart from many other agencies, however, is the broad understanding of marketing we bring thanks to our training. We start every project with the basics and, above all, we question what actually makes sense instead of just talking a load of nonsense. You want to start a TikTok account to generate more leads, but you\u2019re a real estate company whose clients are all over 50 and have high incomes? For what? Does that make sense, or do you just want it because it\u2019s \u201ccool\u201d right now?<\/p>\n

Of course, you get taught a wide range of subjects during your studies. Some were more relevant to me, others I\u2019ve probably already forgotten. What really shaped me, though, was learning to think like a marketer. Seeing things from a marketing perspective helps enormously. So it\u2019s not individual subjects or courses that made the difference, but the whole package. And naturally: the FH CAMPUS 02 network is incredible. Anyone who has graduated from there instantly has a connection to other alumni, and if you look at the local business landscape, you\u2019ll find someone almost everywhere who has also been to FH CAMPUS 02.<\/p>\n

Oh yes, and as I\u2019ve already mentioned: I met my two co-founders during my studies \u2014 looking back, not exactly unimportant for my career path.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fabio, how did the founding of Conversion Club come about \u2014 what was your motivation and the original idea behind it?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When I was four or five years old, I used to paint pictures and make crafts \u2014 then \u201csell\u201d them to family members. At 15 or 16, I had a small fashion label with a mate. I think it was called \u201cNimz\u201d. We designed and sold T-shirts, beanies, and hoodies. During my Bachelor\u2019s degree, I organised over 50 concerts under the name LifeLovesYou and handled booking and management for musicians.<\/p>\n

For me, it was always clear: if professional football didn\u2019t work out, I wanted to run my own business. I just find it hard working under other people \u2014 even though my (few) previous bosses were great. Shout-out to Paul from teamazing, Jakob from Joinpoints, and of course Lukas and Stefan from Guest Room!<\/p>\n

After my Bachelor\u2019s, I actually wanted to get LifeLovesYou off the ground. I had just been on tour in Austria and Germany for nearly three weeks as a booker with three musicians for the first time. One week later, I organised a concert with 250 attendees at the Postgarage (Second Floor), and two days after that, the first lockdown hit. All the work \u2014 gone overnight.<\/p>\n

So, during the Corona period, we first had to get ourselves organised. And after the first lockdown was over, my colleague Konrad said he was keen to start an agency and asked if we wanted to do it together. We had no idea exactly what we wanted to do \u2014 just that it should be something in the online marketing world. So, we took on some small jobs to start with. Managed some social media accounts, ran our first Meta ads, and bought a camera to create our own content. At the same time, we had to learn how it all works and how to do it properly. A few months later, JD joined us, and at that moment it became clear: now we could really get going.<\/p>\n

Since August 2020, Conversion Club has officially been established.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What exactly does Conversion Club do, and how do you differentiate yourselves from other providers in the online marketing sector?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Everything we do, we do from a marketing perspective and without any nonsense. That\u2019s what sets us apart from many other agencies who promise you the moon. For example, we might be hired for social media management \u2014 but we immediately think further: What else could the company do to become even more successful? We constantly bring new ideas and suggestions to the table and don\u2019t think in silos.<\/p>\n

F\u00fcr das Lagerhaus Graz-Land<\/a> haben wir z.\u202fB. eine App umgesetzt, obwohl wir urspr\u00fcnglich \u201enur\u201c f\u00fcr Social Media beauftragt wurden. Beim LANDWIRT<\/a> haben wir den Award f\u00fcr den \u201ebeliebtesten LANDWIRT \/ die beliebteste LANDWIRTIN\u201c ins Leben gerufen, um eine j\u00fcngere Zielgruppe anzusprechen und Influencer*innen aufzubauen.
\r\nUnsere Kernkompetenz liegt im Online Marketing, aber grunds\u00e4tzlich unterst\u00fctzen und beraten wir unsere Kund*innen n allen Bereichen des Marketings. Wir haben uns mittlerweile auf drei Schwerpunkte spezialisiert:<\/p>\n