Cathryn M

Value Comparisons is an online enterprise with a portfolio of brands where I played a key role in driving digital marketing initiatives. As the first in-house marketer since 2017, my role was primarily to setup new streams of revenue for the business.

• Marketing Strategy: Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive marketing strategies, enhancing brand visibility and engaging a diverse audience across various channels.

• Website Project Management: Project managed the construction of a new website for an emerging brand, coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with strategic goals. Simultaneously, I recommended feasible enhancements to an existing website.

• Database Management: Commenced re-engaging a cold subscriber base of approximately 1 million, creating effective strategies for data cleansing, re-engagement, nurturing, and monetisation.

• Lead Nurturing: Optimised a 10-day onboarding sequence for new leads to boost engagement and conversions among prospects who did not make a purchase.

• Website and Social Media Marketing: Commenced targeted paid web advertising and social media campaigns for lead generation, supporting three distinct brands within the company's portfolio.

• Search Engine Marketing: Directed the initiation and refinement of Google SEM campaigns for two brands, aiming to maximise online presence and conversion efficiency.

▪ Marketing Strategy Execution: Play a crucial role in executing the approved strategic direction by producing, researching, and editing a diverse range of compelling and informative content, including blogs, case studies, LinkedIn posts/articles, and web pages.

▪ Stakeholder Relationship Building: Collaborate closely with various internal teams and stakeholders to ensure the content aligns with organisational goals and resonates with target audiences.

▪ Creative Project Management: Conduct a comprehensive website audit of the Davidson site, focusing on brand messaging, writing tone, and style. Identify areas for improvement and alignment, demonstrating strong attention to detail and project management skills.

▪ SEO Optimisation: Conduct thorough keyword and hashtag research to optimise content for search engines, boost organic traffic, and improve website rankings.

▪ Proactive media pitching: Writing press releases for Council for mainstream media with the KPI of 75% success rate for coverage (average 95%) including quoting the Mayor.

▪ Reactive media statements: Writing media statements on behalf of Council in response to media enquiries.

▪ Writing speeches for the Mayor (Australia Day Ceremony, Playground opening, etc). Writing invitation letters for the Mayor to Federal Government Ministers.

▪ Editing and proofreading tourism magazine and article copy.

▪ Liaising with departments to source content and good news stories for Redlands magazine.

In this role, I played a pivotal role in boosting membership growth and customer spending by enticing new members and engaging top gaming customers through strategic electronic direct mails (eDMs) and social media strategies.

▪ Social Media Strategy: Developed and executed a dynamic social media strategy that entailed planning regular specials and upcoming events on a fortnightly basis, due to frequent changes and additions to the event schedule, while also maintaining a quarterly overview.

▪ Facebook Management: Managed the Facebook page by creating and scheduling various types of posts, including stories and reels.

▪ Graphic Design: Created social media graphics and internal advertising for the club, adhering to brand guidelines. This included designing most graphics myself and collaborating closely with an external agency for gaming-related graphic design.

▪ eDMs and Conversion: Crafted member eDMs with a focus on conversion, utilising Alveo (a SaaS/Cloud-based data management platform) for analytics.

▪ Event and Incentive Creation: Developed new events and incentives to attract members to the club, including top gaming clients.

As the founder and pivotal force behind Change Empire Books, a non-fiction book publishing imprint, I steered a

global team of 21. Using multi-pronged client acquisition strategies, I harnessed social media for attraction marketing,

perfected paid advertising funnels, and fostered mailing list growth. As the face of the brand, I upheld our core values,

served an international clientele, and firmly established our niche in a competitive global marketplace.

▪ Marketing Strategy: Created an annual marketing strategy that encompassed social media, paid advertising, SEO,

organic audience growth, and mailing list engagement. This comprehensive approach resulted in 90% of new

clients being acquired through social media.

▪ Team Management: Created quarterly work plans and work priorities for the team, allocated and managed resources to align with business goals. Admin and tech support team management of 6 linguistically and geographically diverse team members, and publishing team management of 15 team members.

▪ Social Media Marketing: Responsible for social media marketing using LinkedIn and Facebook to attract highticket clients ($5,000-$25,000 services) using a combination of paid and organic methods.

▪ Client Attraction Funnels: Planned and oversaw the creation and implementation of client attraction funnels,

including front-end Facebook advertising copy and graphics, and the design of customer journeys, including email nurturing and conversion from free/low-cost offers to high-end offers.

▪ Relationship Management: Developed and managed relationships with partners, service providers, referral

groups, and clients. Formed relationships with key influencers, referrers, and industry experts to achieve outcomes aligned with business and client goals.

▪ CRM System Management: Managed the build of our cloud-based CRM system and was responsible for client

lifecycle management.

▪ Podcast Management: Created a lead-generating podcast (150 episodes) including a nurture sequence and

upsell process using personalised video and zoom meetings with guests.

▪ Website Content: Website content creation, including writing (and sometimes outsourcing) SEO optimised blogs.

▪ Book Promotion: Formulated book promotion tactics encompassing both free and paid promotional initiatives

and made collaborative partnerships with external suppliers and industry specialists to facilitate client referrals.

▪ Book Coaching: Provided personalised 1:1 support and guidance to my own roster of clients, helping them navigate the book writing process from ideation to the completion of their initial drafts.

▪ Sourced good news stories about Council initiatives, take photos and write social media posts for Councillors.

▪ Sourced and wrote stories for quarterly Council magazine.

▪ Created and maintained relationships with different departments to be kept front of mind for new projects.

▪ Proactive media press releases and reactive media statements as required.

As the Owner and Principal Consultant at Curlytop Creative, I successfully delivered strategic marketing solutions, developed robust brand strategies, managed impactful media campaigns, and led significant digital projects for a diverse range of clients across multiple industries.

▪ Brand Development: Led comprehensive brand development initiatives, starting from discovery sessions to concept, design, delivery, and implementation strategies, ensuring a holistic and aligned approach to brand building Marketing and Communications Strategies: Formulated tailored marketing and communications strategies to meet clients' organisational needs and achieve their goals, demonstrating a deep understanding of each client's unique context and objectives. Included creating advertising plans and managing budgets.

▪ Media Strategies: Developed effective media/PR strategies, including gaining free media coverage. I spent nine months part-time with The Smith Family, helping them reach their media goals, including three placements in The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail (two covers and two 4-page spreads).

▪ Public Relations: Crafted strategic public relations plans and provided expert media relations guidance, positioning clients favourably in the media landscape. Provided advice on reputation management and risk mitigation.

▪ Content Creation: Produced compelling written content for a wide range of formats, including web content,

blogs, social media, ad copy, articles, press releases, opinion pieces, and sales landing pages, demonstrating versatility and adaptability in content creation.

▪ Project Management: Project managed large-scale events, website builds, and video productions, showcasing strong project management skills and attention to detail.

In this comprehensive role at a well-respected non-profit organisation, I executed both marketing and media activities,

including enhancing brand awareness, managing media responses, mitigating crisis media, managing web projects,

and producing multimedia content.

▪ Brand Awareness: Coordinated marketing, branding, and media activities to increase public awareness and

establish the organisation as a leader in relationship counselling and mediation services. Demonstrating a strategic approach to brand positioning and awareness building.

▪ Multi-channel Engagement: Developed and implemented multi-channel engagement and communication

strategies for key initiatives, demonstrating a holistic and integrated approach to communication.

▪ Internal Brand Awareness: Travelled to regional offices to drive internal brand awareness and support staff in

delivering effective communication strategies, demonstrating a commitment to internal engagement and

alignment.

▪ Web Content Management: Managed web content, including identifying popular topics, curating contributions,

and editing, demonstrating a strategic approach to content management and curation.

▪ Multimedia Production: Handled graphic design, content curation, writing, and multimedia planning, including

video production for social media (YouTube Channel), showcasing a range of multimedia production skills.

▪ Media Response: Responded to all media enquiries and conducted media training for RAQ spokespeople for media interviews, demonstrating expertise in media relations and training.

▪ Event Management: Managed the Professional Development Masterclass series, including engaging presenters,

event and budget management, database, and marketing, demonstrating strong event management skills.

In these two strategic roles, I provided high-level communication advisory services to project and business unit managers, focusing on community engagement, potential media coverage (both positive and negative), issues management, executive correspondence, public affairs, and stakeholder relationship management.

▪ Stakeholder Relationships: Built and maintained stakeholder relationships to support department and project objectives, demonstrating strong relationship-building skills.

▪ Communication Strategies: Developed and implemented communication strategies for the region's Roads Program, demonstrating a strategic approach to communication planning.

▪ Community Engagement: Coordinated community engagement processes, liaising with stakeholders and attending public displays, demonstrating strong community engagement skills.

▪ Reputational Risk Management: Mitigated reputational risks during a highly controversial road improvement program in a pre-election period, managing key messaging for accurate public perceptions amid negative reactions and press coverage, demonstrating strong crisis communication and issues management skills.

▪ Executive Correspondence: Drafted executive correspondence, Ministerial speech notes, and responses to enquiries, demonstrating strong writing and stakeholder management skills.

▪ Communication Materials: Prepared various communication materials, translating technical concepts into plain language, demonstrating strong writing and translation skills.

▪ Communication Toolkit: Led a 6-week project to develop a communication toolkit for divisional use, assisting HR

and WHS professionals in targeted and effective communication, demonstrating strong project management and

strategic communication skills.

As a 'web specialist' in a tight-knit team of six account managers and executives, I handled a variety of media,

marketing, and communications responsibilities:

▪ Major Project Leadership: Entrusted as the lead on a major infrastructure project, a key initiative in

Queensland's response to environmental challenges. Spearheaded the communication strategy, crafting key

messages and developing comprehensive content for the project's website.

▪ Cross-Marketing Opportunities: Identified and delivered cross-marketing opportunities across multiple

mediums, including newspaper and television, and developed relationships with media to facilitate outcomes in

line with business and client goals. This highlights my ability to think creatively and strategically to maximise

exposure for clients.

▪ Press Releases: Wrote press releases and leveraged media networks to maximise client exposure in all press

mediums, demonstrating my excellent communication skills and media relationships.

▪ Business Development: Identified new business opportunities through networking and research, and prepared

tender responses, showcasing my ability to drive business growth.

▪ Project Management: Managed clients' websites in line with business requirements, including conducting

usability testing. This showcases my ability to manage projects to deadlines while considering the end user's

experience.

▪ Web Training Workshops: Planned and delivered web training workshops for internal team members, developing

their knowledge, skills, and abilities to stay abreast of technology changes related to client business

requirements. This demonstrates my commitment to continuous learning and development, as well as my ability

to educate others.

As the sole marketing and PR employee for Sea Stradbroke, I focused on attracting new customers to the ferry in a competitive local market and bringing new travellers to the Island during off-peak periods:

▪ Complete Rebrand: Led a complete rebrand aligning with business goals, overseeing visual branding, marketing materials, website, and signage. This demonstrates my ability to manage a comprehensive rebranding initiative in alignment with business goals.

▪ Budget and Marketing Plan Management: Managed the annual marketing budget and implemented

comprehensive marketing and media plans, including content marketing, PPC, and offline strategies. This

showcases my ability to develop and execute innovative marketing strategies while managing and reporting on a budget.

▪ Marketing Activity Adjustment: Monitored and adjusted marketing activities based on business direction and

financial/legal requirements, highlighting my attention to detail and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

▪ External Resource Management: Recruited and managed external resources for technical and design aspects of communication efforts, demonstrating my excellent relationship building and communication skills.

▪ Website Launch Project Management: Project-managed website launches, including an online booking system

and customer loyalty program. This showcases my project management skills and attention to detail.

▪ Customer Service Improvement: Improved customer service through secret shoppers and sales/service trainer

implementation, highlighting my commitment to enhancing the customer experience.

▪ Media Relationship Cultivation: Cultivated media relationships, securing coverage for the business and local

operators, demonstrating my excellent communication skills and ability to secure media coverage.

▪ Large-Scale Event Organisation: Organised large-scale events on the ferry and North Stradbroke Island (including the first major music festival, now ‘Island Vibe’), fostering community engagement. This highlights my ability to manage large-scale events and engage with the community.

▪ Subsidiary Package Holiday Company Launch: Launched and grew a successful subsidiary package holiday

company, hiring a full-time booking agent to handle operations and significantly increasing revenue. This

demonstrates my ability to drive business growth and manage operations.

Strategic Media Engagement: Championed the Redlands and North Stradbroke Island's tourism offerings by

proactively engaging with journalists and securing significant earned media coverage, elevating the region's

visibility in key media outlets.

▪ Tourism Operator Publicity: Facilitated first-time media coverage for numerous local tourism operators, thereby

boosting their profiles and potentially enhancing their customer base.

▪ Journalistic Partnerships: Collaborated closely with media professionals, orchestrating location visits and crafting compelling pitches, which resulted in authentic and engaging stories about the region's unique attractions.

▪ Local Tourism Advocacy: Acted as the principal media contact and spokesperson for the Redlands area,

passionately advocating for its diverse attractions and ensuring consistent and positive representation in the

media.

▪ Tourist Guides Creation: Curated, wrote, edited, and designed tourist guides for the Redlands, North Stradbroke Island, the Scenic Rim, and multiple other regional destinations as income-producing activities for the organisation. This highlights my ability to create valuable content that serves multiple purposes - promoting the region and generating income for the organisation.