Interview Answers

About me

  • I help grow profitable businesses.
  • I have a strong track record of achieving results with ideas rather than with large budgets, organically, focused on personalizing for each target market, creating experiential marketing strategies and utilizing search engine optimization.
  • My resume shows that one of my niches is Reducing Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) while growing marketing pipelines. 
  • I build long-term brand value by operating tactically to achieve positive results while simultaneously focusing on retention.
  • As a marketing professional with over 20 years experience, I have the experience and skills to grow this brand by successfully checking off the many tasks the make up the role. 
  • I love all parts of my job and I am a faucet of unlimited ideas that I have to turn off. 

 

Marketing experience

Since 2007, I have gained extensive experience with digital marketing on a daily basis. I’ve also worked with many types of online, broadcast, and print advertising since 2001. Prior to that, I was a freelance graphic designer beginning in 1999.

I have had great successes tying together different types of marketing, such as SEO, Google Ads, social media marketing, email marketing, and website marketing.

A lot of marketing campaigns focus on sales forgetting about consumer needs. I use demographics data to identify needs creating marketing campaigns that focus on the value to customers.

 

ikan-ikon

Sometimes I work at businesses full-time short-term building up what they needed at the time. More often, I work remotely helping build successful businesses, which include start ups and struggling businesses that need a web presence. My focus working with ikan-ikon has primarily been in the digital marketing realm.

Social Media Marketing (5%)

  • Improved SM presence: +5,700 Impressions / +3,278 Pg Views / +3,217 Reach/Wk.

Website Design / Website Management (25%)

  • Created and managed hosting for (25) UX/UI SEO client sites since 2005, (5) ongoing
  • 3,100% increased online store sessions
  • 5,500% increased site visitors
  • Sales +98% with +227% store sales
  • 95.45% goal conversion rate
  • 0% abandonment rates
  • Created new shopping cart website for Skurge of the Sea after previous website went down due to critical failures. Page 1 Google rankings with 862 new users Week 1. Website accepted $4,959 Dec. 2021 – Jan. 2022.

SEO & Website Marketing (25%)

  • Brand new tutor company owner was able to quit her job after one month with a new website that ranked on page 1 of Google within the first week.
  • Resuscitated Sabby’s Auto with first website, multiple page 1 Google rankings (STILL), and social media presence. Owner hired staff of 5, still turning away work versus previously taking 3-hour lunches talking about having to retire.
  • Each SEO website client benefits from organic page 1 Google rankings within 24 hours - 2 weeks, consistently achieved for every SEO website created from 2009-2023.
  • 363% web site traffic increase within one quarter implementing new SEO ideas.
  • 240% improvement on SEO websites.

PPC (5%)

  • Better Fish Oil, A NeoLife Distributor wanted to improve Conversion Rate to increase sales. Overcame lack of trust by revamping shopping cart website.
    Conversion Rate: +300%  /  Sales: +6,677%  /  Traffic: +385%  (Jul 2019 vs. Apr 2020).
  • Improved Servpro®’s Google Ads ROI by utilizing negative and positive keywords with customized hyper targeting ads. Cost-Per-Click (CPC) -$15 / Saved $13,178.80/mo + reclaimed $400/mo through negative keywords, +10 more Internet jobs/mo = + $175,000 higher revenue/mo. Also, lowered corporate Servpro® website's bounce rate by 53%.

Graphic Design (15%)

  • Philadelphia Eagles training equipment
  • City of Sierra Vista Arizona flyer
  • Middlesex Hospital - Doctor photo retouching, layout for print production
  • Superimposing images
  • Photo correction

Logo Design (5%)

  • Three Rivers Community College
  • Town of Groton Connecticut
  • The Sports Doctor radio personality

Marketing Planning (10%)

  • United Way of the Virginia Peninsula
  • Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence sponsored by Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Efficiency (10%)

  • Mapped intake, paperwork, and education with ISO 9001 saving the Prostate Second Opinions Dr. Tamburri 1.5 hours per patient
  • Accounting and database set up for 2 automotive repair shops
  • Set up a marketing department, created processes, templates, forms, and worksheets for the owner’s daughter who was fresh out of college with a degree in Marketing, but didn’t have any experience yet. 

 

Aery Aviation

Utilizing the data I collect, I get into the minds of the target markets to find engaging ways to reach each audience. I build social media and email marketing plans, hyper targeting advertising, and marketing campaigns incorporating more than just cross-platform. I use a 3D net-funnel concept I invented to build up impressions with a 3D net that has a bunch of funnels for no pressure sales. That is how I achieve great results.

Email Marketing (15%)

  • New 12-month Email Marketing campaign sent to 2,500 cold lead commercial emails inspired interest in ordering services whereas previous sales department campaign purchased from same source resulted in Aery being banned from Constant Contact for excessive abuse reports. Aery vs. MailChimp Averages - Open Rate: 44.81% vs. 37.60% / Click Rate: 16.02% vs. 14.80% / Unsubscribe Rate: .009% vs. 1.10% / 0 Abuse Reports / Yielded 5-15 leads/mo. Then, I sent the leads and the information obtained about their interests to the Director of Commercial Sales.

Social Media Marketing (10%)

  • Credited by my boss for the marketing awareness campaign bringing in leads of international customers and a demo partner: 517 engagements / Attracted +200 employees / Impressions: +14,957 / Referrals: +86 / Engagements: +50 (2022 vs. 2023).

Website Management (10%)

  • I worked with the subcontractor to ensure the company got what they needed.
  • I took a Ruby On Rails class to learn how that app site works.
  • Created web pages and wrote for the website.
  • Integrated landing pages with email and social media marketing.
  • Set up an Extranet section for branding with logo download and standards.
  • Invented an Extranet-type password protected funnel for personalized marketing to target customers.

SEO (10%)

  • I set up the SEO and tagging on the website.
  • Worked with the CMS creator to get the tags, tracking, and pixel code put on the back-end since it was a Ruby On Rails app, not an actual website they ordered before I started working there.

Graphic Design (10%)

  • I did a lot of renderings and all the layouts for the marketing.

Branding & Awareness (10%)

  • Rolled out the new logo and designed the new brand identity and the Style Guide.
  • Updated the collateral materials.
  • Established guidelines and helped acclimate employees.
  • Worked on other owner buy-ins, which has a constant struggle with the 4, then 3, owners running their aspects of the business separately.

Event Planning (10%)

  • Coordinated highly successful groundbreaking event with Governor Northam and the City of Newport News, VA in attendance. See news footage at: kristenpflibsen.com/resume.
  • Town Halls with Teams presentation preparation and set up with a set up team helping me.
  • Employee Appreciation Events and I helped HR with holiday parties.
  • Planned tours for the new building.
  • Took care of the food orders for each event.
  • Hired the contractors, photographers, videographers, tent, generator, porto potty, event supplies, décor, etc.
  • Sent out customized marketing Christmas gifts to vendors, customers, and partners.

Printing & Signage (10%)

  • Was responsible for the signage as they had none when I started and people couldn’t find the 5 locations.
  • Worked with printers, the Architectural firm, the Contractor (WM Jordan), the airport, and the City of Newport News, to design and order the new building signage, including negotiating rates for each type of sign with 4 companies I got quotes from.
  • Handled all aspects of all the company’s printing, including business cards, marketing materials, engineering pads, uniforms, promotional items, swag, and gifts.

Marketing Plans (5%)

  • The only person doing all the marketing for Aery, including the Director role and the daily tasks.
  • Created the overall Marketing Plan and marketing plans for each platform.
  • Invented dozens of unique marketing campaigns each year.

Marketing Budget (5%)

  • Created the annual marketing budget as an Excel spreadsheet with worksheets for each aspect that updated the budget worksheet.
  • Used an ongoing copy of the marketing budget to keep the spending on track.

Efficiency (5%)

  • Everything gets a process, and a form, template, or worksheet
  • I am extremely methodical and a big-time planner, so preparation is first for me.

 

Favorite campaigns

  1. Slice of Life ads for Cobra because I envisioned myself in the Cobras, my favorite cars and I got to do an in-person ad agency style presentation. 
  2. I was also really excited about the funnel ideas I came up with for Aery. My boss was too. It had 3 funnels that were similar, but initiated contact with three different areas of the company.
  3. Helping people: United Way of the Virginia Peninsula, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence sponsored by Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

I have created hundreds of campaigns and I love each of them because I invest a lot of myself into my work. I align myself with the consumers envisioning what attracts them while inventing new ways to inspire experiences and emotional responses that trigger contact.

 

Creativity

I have launched multiple products and services, devised different creative strategies for each, and designed the graphics and layout for them as well. I am a highly skilled graphic designer as well as marketing project manager and manager.

 

Career Goal

I am seeking a position where I can use my experience and be appreciated for my contributions.

 

Qualities marketing pros should possess

Skills, qualifications, and experience that benefit the company’s goals

Intelligence and data analysis

Good communication 

Organization 

Methodical tenacity as a task master

Constant drive to improve pretty much everything

 

Staying competitive / Market research strategies 

Research and technology helps data mine to collect important information about demographics and patterns that can help inform marketing strategies. 

 

Product launch processes

RACE – Reach, Act, Convert, Engage

Target the demographics at the right time in the right place, on their terms - 

  • Research
  • Brainstorm ideas
  • Create an overall marketing plan to achieve a specific goal with a strategy, budget, and an overall campaign description
  • Detail the Actionable Steps
  • Make a calendar that implements each action
  • Design the marketing elements

Test and improve to perfect the campaign - 

  • Run Analytics reports daily until a milestone is achieved
  • Run reports weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly to stay on track, consistently improving results from the data obtained

Monetize and diversify other vertical markets - 

  • Funnel process should be making the company money
  • Never get soft, always look for more ways to make money off what is already working

Establish rapport and keep two-way contact tracking a relationship with customers - 

  • Social media interactions for each post 
  • Make sure the company is keeping up on customer feedback, usually with surveys that initiate follow-ups for any problem areas
  • Quarterly check-ins with customers create possibilities to start the cycle again

 

How to build trust 

  • Trust is built through each marketing avenue, including the website, social media, and each campaign I create. 
  • The platforms help increase customer engagement by repetition / impressions, which people need to feel comfortable.
  • This is done by showing how the company helps others and solves problems on a consistent basis with experience in each of the areas they need help with.

 

Consumer-relationship software / CRM

  • I have used a few different CRM options and I analyze social media metrics manually as well. 
  • I gather consumer information from at least 2 resources for website Analytics, and I run the reports on each social media platform weekly tracking the data in reports, so I can see how we are doing over time. 
  • I analyze the data to inform marketing strategies and improve interactions online and with the marketing materials and to get better results with marketing and advertising.

 

How I develop and track marketing campaign success / Analytics

Paying close attention to the analytics reports on each platform allows me to efficiently optimize and perfect campaigns. 

  1. Identify best marketing strategies for campaign goals
  2. Develop marketing campaign ideas collaborating with others as necessary
  3. Create and implement the campaigns
  4. Track the Analytics and Insights data weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly
  5. Make improvements based on what the data shows works and doesn’t work for this specific campaign.

 

Success measurements / KPIs

A structured process to analyze results that is part of the set up process after the design and implementation is done.

I work with native digital marketing analytics and third-party analytics software programs and apps to cross-reference the results of campaigns. 

(see resume for apps and programs)

 

Tracking non-digital marketing campaigns

I track non-digital campaigns by creating unique landing pages for each campaign effort. For example, if the campaign used mailers and ads, they'd each direct visitors to a different landing page so I'd know what brought those visitors to the website.

 

Integral elements of a marketing campaign

  • Thorough market research,
  • Customer profiles of each target audience,
  • Focusing on how the product provides value to consumers,
  • Engaging marketing content, such as a video,
  • Multiple Calls-To-Action in at least 2 different ways, so different types of people feel comfortable within their own contact preferences,
  • Collecting and following up with the leads to create higher conversions.

 

Creating appealing content

  1. Look at similar campaigns, ads, publications, posts, etc.
  2. Research competitor strategies.
  3. Create specific, cohesive messages.
  4. Write compelling content and design interesting imagery to promote emotion and action.
  5. Ensure that images and words are consistent and correct.
  6. Have someone else check it.
  7. Finalize going through it all one more time to be sure it is perfect before putting it out.
  8. Positive encouragement

 

Strategy to improve brand perception

Before I decide on branding strategies, I conduct thorough research to identify and understand the company's current and long-term goals and its audiences. 

Improving a brand is not as simple as just altering a logo or the visual resources of collateral materials. It is about changing people’s perceptions, which is subjective, and it can be tough to change peoples’ mindset. 

It takes a long time with a web of new, repetitive positive impressions coming at them in different ways, and it needs to show a solid history that highlights a lot of positive experiences solving problems for previous customers. 

For a few examples, this is done with:

• Before/during/after project photos because pictures are worth a thousand words.

• Storytelling that shows customer experiences throughout the project timeline.

• Happy customer photos are great to create positive feelings.

• The website and all marketing platforms and the blog the company adds to each week, and all the printed marketing materials and other types of marketing and advertising should support the new image while each bring a unique touch to the branding campaign, so it is not all the same, which comes off as inauthentic. 

• Additionally, media is an important factor to improving a brand’s image. It can’t just be the company saying they are better. It has to have outside resources to build authenticity and trust in the brand. 

 

5 levels of brand recognition

Brand recognition is about whether people can pick your company, products, and marketing element out of a crowd. 

VERSUS

Brand awareness is about building and nurturing a genuine connection between your company and its customers. 

Recognition is about making sure your audience truly understands that your product is the solution they can trust and inspiring them to choose you over alternatives.

1. Awareness

This is the stage during which you’re getting your name out there, as well as helping consumers associate it with your chosen visuals and slogans.

2. Preference

During this stage, your potential customer learns to select your products over the alternatives. They may do this because of price point, quality, or a previous positive interaction with your brand.

3. Reputation

During this stage, your customer doesn’t just choose you. They’re starting to respect your brand and see it as having a genuine value that exceeds their other options.

4. Trust

During the trust stage of brand recognition, your customer begins to build a sense of attachment to your company and products. The choice to buy from you is no longer just about reliable products but also the personal connection they feel to your brand.

5. Loyalty

During the final stage of brand recognition, you’ve got a loyal customer on your hands. They will go out of their way to buy from you and likely consider their lives incomplete without your products.

Examples include social media mentions, backlink growth, and referral traffic, surveys and polls!

Ensure brand loyalty by collaborating with the marketing, sales, and product development teams. 

 

Motivating people

Action Plans, encouraging input and teamwork from every member of the team, positive reinforcement, group accountability, leading by example, motivators that give people something to look forward to, so they don’t get bored or idle because that breeds negative energy. 

  • Uplifting or inspiring phrases
  • Praise someone on the team
  • Personal life congrats
  • Contests with prizes
  • Fun activities
  • Surprise snacks 
  • Lunch once in a while (this is best when you tell them the day before so they don’t bring their own)

 

Style of marketing I enjoy

I like helping people. I created a campaign for family member caregivers who take care of seniors in Michigan and another for assistance with aid for homeless people in Virginia and a brochure that empowers abuse victims in California. 

I think about how I can help people and solve problems with each project I work on. 


 

--

 

FUNNELS

 

Better Funnel Experience

Before I started at Aery, they were changing the entire website to target one customer at a time, which took 2-3 months, thereby losing all the other website visitor and contracts who didn’t fit with the website at that moment in time. That also meant the website never showed consistency, but with digital marketing, showing stability an important key to building trust. 

The better solution was to have the website the same all the time summarizing all the different departments and capabilities the company has, with different web pages for specific target customers. 

Another issue they had is privacy with non-disclosures and cut-throat competition, so they didn’t want to share a lot of the projects and photos. My solution was to give certain people short-term access to private Extranet web pages created specifically for that potential customer, for the  project they were working on. 

I invented a three-part multi-faceted website funnel with entry points from email marketing, social media marketing, direct mail marketing, a website blog, trade show marketing, and experience marketing that all works together with project photos, details, and updates that were important to them. 

The three parts can bring in calls for Government, Commercial and Human Resources, to the right person who can answer their questions and either sell to or hire them. 

It is a year of marketing in 27 categories with web pages full of details about each department that could be used forever in different combinations to create specialized funnels based on what the targets were interested in. 

I brainstormed a lot of different campaigns that progressed like an interactive game with actionable monthly steps to execute marketing strategies and if/then triggers that brought them through the funnel pipelines. 

 

Funnel Optimization

All marketing platforms should provide variations of company information, pics, graphics, and videos that lead people to the website that offers more information to raise awareness of the company’s capabilities, products, services, experience, ways the company can help them solve problems, inspiring contact directly to the people who can answer their questions and get them signed up.

Each channel is successful once it clicks. At Aery, I set up each platform to work together raising awareness, showing capabilities, and helping bring in contracts. 

 

About my 3D net / web with funnels

I developed a net of multi layered, omni-directional marketing strategies weaved together that reaches different target audiences in ways they like to experience content.

It is based off their demographics, different learning and communication styles, psychology and various effective marketing methods. 

I find out what they like, how they like to receive it, and show them proof of how we solve their problems. 

 

--


 

MONEY / $ / BUDGETS 

 

Budgeting / Budget Management / Managing a budget

  • Saved the U.S. Navy’s Single Sailor Program from being canceled by utilizing ISO 9001 and custom spreadsheets, worksheets, and a restructured schedule, performed training +$16,344.87/yr profit. Monthly General Military Training (GMT) and Submarine School presentations captured interest in Single Sailor events and activities. Managed 5 subordinates.
  • Saved +$20,000/yr in cooperative advertising.
  • Managed a $250,000 marketing budget with revenue over $100 million annually. 

 

Negotiating Rates / Multiple quotes

I have experience using competitive pricing, value-based pricing, and penetration pricing for attracting customers to a new product or service. 

Army Aviation Association of America (Quad-A) Trade show teaser magazine ad stirred interest worth upwards of $20M. Got the ad for almost half off.

 

Engage 121 contract negotiation savings of $1,000/mo. 

Patches were a 1/3 savings per order and no file fees. 

I only had $5K budget for the Groundbreaking event that the Governor attended and we got that money back from the airport and the city of Newport News. I also got a discount form the Architect on displays. 


 

Justify marketing budget proposal to CFO

I am amazing at finding, negotiating, and creating deals. 

I provide an itemized list of expenses with how the budget will be distributed for each marketing category, and at every level, for each campaign.

I also put buffers into everything I do, from deadlines to budgets, so we come out on top no matter what happens throughout the year.

The C-suite or I can quickly and easily cut areas that don’t have full support, or if there is a reason to pivot at any time.

I can use performance metrics from previous campaigns and forecasts that help rationalize marketing expenses, but that has never been requested, probably because my budgets are so detailed and conservative already. 

 

Saved business expenses

  1. Navy Single Sailor Program
  2. Engage 121
  3. Cooperative advertising programs for Earnhardt and SAIT

 

--


 

TASK / TASKS

 

Prioritizing / Prioritize / Priorities

I keep a huge calendar/schedule on my wall and I have a work binder with everything I am working on in it, including the Marketing Plan, each individual plan, a detailed timeline for each, campaign worksheets, and the smaller version of the calendars that have all the details in the binder. 

At my last job, the team was 100% remote and we used Microsoft Word and Teams with a shared living “BD Daily” document so there was full visibility and accountability with deadlines for each task. It was overwhelming at first, but it became an indispensible tool I started to love. 

Remote teams usually use software to help everyone see all progress for each project at any given time. 

The team talks about obstacles that could prevent us from reaching deadlines. 

As new projects come in, we “onboard” to discuss priorities, task masters, milestones, and deadlines.

There is accountability within the department and from above to make sure tasks get done. 

 

Day-to-day tasks

 

Morning – I list the tasks I expect to achieve that day, organized for by time and necessity. The list stems from the Marketing Calendar and detailed timeline of tasks that need to be done in order to achieve overall goals. The calendar that is based on deadlines from vendors, media outlets, and my proprietary marketing calendars that reach target markets with a net/web approach that tackles marketing across, down, and diagonally, in multiple ways for each, and across different platforms. 

I schedule my time so that I am touching on each responsibility I have at least once a week, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Next – Preparations for the first task on my list, proceeding to completing tasks until my list is complete. Examples of things I may have on my to do list are:

  • Marketing planning
  • Project management 
  • Process accounting 
  • Scheduling to meet deadlines for different projects because I have to juggle a lot of moving parts that go in different directions, so I am always multi-tasking.
  • Negotiating rates and contract terms
  • Preparing for and being in meetings
  • Graphic design
  • Web design
  • Search engine optimization 
  • Web marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Follow ups
  • Thinking efficiently while doing each task, so I am getting things done quicker and planning my next parts of tasks 
  • Email marketing
  • Printing
  • Ads
  • Funnel tracking
  • Analytics and Insights data collection
  • Data analysis
  • Improvements 

Most days I don't stop working until my list is complete. 

Clean and organize my workspace so I am prepared for the next day.

 

Form remote relationships 

This question should give you a good idea of how the job applicant can engage employees that do not work face-to-face. What to look for in an answer:

Leadership skills

Engagement

Ability to connect through digital platforms

Example:

"In my current role, I have employees in Montreal, Toronto, and London. Some members of the team haven't even met each other in person but work together every day, so it's really important for me to foster these relationships. I have a meeting every morning so the team can go over everything they are working on for the day. Once a month we have an extended 'coffee catch-up' so we can just talk about our interests."

Once a week one hour “Actions With Accountability Meeting” 

  1. Starts off with a minute “Segue” per person weekly personal life update
  2. Work projects with Action Plans
  3. Progress reports
  4. Obstacles with solutions
  5. Setting and maintaining milestones 
  6. Deadlines with accountability

Once a month “Tea Talk” to chat about interests, personal life topics and events.

“Quarterly Goal-Setting Meeting” - Each person comes prepared with their (EOS Rocks) goals that contribute to achieving business and department goals. They have them broken down onto Action With Accountability Cards for how they plan to rank their specific Measurables. Final goals are set in stone before the meeting ends. 

Once a quarter fun team building activity after the quarterly meeting, outside of work.

If an employee outperforms what was expected of them, they get a gift certificate reward.

 

--

 

NEGATIVE QUESTIONS

 

Difficult Co-worker

I work at understanding why people do and say things. 

Clashing generally happens because we are fully grown, intelligent adults with lifetimes of different experiences that shape our ideas of what is right. 

I try to be pleasantly focused on the work at hand because I am working to accomplish bigger objectives than one interaction.  

Focusing on the Action Plan helps minimize clashing with people.

 

Someone made a mistake

Content was put out online by a vendor for a customer contract that had a strict non-disclosure. I received an email from one of the owners and researched the company, called the company, they removed it and followed up with the others who had shared it to control the wildfire as much as we could. I watched the online trail and followed up after I saw that the problems were being resolved. It took about 45 minutes to completely put out the fire. There was no backlash from the customer, so the crisis was averted. 

I explained to that vendor that we Aery has strict non-disclosures with most customers, so no one can share anything online without prior approval. They agreed not to do it anymore. 

After that was all finished. The next thing I did was suggest to the owners that they have vendors sign a non-disclosure so it wouldn’t happen again with any vendor. 

 

Difficult decision as a Manager 

Negative company talk is detrimental to any business because it destroys morale and seeps out beyond employees poisoning the company’s future. The way I have handled this is thinking like a mediator, pointing out positives to offset complaints. 

“We should focus on solutions instead of complaints because we want to enjoy life.”

“The company is trying to improve things. I prefer to focus on that.” 

I don’t come at it like I am on anyone’s side. I just change the perspective away from the things they are venting about. 

 

Employee problem / Constructive criticism

Feedback to a team member should be positively constructive, not destructive. 

It is important the employee feels comfortable so that they will be open to feedback. A follow-up email short summary ensures everyone understands what needs to change and what the “Positive Plan” is moving forward.

 

Managing stress

Efficiency and organization manage stress. Break down objectives and projects into smaller goal-oriented tasks. Completing tasks is motivating and goals are achieved by milestones consistently being met.

 

Unforeseen No-Show Contractor/Vendor

Start by contacting the person to find out why they are delayed and determine rescheduling options. Contact backups to see who can step in, if necessary. Help out until role is filled. 

If it is a contractor coming with equipment, alert whoever the delay affects to give them the options to take a break and ensure they are going to be available for the same new or delayed timeline. 

 

Steps to handle bad reviews

  • It depends on the circumstances and where the review is. Some digital review sites don’t allow corrections or comments. 
  • When a company receives a negative comment, the first thing to do is assess the situation with all the facts. If it’s true, I can show other potential customers that the company is responsive by requesting moving the conversation private. 
  • After that, I work to rectify the situation with a mutually beneficial solution with a request to remove the negative comment. 
  • The next step, whether or not they remove the review is to get a bunch of positive reviews that offset the negative review. People usually look at 10 random positive and negative reviews, so there needs to be a healthy ratio of positive reviews for offsetting to work.

 

Learned from unsuccessful campaign

A client in the vitamin industry, Better Fish Oil, a NeoLife Distributor, wanted to improve the conversion rate of his shopping cart website. I suggested we focus on building trust in the brand because the website was missing some key elements that made it feel like it could be a fake scam site. 

He would not allow a phone number or address on the website at first, which is key to showing people that the business is not a scam. The site was also very template-looking.

The first month of hyper targeted Google Ads wasn’t jumping with only 133 hits.

I added as much design as I could for a Shopify template website, improved the product graphics on the Home page, created a popular purchases section, added a newsletter sign up (now he sends newsletters too), and related upsales collections displayed on product pages. I also added a safe shopping experience graphic and a site map to the footer, to offset the phone number and address issue.

Month 2 saw a 122% Traffic increase and 3699% Sales increase

I ran A/B testing ads and I showed him the data weekly and monthly. I kept working until he was satisfied that he could continue the marketing on his own, tweaking the ads with negative keywords for 9 months, with the data improving every month.

300% Conversion Rate increase
6677% Sales increase
385% Traffic increase

 

Marketing disagreement with a colleague

To resolve issues, establish the pros and cons of each marketing strategy and then implement the aspects of both to create a good combined strategy. 

 

Biggest marketing challenge 

Working at Aery was a constant challenge. I am a motivated worker who is extremely organized, but others on my team didn’t finish what they start or honor what they said they would do. Approvals took months rather than days. 

I worked additional hours to ensure marketing campaigns were successful by picking up the slack that overcame what was not being handled by others who were supposed to be the task masters, so the work still got done regardless of who did it. 

I came up with workarounds and ways to get the approvals I needed to put out any marketing and still miraculously managed to get surprisingly good results. 

My drive to see that work gets done and benchmarks improve over time has universal applications. 

 

Idea Persuasion

The first step for me is always research. Usually while I am doing research, ideas are already pouring into my brain and I take down lots of notes. I use the data to create marketing ideas. 

I may illustrate some so there are visuals, if it is necessary. More often, I create a Word document outlining the plan, how the plans would benefit the goal.

I pitch the ideas with what I’ve created and then I listen to feedback so that I can come up with new ideas that can be implemented based on the comments. 

The best idea is usually a compromise from the pros in charge of planning because I am usually working with business owners and leadership teams, so the teams are people with a high level of experience who usually have good instincts. 

When the feedback does not match the data, I reference the data trying to ensure goals can be met with appropriate expectations. It is pretty rare to have pushback on good ideas created from research at this level.

Whenever I have received firm walls up, I implement the approved plan first and then, I can tackle the objectives with the real Analytics from the specific campaign. 

 

--


 

MARKETING TRENDS

 

Keeping up on marketing trends

I am subscribed to a bunch of marketing blogs and newsletters via LinkedIn and emails so I read regularly and I do tons of research often. Since social media algorithms are always changing, I also pay attention to SEO news to make sure I'm aware of any upcoming changes. Any time I have questions, I look up answers. 

 

Upcoming marketing trends / New marketing trends

I have been reading about personalized marketing that focuses on connecting with each unique company or individual. 

I even received some snail mail from Sentara hospitals with a QR code that was to a my name web page and I followed their funnel to copycat the concept. 

The funnels I’ve created since 2013 are based trends of customizing marketing to the target audience. This goes a step further personalizing customized marketing and with my 3D net funnel, this is a game changer for capturing customers.

I have also done a lot of research on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality marketing. 

Another thing I have been experimenting with is marketing AR and game-types of marketing experiences. This is becoming more important as the Gens are changing marketing.

 

 

Successful advertising campaign I wish I'd created

Videos by Viva La Dirt League. 


 

--

 

 

MANAGER / MANAGEMENT

 

 

My management style

I implement the ideals in The One Minute Manager (a book by Kenneth Blanchard) 

  1. Set expectations, one page defines what is expected from them.
    • When there are easy-to-follow simplified ISO process worksheets, it’s easy to stay on track and complete every task. 
    • No one falls off the track for more than one worksheet because the next person in the line can’t move forward without it. The boss needs all the workers’ worksheets to do their paperwork. The paperwork tracks all the data. That makes it easy to see where improvements are needed. 
  2. Train each person how to do what they need to be doing.
    • Train how the big picture process works and allow each person to see how their role is an integral part of the organization’s processes. When one gear fails, the car doesn’t move. The company can’t be successful if each process isn’t done right. 
  3. Catch them doing something right.
    • Each team member owns successes and failures as a team because they know they are one of the spokes that makes the wheel turn.
  4. Praise with positive reinforcement.
    • There is instant gratification in a well-oiled machine working great, but appreciation and rewards, especially for extra credit beyond the norm, help too. 
  5. Reprimand when necessary.
    • Give advice without micro-managing.
    • Reprimand for under one minute, delivered respectfully.
    • Never dwell on failures.
    • Retrain as necessary.
  6. Reward when possible (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).
    • A free lunch
    • An hour off work
    • Trinket gifts
    • Branded items that are already given away as gifts
    • Stuff the company gets as gifts being awarded to employees
    • Hard-earned reward coins
    • Certificates
    • Public recognition in front of the company fosters others wanting praise
  7. Participate as a team member helping out when needed, leading by example.
  8. Be flexible with scheduling to create a good work-life balance, fostering an atmosphere of mutual appreciation. Try to be understanding of personal life challenges without getting too involved. 
  9. Encourage input from every member of the team. 
  10. Weekly motivators on the bulletin board gives people something to look forward to, so they don’t get bored or idle because that breeds negative energy. 
    • Positive encouragement
    • Uplifting or inspiring phrases
    • Praise someone on the team
    • Personal life congrats
    • Contests with prizes
    • Fun activities
    • Surprise snacks 
    • Lunch once in a while (this is best when you tell them the day before so they don’t bring their own)

 

Managerial accomplishment 

Utilizing ISO 9001 to improve processes that creates efficiency, makes and saves money, gives everyone on the team a sense of ownership. 

Saving an organization that is struggling feels like a real win.

Also, job security is a person and a family’s livelihood. When people know you are devoted to their success, and the company is on track to be successful with them as part of the success, they are loyal. 

It helps make mutual respect and loyalty become part of the culture. 

 

Evaluating team success

Examining marketing and productivity metrics to ensure that we're achieving our client's expectations and that every member is fully contributing.

Meeting with the entire team and one-on-one to gain a better understanding of what is happening and how to make improvements.

 

Talk about your decision-making process.

  1. Take notes and write down some general starter ideas.
  2. Gather research. 
  3. Brainstorm specific ideas.
  4. Narrow down ideas considering feasibility based on time, cost-effectiveness, and benefits of each.
  5. Make an overall plan and type it up in my template.
  6. Detail the specific Actionable Steps of the plan.
  7. Meet with stakeholders for feedback, thoughts, and approval before implementation.

 

Social Media Marketing Platforms

It's important to have a well-rounded marketing strategy by creating campaigns for multiple platforms.

Facebook
2.89B monthly users, men and women, ages 18 – 65+
Family and friends staying in touch and adults meeting new people
1-minute Video Reels have opened a new door for marketers

YouTube
2.68B, Men and women, ages 18-65
People watch how-to videos for DIY projects 

Twitter
4.48B, Men and women, ages 18-49
Mostly political and aggressively opinionated, used for talking at people rather than engaging with people in a positive way

Instagram
1+B, Men and women, ages 18-64
A lot of celebrity content and advertising

Pinterest
450+M, Women, ages 18-64
Vision boards, good for product marketing with photos for women with discretionary funds

LinkedIn
310+M, Men and women, ages 25-64
Recruiting and B2B marketing

TikTok 
Largely Asian and very young video watchers, breaking into America with 
10-19: 25% of users
20-29: 22.4% of users
30-39: 21.7% of users
40-49: 20.3% of users

BeReal
1,200% increase in Gen Z usage

 

-- 

 

 

SALARY EXPECTATIONS

 

Salary

According to the extensive online research I have done, and based on my Salary.com report, with geographic considerations, making some assumptions about the specific details of the day-to-day job, company culture and financial details, the benefits package, and workload schedule, I believe this job should be in the $90-$135K range.

ANSWER AND THEN BE QUIET!

 

-- 

 


Resume

 

SUMMARY
Exceptional money-saving, productivity- and profits-focused marketing department manager who has:
1) Built a long succession of achievements in all aspects of print and web project marketing project management, 
2) Mediated hundreds of contract negotiations while cultivating long-term relationships with vendors, 
3) Multi-tasked marketing project management and people, consistently exceeding expectations and beating deadlines.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

 

Director of Marketing/Freelancer at ikan-ikon.com SEO Website Design & Marketing [4/1999–Present] (Remote)
Achievements:Created and managed UX/UI SEO websites for clients who benefit from organic page 1 Google rankings within 24 hours - 2 weeks, consistently achieved for every SEO website created from 2009-2023.

• 363% web site traffic increase within one quarter implementing new SEO ideas

• 240% improvement on SEO websites
• 3,100% increased online store sessions

• 5,500% increased site visitors
• Sales +98% with +227% store sales

• 95.45% goal conversion rate
• 0% abandonment rates


[2021] Created new shopping cart website for Skurge of the Sea after previous website went down due to critical failures. 
           Page 1 Google rankings with 862 new users Week 1. Website accepted $4,959 Dec. 2021 – Jan. 2022. 

[2020] Better Fish Oil, A NeoLife Distributor wanted to improve Conversion Rate to increase sales. Overcame lack of trust by revamping 
             shopping cart website. Conversion Rate: +300%  /  Sales: +6,677%  /  Traffic: +385%  (Jul 2019 vs. Apr 2020). 

[2016] Improved Servpro®’s Google Ads ROI by utilizing negative and positive keywords with customized hyper targeting ads. 
           Cost-Per-Click (CPC) -$15 / Saved $13,178.80/mo + reclaimed $400/mo through negative keywords, +10 more Internet jobs/mo 
           = + $175,000 higher revenue/mo. Also, lowered corporate Servpro® website's bounce rate by 53%.

[2016] Improved GCNR’s social media presence. +5,700 Impressions  /  +3,278 Page Views  /  +3,217 Reach/Wk.

[2011] Saved the U.S. Navy’s Single Sailor Program from being canceled by utilizing ISO 9001 and custom spreadsheets, worksheets, 
           and a restructured schedule, performed training +$16,344.87/yr profit. Monthly General Military Training (GMT) and Submarine 
           School presentations captured interest in Single Sailor events and activities. Managed 5 subordinates.

[2010] Resuscitated Sabby’s Auto with first website, multiple page 1 Google rankings (STILL), and social media presence. 
           Owner hired staff of 5, still turning away work versus previously taking 3-hour lunches talking about having to retire. 
[2008] Mapped intake, paperwork, and education with ISO 9001 saving the Prostate Second Opinions Dr. Tamburri 1.5 hours per patient. 

Other Notable clients:United States Marine Corps Special Forces, Philadelphia Eagles, Three Rivers Community College, City of Sierra Vista Arizona, Town of Groton Connecticut, Remax Realty, James Strock, David and Tony Vacarro, Middlesex Hospital, United Way of the Virginia Peninsula, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence sponsored by Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Two U.S. politicians, The Sports Doctor radio personality. Please visitikan-ikon.com/clientlist to view client project list.

Marketing Manager at Aery Aviation in VA [6/2021–10/2022] (Remote)

• Managed a $250,000 marketing budget with revenue over $100 million annually. 
• Coordinated highly successful groundbreaking event with Governor Northam and the City of Newport News, VA in attendance. 
  Watch and read national news footage with thank you: kristenpflibsen.com/resume
• Army Aviation Association of America (Quad-A) Trade show teaser magazine ad stirred interest worth upwards of $20M.

• Launched new website and logo (from outsourced contractor). 
• Social Media Marketing awareness campaigns credited for contact by international customers and demo partner: 
  517 engagements / Attracted +200 employees / Impressions: +14,957 / Referrals: +86 / Engagements: +50 (2022 vs. 2023).
• Engage 121 contract negotiation savings of $1,000/mo.
• New 12-month Email Marketing campaign sent to 2,500 cold lead commercial emails inspired interest in ordering services 
  whereas previous sales department campaign purchased from same source resulted in Aery being banned from Constant Contact 
  for excessive abuse reports. Aery vs. MailChimp Averages - Open Rate: 44.81% vs. 37.60% / Click Rate: 16.02% vs. 14.80% / 
  Unsubscribe Rate: .009% vs. 1.10% / 0 Abuse Reports / Yielded  5-15 leads/mo. 

 

Print Shop Manager/Graphic Designer/Marketing Coordinator at Earnhardt Auto Centers in AZ and TX [1/2006–8/2008]
• Saved +$20,000/yr in cooperative advertising. 
• Wrote “Drivin' Arizona Roads” radio and TV jingle on air 5+ yrs.
• Published press kit articles: (Automotive) Hot Rodding Magazine, Truckin Magazine, Diesel Power Magazine and national media 
  exposure at SEMA Las Vegas in 2008 for Megalow.
• Received accolades from business owner for being first designer to get all cooperative advertising funds since 1951.
• Given an Award by The Arizona Republic for always being early for deadlines.

Marketing Communications Coordinator at UA/SAIT in CT [8/2003-1/2005] 
• Coordinated marketing and advertising for 1,300 international distributors. 
• Improved the distributor training program registration process and that portion of the company website.

• Made hotel reservations, meals and set up all for the company training in the training room.

• Managed trade show display shipments.

• Designed international ads and POP displays, and translated ads into Spanish and French that were then reviewed by native 
  speakers for perfection.

Marketing Communications Coordinator at USA Managed Care Organization in AZ [8/2000-8/2001]
• Boys & Girls Clubs article in the national newsletter requested for their own marketing use.
• Petitioned FDA for years getting ephedrine off market.
• Published press kit articles:  (Medical) American Journal of Managed Care, 2001 Profiles in Excellence.
• Received accolades from business owner on articles written in newsletters. 

EDUCATION & PROGRAMS

 

[2002] Graduated Salutatorian with Honors and a 3.86/4.0 GPA with BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MULTIMEDIA VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS from Collins College, Tempe, AZ. Minored in BUSINESS AND MARKETING in a dual degree program at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, CT. 
Honors: Founder’s Award Nomination (only award Collins College offered, nominated by the hardest Professor at the school),
Dean’s List student every semester through six years of college while also working full-time, President of the Student Government. 

[2004–2022] Career Training and CertificatesBusiness Management, Business Law, ISO 9001/Quality Management Systems and AS9100D (AS9100D/ISO 9001:2015 certificate), U.S.P.S. Every Day Direct Mail Design, Sexual Harassment Training, Protecting Privacy Information - Information Security, Passenger Van Driving, Recreational Programming, Event Planner, Creative Suite 3, Flash MX1&2, HTML, CSS, PHP, Ruby On Rails, Google Academy: Analytics, Ads, Tag Manager, Level 7 Google Guide. 

Conferences (By Invitation): 2017 Google Summit, 2017 U.S. Postal Service National Postal Consumer Council (PCC) Day.

Programs: Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, HTML CSS, Java Script, PHP, Custom Content Management Systems (CMS) and online dashboards, very light Ruby on Rails, hard-coding, marrying and debugging code, FTP, Webspace, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Teams, Skype, Facebook and YouTube Live, Engage 121, HubSpot, Salesforce, SEM Rush, Google.  

Skills Assessment Test Results:                                       Follow links to test results from:kristenpflibsen.com/resume.
(Expert) Management & Leadership: Planning & Execution        AND          Social Media 
(Highly Proficient)  Marketing         
(Proficient)  SEO

 

ADDITIONAL AWARDS & HONORS

 

• Inducted into prestigious Marquis Who’s Who 2023.
• Navy Exemplary Achievement Award presented by the Commander of the Submarine Base and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation.
• Presented with Quality Management System Award by the national Quality Management System (QMS) oversight company.
• Visit kristenpflibsen.com/references to read many dozens of letters of recommendation.

 

 

We need your consent to load the translations

We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.