Erin Leonard Email & Phone Number

Asheville, North Carolina Area

Manage communications for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Planned, executed and tracked marketing and communication strategies to achieve organizational goals and maximize marketing investments well as coordinating with and supporting operations, development/fundraising and sales. Wrote, designed and managed print, verbal and electronic communication tools to teenagers, parents, education administrators, etc. Instituted pre- and post-course customer surveys to establish formal feedback channels and enable process improvement. Managed public relations and served as organization’s brand manager.

Managed marketing communications initiatives including production of marketing materials, public relations and advertising. Secured media placements through proactive media outreach and public relations campaign; prepared advertising and public service announcements and designed and produced sales and marketing materials such as catalogs, flyers, brochures, posters and bumper stickers.

Designed and maintained electronic communications: wrote and produced weekly e-mail newsletters to 1600 subscribers keeping constituents informed and engaged; redesigned Web site to enhance usability and improve content including creating internal Web site facilitating communication among all departments and remote staff; and utilized Web site to track marketing efforts and gather customer feedback.

Designed and managed tourism Web site as well as other marketing materials: created first tourism-specific Web site, making information more accessible, streamlining trip planning and enhancing content; initiated redesign of the Chamber’s Web site to increase content relevance, usability and functionality; secured links and online articles resulting in increased Web traffic; wrote e-mail newsletters to visitors and travel trade publicizing area events and happenings; produced marketing materials supporting seasonal promotions and raising local awareness of economic impact of tourism.

Worked with media to gain exposure for Asheville as a tourist destination; edited a quarterly newsletter for the motorcoach industry that assisted with trip planning; maintained Asheville area event listings in a variety of media (news releases, online, event hotline, etc.) ensuring up-to-date information about Asheville happenings; and coordinated and hosted on-site visits for travel journalists and freelancers including soliciting support from industry partners, planning itineraries, supplying story ideas and facilitating introductions to key sources.