Joanna Cline Email & Phone Number

Novi, Michigan, United States

Novi, Michigan, United States

Novi, Michigan

Responsible for leading the strategy, planning and execution of marketing initiatives across traditional, digital media, owned properties and partnerships to maximize lead and tour development and retention strategies. Leads road map and execution across integrated CRM suite and web properties through use of usability and customer analytics and leads the development of customer facing communications to support education and operational initiatives. Responsible for developing and executing a strategy for LCG to become the Third Party Provider of Choice in the early childhood education industry and building/executing a company wide strategy for quality improvement & accreditation in LCG schools.

Detroit, Mi

Orchestrate marketing and branding operations for fathead.com – the online platform for this industry leader in graphics products employing 100 staff member and averaging over $50M revenues annually. Lead strategy planning and creative development in the areas of brand design/advertising, social media, public relations, ecommerce, and affiliate programs (for both Fathead and its B2B division – Fathead PRO).Achievements:• Played an instrumental role in catapulting sales by over 67% within the first four years of tenure.• Spearheaded complete re-branding across fathead.com and all marketing channels to effectively magnify target demographics, expanding market share and growing revenues.• Elevated website performance through strategic redesigns.• Strategic role in execution of multiple national television commercials including creative development, production, media buying strategy and analysis.• Strengthened social media position leading to 700% fan growth on Facebook and launch of Instagram and Pinterest sites.• Implemented end to end marketing planning processes to allow for critical business insights and strategic planning.

Formulated and led all aspects of strategic planning and tactical execution for 6 diverse non-book merchandising categories representing 18% of total company sales for $2B international retailer: Newsstand, Music, Video, Calendars, Candy, and Adult Gifts & Stationary. Served as primary vendor contact and negotiator. Administered all P&L including inventory turn and GMROI. Oversaw 6 direct reports and 10-person team. Partnered with ecommerce team on development of online strategies for all 6 areas of business. Defined and directed in-store visual merchandising for holiday season. Managed Digital Device category in addition to other 6. Led marketing planning, creative, visual merchandising, social media, and events program.Achievements:• Grew 4th quarter year-over-year Digital Device sales by +275%, while seamlessly managing time sensitive supply chain with untested vendors, and extreme economic challenges.• Combated corporate financial downturn, negotiating liquidity enhancing return of non-returnable merchandise.• Revamped in-store visual communication and navigation, partnering with and directing external design firm in development and deployment of enhanced package.• Mitigated existing supply chain failures, successfully negotiating and expediting Candy category vendor transition; achieved significant results prior to start of holiday sales period.• Drove profitable business, despite Chapter 11 filing in 2011, negotiating critical vendor terms, pinpointing high-return immediate opportunities, and identifying innovative new product lines.

Oversaw and led all aspects of 4 key areas: Marketing Planning Dept., Merchandising & Marketing Discount Management, Visual Merchandising, and National Events. Negotiated and executed $39M annual cooperative advertising budget. Defined and directed visual merchandising vision including story navigation, in-store displays, and communication hierarchy. Administered online SEM and display spend. Assessed promotional effectiveness. Drove internal process development. Managed 7 direct reports and 26-member team.Achievements:• Produced top line sales through innovative promotions, while maintaining optimal bottom-line profitability, developing and implementing high-impact promotional ROI process; in use by Merchandising Dept. to date.• Reduced quarter-over-quarter discount spend by 300bp, while improving overall promotional profitability, introducing ROI process, and implementing discount management tools.• Outperformed corporate co-op / incentive goal by 6%, analyzing past vendor spend, establishing quarterly benchmarks, developing ROI metrics, and negotiating creative solutions.• Improved book and non-book product and promotional placement across +700 US stores, pinpointing strengths and weaknesses and sales and profit trends, and creating strategic principles and best practices.• Increased returns from 5:1 to 8:1 while driving incremental profits, managing online SEM and display spend.Additional Highlights:• Championed 2010 strategy for author events program including full publisher and vendor roll-out; increased 1st half of 2010 sales by +17% over prior year, implementing forecasting and ROI process.• Played key role in growing number of Facebook fans from 200K to 500K, serving as active participant in RFP process for social media firm.

Devised and directed execution of strategies for 3 categories including marketing and promotions. Coordinated and led all day-to-day activities of buying and planning teams. Performed open to buy management. Identified and drove opportunities for margin enhancement. Negotiated with vendors.Achievements:• Achieved 173bp improvement and 800bp sales trend favorable to overall company trend, leading calendar team through successful RFP process.• Increased overall non-book sidelines category IMU by 683bp, expanding assortment of non-book product lines to incorporate Gifts for Readers, and Gifts for Teachers.• Produced branded calendar product and sales of +100K units, negotiating key property merchandise license.• Exceeded competitive trend by 10% while maintaining overall sales trend, improving year-over-year sell-through by 500bp through newsstand inventory optimization.Additional role as Newsstand Category Manager upon hire at Borders. Was quickly promoted into Director role.

Managed and continually optimized profitability of $400M in retail newsstand sales for +3,500 retail outlets including 10 national retail chains. Oversaw management of $17M in newsstand promotion programs including scheduling, allotment allocation, and shipping logistics. Directed lead generation for new specialty retail accounts. Conducted competitive analysis. Negotiated new retail supply agreements. Led 20-person team managing ongoing business for all specialty retail accounts including high-profile companies such as Borders, Barnes & Noble, Hastings, Tower Records, and Musicland, as well as 100s of independent retailers. Achievements:• Drove continuous sales growth, identifying opportunities such as creative marketing initiatives, new product placement, inventory management and assortment strategies.• Negotiated numerous successful fulfillment agreements with trading partners, expertly assessing terms, and ensuring financial components drove maximum incremental profit.NOTE: Additional roles with SOURCE INTERLINK include: Director – Publisher Services (2003 – 2005), and Senior Product Manager / Product Manager – Publisher Services (1999 – 2003). Full details on request.