Nicole Kramer Email and Phone Number

As an Account Director, Nicole helps clients create programs that result in a positive ROI and an enhanced brand relationship with their employees, their direct and indirect sales force and their customers. Nicole oversees a team of account managers and account coordinators who manage the day-to-day of sales incentive programs. Nicole supports her team with the creation and implementation of program timelines and strategic communication plans. Nicole manages the estimation, contract, launch and ongoing support process for client programs. Additionally, she possesses a broad technical background on how a participant and program administrator experience should work on custom programs, and she works cross-functionally with a team of developers and creatives to bring this to life for her clients. With the everchanging landscape of technology and business challenges, Nicole works to identify enhanced solution opportunities and creates processes and procedures to support a positive program experience for all.Nicole helps her clients achieve year-over-year growth and ROI goals through sales incentive programs and helps her team exceed client expectations time and time again.

As a Senior Account Executive, Nicole fosters client relationships, creates and manages incentive programs and works to help clients achieve year-over-year growth through their sales incentive programs.

Develop and implement strategic communication plans for clients in the industries of healthcare, higher education and general business-to-business. Create and manage thought leadership plans for subject matter experts. Draft copy for internal communications, media relations and stakeholder communications. Support media relation efforts by building relationships with key influencers, pitching stories and subject matter experts, monitoring for media coverage and media placement oversight.

Created and managed the advertising campaigns for grocery retail departments which included bakery, floral, seafood, deli, grocery, whole life, non-foods and the Dierbergs School of Cooking. Advertising tactics ranged from weekly retail grocery ad marketing, St. Louis Post-Dispatch ads, St. Louis Bridal Magazine ads, Whole Life Magazine articles, e-newsletters, social media management, in-store signage and promotional materials, press releases and radio advertising.Supported the website redesign project by creating copy for corporate web pages, using Sitecore to upload new copy and manage web pages.

Managed and executed the marketing tactics for approximately 400 Save-A-Lot corporate and licensee stores. Tactics included direct/solo mailers, customized ad circulars, TV, radio, billboards and marketing events.Executed Grand Opening timelines in relation to the marketing for new corporate and licensee stores, equating to approximately 30 stores in under a year. The marketing for grand openings ranged from radio remotes, ribbon cuttings, charitable bag drops and preview parties.

Supported Channel Services clients in the technology sector. Interfaced with clients day-to-day and managed project teams during the development, production, and quality assurance of deliverables in the areas of project management, program administration, web/database, print creative, awards, and other areas. Managed the overall project financials through preparation of a project pro-forma; monitoring project expenses; and participated in monthly financial reviews. Authored, updated, and delivered status updates to the client and entire project team, as well as initiated and led internal and client team meetings and working sessions. Defined project phases and assigned activities and tasks in order to meet client deliverables.

Provided support to financial clients by completing and enhancing specific projects for employee recognition and loyalty programs. Managed the overall execution of an entire program launch and/or change. Managed the ongoing relationship with the client and their participants. Acted as liaison between Creative team, Client Operation and Production Services (OPS), Client Teams and third party vendors to ensure client satisfaction. Created client communications for participants. Proactively communicated with clients regarding status of deliverables, timelines and customer escalations.Aside from the daily job responsibilities, Nicole also co-founded MoXY (Maritz of Generations X and Y). MoXY's focus was on mentoring, networking and enhancing relationships amongst all generations within Maritz.

Reviewed monthly sales reports for the merchandise categories overseen and recommended action plans to the buyer. Collaborated with buyers on merchandise features for the AwardHQ website and executed the set-up for items, vendors and categories encompassing over 1,200 items within the Maritz Award Collection. Collaborated with the Client Merchandising team on RFPs based on demographics, psycho-graphics, and lifestyle and consumer profiles, as outlined in the Awards merchandising strategy. Negotiated with vendors regarding advertising allowances and rebates - resulting in achieving our 1% Volume Rebate for Lobster Gram to the bottom line and over $15,000 in catalog and advertising allowances for Gourmet Food and Appliances in 2009. Involved with the Maritz Trend team - analyzing trends within generations and discovering why people buy, wear and do what they do.Results of the above: Granted buyer responsibilities outside the scope of merchandise assistant for the categories of Food, Major Appliances and Holiday merchandise.

Kept accurate inventory of transactions and program materials. Assisted in the preparation and launch of client programs, this included setting up client specific merchandise. Communicated daily with clients, program participants and internal account team. Processed all award issuance, collateral and merchandise fulfillment. Directed production scheduling and report distribution.