Sales Manager

Margaret C. Nikoleit

***** **** *** * #***, Plymouth, MN 55447

*********@***.*** . 763-***-**** home . 603-***-**** cell

Portfolio: www.nikoleitcreative.com . Profile:

www.linkedin.com/in/mnikoleit

Professional Summary

Marketing Manager who achieves exceptional balance of productive team

leadership with personal excellence as an integrated marketing strategist

and writer. Strong background in business products, financial services,

telecom and guest loyalty industries.

. Results-driven leader with over 15 years of success in marketing

departments of nationally renowned multichannel merchants and world-

class advertising agencies.

. Skilled at managing cross-functional teams, developing staff,

brainstorming solutions, articulating ideas and delivering on time, on

target and on budget.

. Passionate direct marketer who inspires teams to increase sales, cut

costs, build brands, win awards and cement profitable customer

relationships.

. Aptitude in wide range of integrated channels including mail, print,

sales support and digital.

. Equally adept at envisioning big initiatives and executing precise

details.

Professional Experience and Achievements

Nikoleit Creative - Plymouth, MN 2009-present

Marketing Director

Strategic, creative consulting and copywriting for direct marketing,

integrated advertising and marketing communications. Clients include Deluxe

Corporation, Digital Elves, Hockenberg Search, Living Banners and School

Specialty.

. Attracted seminar attendees 40% above expectation with effective flyer

and email invitations.

. Reduced potential for lost sales and costly rewrites through strategic

copy testing for newly acquired product line prior to rollout.

Deluxe Corporation - Shoreview, MN 2003-2009

Copy Manager

Developed strategies, directed copy and influenced design of catalogs, mail

packages, sales collateral, emails, websites and more to launch new

products, maximize profit of existing portfolio and support annual revenue

of $1.6 billion. Instigated ideas and supervised execution; translated

value propositions and creative briefs into compelling messages; and

ensured quality, accuracy and timeliness of deliverables.

. Served as Creative Director for small business division serving 6

million customers (formerly NEBS) in Groton, MA, 2006-2007 until

selected for relocation to headquarters in Shoreview, MN.

. Built and mentored teams of up to 10 staff and freelance writers,

editors, proofreaders and designers, earning promotions for 4

individuals.

. Generated a 7.5% response, exceeded forecast 133% and established tone

for brand transformation by writing and orchestrating marketing

communications for highly successful magalog pilot program.

. Lifted sales 29% by creating unique 1-to-1 mail solos that pioneered

rules-based dynamic printing technologies to recommend products based

on each customer's prior purchases.

. Reduced costly errors and inconsistencies by writing and implementing

Creative Standards Manual.

. Won July 2006 Eaglet Award (internal recognition) for creative

direction on new promotion that exceeded revenue estimate by 1.4%

within 16 weeks, with conversions up 35.9% in first month.

. Won 2005 Circle of Excellence award from BizRate for outstanding

eCommerce site nebs.com.

Sullivan Direct Marketing - Cincinnati, OH 2002-2003

Associate Creative Director

Directed creative for medium-sized agency's primary account, Cincinnati

Bell, supervising art directors and editors in the development of mail,

online, print, radio and outdoor communications. Additional clients

included AT&T Broadband and Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

. Achieved 25% lift over prior year for high-speed Internet

subscriptions with an integrated campaign that stood out during the

competition-saturated back-to-school season.

. Doubled sales and established an unbeatable control with breakthrough

creative for a home security product in a market dominated by national

providers with much larger budgets.

Draftfcb (formerly DraftWorldwide) - Chicago, IL 2000-2002

Creative Supervisor

Directed creative for the Priority Club guest loyalty program of

InterContinental Hotels Group, the agency's most profitable direct

marketing client. Additional clients included Sprint Broadband and Sprint

PCS.

. Earned a 13.6% increase in global membership enrollment and

participation by developing effective marketing strategy and creative

components with up to 13 versions executed in 8 languages.

. Orchestrated a 20% drop in creative development costs through astute

management of a dozen art directors, production artists and writers.

. Won agency-wide honor for being "most passionate team."

. Won CADM Tempo Award for the Priority Club 2001 US Member Awards

Guide.

Aspen Marketing Services (formerly Townsend Agency) - Rosemont, IL 1998-

2000

Senior Copywriter

Conceived and wrote effective mail packages, print and online ads,

telemarketing, sales promotions, signage, digital presentations and more

for medium-sized direct marketing agency. Clients included Diners Club,

Discover Financial Services, NEC Visual Displays, Sears Life Insurance and

Verizon Wireless.

. Launched new product Discover Platinum Card with upscale branding and

efficient marketing.

. Established high-performing controls in monthly acquisition mailings

with a dozen or more tests.

Kobs Gregory Passavant - Chicago, IL 1995-1998

Senior Copywriter

Constructed strategy, originated concepts, wrote copy and directed design

at consultative direct marketing agency. Clients included AARP Pharmacy

Service, Encyclopaedia Britannica and The Teaching Company.

. Won Platinum Echo Award for maintaining five years of unsurpassed

performance (Pitney Bowes).

. Won CADM Tempo Awards annually for creative and marketing excellence

(AARP Member Choice, Dreyfus, The Field Museum, Harris Bank and Reiman

Publications).

Spiegel Inc. - Downers Grove, IL 1990-1995

Associate Advertising Manager

Managed creative for multichannel merchant's credit solicitation, sales

promotion, and customer acquisition and retention programs. Hired and

supervised freelance writers, designers, illustrators and photographers.

. Won Gold Prize at 1995 Retail Advertising Conference for national

print campaign.

Education

Master of Arts in Advertising; Graduate Fellow with 4.0 GPA

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University,

Syracuse, NY

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature; graduated magna cum laude; member

of Phi Beta Kappa

Smith College, Northampton, MA

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