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Customer Service Sales

Location:
Pompano Beach, FL, 33067
Posted:
March 09, 2010

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Resume:

CHRISTOPHER B. PRIOR

954-***-**** / Cell-954-***-****

E-mail: abnwz3@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Direct marketing, e-commerce and retail professional with diversified background in catalogs, Internet/e-commerce,

call centers, specialty and Mass retail, wholesale, and international sales. Database background includes strong

results in new customer acquisition, customer retention/reactivation, and growth in lifetime values. Developed

strong branded marketing programs with names like Revlon and Adolfo, as well as starting up internal ‘designer’

lines. Generated numerous targeted loyalty programs. Developed a strong CPG business to drug chains, specialty,

and Mass customers like Rite Aid, JCP, Sally Beauty Supply, Bed Bath & Beyond and more. Strong budgeting,

P&L, and forecasting background that generates increased operating profits.

Customer Service driven. Strong leadership and team building skills that foster collaboration across departments.

Positions have covered the fashion industry, gifts, human resources, crafts, sporting goods, educational products,

health & beauty, and health & wellness.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Database Marketing and analysis e-commerce/Internet Brand Development

Direct Mail/Catalog Retail and Wholesale Sales Multi-Channel Marketing

Project Management Strategic Planning Advertising

Budgeting and P&L Accountability Creative New Product Launches

Financial Turn-arounds Public Relations Loyalty Programs

Inventory Control Call Centers/Customer Service Merchandising

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Native Remedies/PetAlive – Vice President Marketing – January 2008-Present

- Directed the Marketing of this profitable Internet company with multiple lines selling herbal and homeopathic

remedies for both people and pets.

- Introduced target marketing into multiple channels of the business including e-mails, newsletters, bouncebacks, as

well as e-Zines, and e-Books. Generated category specific offers and tested down to customer demographic e-mails.

- Developed targeted radio and TV ads to specific customer (and prospect) segments.

- Generated the company’s first customer database. Worked to develop fully interactive files that allowed targeting

and testing to smaller customer segments.

- Developed marketing plans for new product introductions as well as new business roll-outs.

- Developed ‘guerrilla marketing’ techniques to target customers and increase SEO search in spite of strong limiting

regulations imposed by the FDA. Responsibility to oversee all FDA compliance.

- Generated e-mail responses 9X better than the existing e-mails. Built the Auto-Responder program to increase

customer repeat business by contacting the customer automatically at specified times reminding them to reorder.

- Increased customer retention from 27% to 40% in 4 months by developing the Auto Ship program.

- New brand introduction ‘NutraRx’ was built targeted to medical practitioners. Built the advertising and marketing

plan as well as developed trade show and conference schedules.

- Introduced a new product rep to bring the company to outside catalogs and commercial websites. This opportunity

will allow both lines and the equine products to be offered to major new markets not previously marketed.

- Worked with other websites on numerous joint venture opportunities to push our brand to new audiences.

- Developed fully integrated topical marketing plans each month which included landing pages, e-Zines, PR, press

releases, newsletters, targeted e-mails, and PIP’s.

TressAllure June 2002-September 2007 –

President / CMO – (August 2004-September 2007)

- With full P&L and budgeting responsibility I led the turn-around to profitability of this troubled $23MM Health &

Beauty company in slightly over two years by two new line introductions, strategic cost cutting, brand management,

and targeted marketing promotions. The company had lost money for 3 straight years before I took over.

- I was directly in control of e-commerce/Internet, Direct Marketing, National Accounts, Wholesale Sales, Mass

Markets, and Foreign Sales with distributors in over 30 countries worldwide.

- Responsible to oversee operations and production in 2 company and 5 vendor factories in the Orient.

- File growth and reactivation were key aspects of this success through targeted SEO, SEM and affiliate programs.

- Successful generation of new customer programs in Direct Marketing, Mass, Professional and Foreign.

- Grew branded programs around the licensed Revlon and Adolfo names, and generated the start up of the

company’s first ‘designer’ brand line.

Christopher B. Prior Page 2

- Generated bottom line profits within two years and repaid $1.5M in debt and interest in 2007 despite taking over

the company when it was over $6M in debt, and had chronic shortages in cash flow.

- In 2006, I was responsible for the successful and profitable sale of the multi-channel Direct Marketing business

“BeautyTrends”, allowing for a profitable down-sizing of the company.

Vice President of Direct Marketing (BeautyTrends)– (June 2002-August 2004)

- Managed full bottom line responsibility for the $7M BeautyTrends business including financial, merchandising,

marketing, Internet/e-commerce, and creative. Used ‘guerrilla marketing’ online to build “bad hair day” promos.

- Brought this direct mail business to profitability within 11 months after it had lost money for 5 straight years.

- Developed an Internet/e-commerce division that generated 18% of all revenues within 18 months through targeted

SEO, SEM, affiliates, e-mail campaigns, customer targeting, and database promotions.

- Built a strong informational e-newsletter program on line which helped grow our in house loyalty program.

- Using Outbound Telemarketing, we began increases in average order, lifetime values, percentage of multi-buyers,

and multi-channel purchasers.

S&S Worldwide Co. - Vice President of Sales and Marketing - December 2001-June 2002

-Charged with building a fully interactive department including Marketing, Circulation, Database, Merchandising,

Product Development, Creative, Inbound and Outbound Sales, Corporate and National Accounts, Field Sales, Bids,

Customer Service, and Order Entry.

-Developed plan to start a 2nd Half Healthcare business during a season when the company traditionally lost money.

-Developed a new series of catalogs (Craftime) that targeted the seasonal business with rapid turnaround.

-Developed a new VIP customer contact strategy.

gNeil Company 1996-2001

Vice President of Database Marketing, Circulation, and e-Commerce (1997-2001)

- Bottom line responsibility for coordinating business to business Direct Marketing programs totaling over $60M

across nine different product and customer categories.

- Responsible for the initial development of the original gNeil.com Internet site and e-commerce program.

- Development, implementation and coordination of marketing plans and advertising in multi-channel environment

including catalog, solo, Internet, e-commerce, call center (inbound and outbound), and fax programs.

- Development of the company’s newsletter program and tied it to our proprietary multi-channel loyalty program.

- Redirected the database to improve data enhancement, list hygiene, new models, and increased analytic mining.

- Rebuilt the customer relationship management to include e-commerce, direct mail and Telemarketing to increase

customer retention, reduce attrition, and decrease ad expense.

- Developed and implemented the marketing plan for the roll-out of the new e-commerce business HROne.com

Marketing Director – (1996-1997)

- Bottom line responsibilities over the $42M mail plan including catalogs, solos, and outbound telemarketing.

- Supervised the creative development of the company’s UK catalog.

- Set goals and priorities as an active participant in the corporate long range strategic planning program.

Hanover Direct Co. 1983-1996 –

Catalog Director – Simply Tops (Fashion) – (1987-1996)

-Developed fashion catalog from concept stage, to $36M business, increasing profits to a 7.1% EBIT.

-Introduced brand development program unifying the departments to target a single focused audience.

-Lead the catalog staff in fashion merchandise selection, marketing and circulation direction, creative concepts,

inventory performance, and quality control.

Catalog Director – Fashion Galaxy (Fashion) - 1987-1992 (overlap)

-Coordinated the liquidation strategies for nine separate catalogs under one title in the Women’s Business Unit.

Catalog Director – Favorites - 1988-1990 (overlap)

-Interacted with over 15 separate and independent catalogs compiling all of the best products in Hanover Direct

under one title including linens from ‘Domestications’, housewares from ‘Colonial Gardens Kitchens’, and home

and garden from ‘Improvements’.

Christopher B. Prior Page 3

Senior Buyer – Chelsea Collection (Fashion) – (1986-1987)

-Developed women’s sportswear from 15% of the total dollar volume to over 55% in less than two years.

Women’s Fashion Buyer – Chelsea Collection (Fashion) – (1983-1986)

Montgomery Ward & Co. - 1974-1983 –

Associate Fashion Buyer, Catalog and Retail– (1981-1983)

-Developed misses and junior sweater lines for the catalog as well as nationwide store chain. Product development

was in domestic and import markets. Traveled to the Orient to work with the factories on design and production as

well as timing and quality.

Assistant Retail Sales Manager (Women’s Fashion) – (1980-1981)

Coordinated retail sales and promotions as well as store openings and closings nationwide. Generated different

women’s fashion store layouts and product assortments in Southern and Northern locations

Assistant Fashion Buyer, Retail and Catalog – (1977-1980)

Worked within 3 different areas of the Women’s Intimate Apparel Division. Headed up the department store

mastectomy program for 18 months, working one-on-one with the store trainers and custom associates.

Catalog Inventory Control Buyer– (1974-1977)

EDUCATION: B.A. Mathematics, Queens College (CUNY), Flushing, NY

CHRISTOPHER B. PRIOR

7940 Redwood Lane

Parkland, Fl 33067

954-***-**** / Cell-954-***-****

e-mail: abnwz3@r.postjobfree.com



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