Digital Marketing Manager Strategist

Kirk Ahlquist

813-***-**** ****.********@**.*** St. Petersburg, Florida

Summary

Accomplished Digital Marketing Leader with 15+ years of experience in driving high-performance, data-driven marketing strategies and operations. Expertise in paid digital campaign management, agency collaboration, and leveraging advanced analytics to optimize ROI. Proven track record in aligning marketing initiatives with business objectives and enhancing cross-functional teamwork to exceed regional goals.

Work Experience

unKAGEd Media, Freelance Digital Agency

Digital Marketing Consultant & Business Coach Jan 2008 – Present

● Founded and lead a digital marketing consultancy, providing strategic solutions and coaching for clients in diverse industries over 17 years

● Create and delivered one-on-one coaching workshops to business owners and marketing professionals, enhancing their digital marketing skills and personal branding

● Conduct in-depth analyses of digital metrics to drive data-informed decision-making

● Implemented AI-driven solutions for client campaigns, consistently achieving 30%+ improvement in ROAS for Panda Technology.

Marketopia Pinellas Park, FL

Director of Strategic Digital Marketing, Global Apr 2023 - Dec 2024

●Developed and executed strategic marketing initiatives for MSPs and VARs in the IT Channel, resulting in a 35% increase in client acquisition.

●Led a global team of 8+ professionals, achieving a 78% YoY increase in lead conversions for Technology Clients by leveraging advanced marketing automation.

●Pioneered the integration of AI-powered tools into the marketing technology ecosystem, resulting in a 30% reduction in customer acquisition costs and a 50% increase in conversion rates.

●Spearheaded cross-platform digital marketing campaigns across Google Ads, LinkedIn, and Meta, resulting in a 30% increase in lead generation and 25% improvement in ROAS.

Socius Marketing St. Petersburg, FL

Account Manager – Client Strategist Aug 2021 - Apr 2023

●Spearheaded multi-channel marketing strategies for high-value clients, resulting in a 35% increase in sales and 50% growth in qualified leads within 6 months.

●Crafted and executed strategic advertising plans encompassing SEO, PPC, and social media, increasing online visibility by 65% for medical and home-improvement clients.

●Leveraged advanced analytics to optimize campaign performance, resulting in a 45% increase in conversion rates and 20% boost in overall marketing efficiency.

●Conducted regular competitive analysis and industry trend research, identifying new opportunities, and implementing best practices that contributed to a 22% year-over-year growth in market share.

Compass Group USA St. Petersburg, FL

Regional Marketing Director Aug 2018 – Jun 2021

● Enhanced brand visibility using Google Search Console (GSC) and Canva and Adobe tools for targeted campaigns.

● Coordinated with field marketing and sales teams to align digital campaigns with regional objectives, resulting in a 35% increase in qualified leads and improved sales team satisfaction.

● Managed marketing automation efforts with HubSpot, enabling a 27% increase in inbound MQLs Used Google Analytics to measure and optimize marketing performance, improving ROI across campaigns.

● Developed and executed tailored digital marketing strategies for BlueCross/BlueShield, Chase, Tech Data, FIS, HSN, Intel.

Retail Marketing Manager Jan 2008 – Apr 2016

● Spearheaded digital marketing strategies for Shell Oil and Chevron, resulting in a $3M revenue increase and 15% improvement in ROI through targeted digital solutions.

● Designed and implemented multi-channel marketing campaigns, resulting in a 27% increase in inbound MQLs and a 15% boost in client retention within the oil & gas sector.

● Implemented data-driven marketing initiatives, achieving a 40% increase in customer engagement and a 25% improvement in financial performance across key accounts.

BlueWater Media Clearwater, FL

Director Digital Marketing & Strategy Jun 2016 - Apr 2018

●Managed $1.1M–$2.5M in digital ad budgets, achieving an average ROAS of 425% with some clients exceeding 1000%.

●Developed and implemented cutting-edge referral programs, boosting lead generation by 57% and improving customer acquisition costs by 35%.

Education

Eckerd College

BA, Human Development, Marketing & Business, 3.8 GPA

● Harvard Business School Online

● Digital Marketing Strategy Certification, 4.0 GPA

Certifications

● Inbound Marketing & Partner Certification

Certified by: HubSpot.

● HighLevel Certified Specialist

Certified by: Highlevel Academy

● Google AdWords Certification

Certified by: Google.

● Digital Marketing Strategy Certification

Certified by: Harvard Business School Online

Skills

• Meta Ads Manager

• A/B Testing

• Tableau

• HubSpot

• Campaign Management

• Marketing Operations & Strategic Planning

• Budget Oversight

• Google Analytics

• Campaign Attribution & Lead Management

• LinkedIn Ads

• Performance Tracking

• Google Ads, Bing, TikTok, Meta Business Suite, LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest

• Marketing Automation

(HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo, HighLevel)

• SEO, PPC, Content Strategy Hands-on Campaign Management

• AI, Automation & Customer Segmentation

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