SENIOR RESEARCH AND MARKETING STRATEGY EXECUTIVE
Market insights and sales strategy executive who transforms knowledge into pragmatic direction, then brings partners together and leads them to increase sales advisor productivity. Utilizes knowledge of advanced training techniques to refine product launches and upsell initiatives, Scope of career success spans improving productivity of domestic, B2B and global sales forces in banking, life insurance, investment, wealth management and retirement verticals. Expertise in leading transformational change by driving improvement in sales advisor and client experience, so organizations can close the gap on the competition and develop industry-leading status. Reputation for lowering risk by identifying and deconstructing barriers to profitable growth and shaping strategic roadmaps.
CORE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
" Salesforce Training
" Multi-Channel Coordination
" Cross-Functional Team Leadership
" International Operations
" Brand Health Improvement
" Product Launch Management
" Staff Coaching, Mentoring
" Product Development
" Customer Experience Improvement
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Confidential
2015--Present
Principal of privately held consulting practice, which provides advisor training, product development and launch, customer experience improvement and brand health services to banks, Investment firms and insurance companies.
Confidential
Consulting Organization
2012-2015
Corporate Vice President, International Research
Revitalized international marketing research and branding program, including staff supervision of six globally distributed direct reports. Supervised studies of markets and improving brand identity of association in 70+ countries. Travelled internationally to promote organizational knowledge leadership and provide sales advisor training services to members in Asia, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Developed strategic partnerships with Fortune 100 firms.
" $170,000 incremental revenue growth attained by restructuring custom research proposal approach, resulting in closing first sale to major prospect association had previously failed three times to win business from.
" Expanded digital sales advisor outreach to include downloadable apps providing access to best practices and compliance information. Latter were customizable to automatically deliver region specific communications in appropriate language.
" Executed first global study of customer relationship management practices in financial services industry. Conducted experiential immersion sessions to demonstrate advisor strategies that most positively impacted consumer experience.
" Developed virtual international versions of sales advisor and field management development and training programs, customizing content for individual client companies and delivering curriculum in region-specific languages.
" Enhanced content strategy by securing $200,000 for market study by developing and presenting proposal to leading professional association to collaborate on ground-breaking study of Asian Advisor retirement market sales practices.
" 197% increase in client product launch results realized, by successfully recruiting major consultancy to partner with firm initiative on a joint rollout of a wealth management product in Malaysia.
" Grew member engagement by doubling enrollment in agent raining program, which required negotiating with and persuading foreign legal counsel to remove contractual elements that were hindering enrollment.
Confidential 1989 2012
Large U.S. life insurer .
Corporate Vice President, Customer Insights (2010 2012)
Promoted into position to start and lead new department charged with measuring and improving customer experience. Managed team of three direct reports and cross-functional teams in designing and implementation of experience improvement initiatives and managing customer research. Tracked and presented KPI progress to Board.
" Attained projected $25+ million increase in premiums, by leveraging research insights to develop and implement marketing campaign that trained sales advisors to motivate business prospects to purchase higher key executive coverage face amounts.
" Utilized advanced ad tracking analysis to reposition corporate branding message to create more strongly differentiated position, raising unaided awareness over 15%. Simultaneously led sales advisor training unit digital marketing unit to restructure approach to complement the new positioning and conducted proprietary research to support related corporate PR initiatives, including press releases and events.
" 45% increase in measured field sales office manager satisfaction achieved, by leveraging research insights with multi-functional team to identify and address gaps between support needs of sales offices and services provided.
" Designed and executed study of large closely held businesses, to provide advanced market sales advisors with insights that resulted in more discretely targeted marketing which resulted in 32% increase in segment penetration.
" Removed risk by assessing proposed specialized annuity for sale to non-profit organizations. Determined concept would have low appeal to both target market and sales advisors, made recommendation against proceeding which was accepted. Competitor implemented similar concept, which was dropped due to low sales.
" Slashed sales collateral expenses 30%+ by using data mining to analyze amount and type of material being ordered by specific sale offices versus actual product mix being sold.
Corporate Vice President, Corporate Research (1996 2009)
Confidential
Large U.S Life Insurer
Grew strategy development unit to support entire enterprise, with focus on market planning and sales productivity improvement, took small operation and grew to staff of five, managing $300,000 budget. Used collaboration skills to reposition area with all stakeholders as a rigorous source of objective insight and to prioritize projects based on ROI.
" Created 15%+ revenue growth by conducting competitive analysis and market sizing, implementing launch of revised sales program which focused sales advisors on under-penetrated charitable foundation giving market.
" Delivered 60%+ sales growth, by creating options and improved nomenclature in annuity offering, overcoming consumer confusion and objections sales advisors were encountering. Revised product subsequently became industry sales leader.
" 40%+ increase sales advisor productivity delivered, by developing improved campaign for the voluntary payroll deduction product, which shifted advisor focus from high-turnover small private companies to large public employers.
" Analyzed beneficiary experiences to identify means to boost retention of assets under management. Led subsequent changes in advisor practices which resulted in 200% increase in benefits remaining in company investment accounts.
" $12 million in potential fines averted, by rapidly surveying salesforce of 8,000 agents to assess their compliance with newly released disclosure regulations, resulting in positive findings and removing risks of fine and damage to brand.
" Supported growth in number of women advisors by over 20% and helped increase sales to women owned businesses 140% by adapting sales office culture, career value proposition and implementing related targeted marketing campaign.
Assistant Vice President, Strategic Planning (1989 1996)
Confidential
Large U.S. Life Insurer
Hired as Director, promoted to AVP in three months with oversight for three staff members. Revitalized planning unit, using team building competencies to move it from narrow economic scenario role to one focused on business intelligence and opportunity identification. Strengthened relationships with product and distribution areas to improve use of strategic insights and subsequently accelerated the implementation of marketing and business development initiatives.
" 5% CAGR attained by leading team that developed a strategic proposal that was selected by a major association, making company exclusive provider of life insurance for its 37 million members and largest direct marketer of life insurance in U.S., with over $20 billion of in force insurance. Sales advisors also benefitted by receiving access to RP client base.
" Positioned company to become recognized early insurance website leader, via creation of future scenarios for financial services industry which accurately predicted emergence and growth of internet services.
" Supported implementation of Asian owned business market promotional strategy which included local culturally-focused experiential events -- in eight test markets, increasing Asian advisor appointments by an average of 120%.
" Led junior staff in developing business case for new wealth management advisor subsidiary. Concept was approved and - after implementation managed by my unit -- subsequently became most profitable sales unit in company.
EDUCATION
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL Cambridge, MA, Masters in Business Administration
OBERLIN COLLEGE Oberlin, OH, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Communication Studies with high honors |
