WHO IS MICHELLE KAMRATH FIELDS?

During my tenure in various Marketing leadership roles, I played a key role in developing corporate brands and orchestrating corporate marketing, building an ecommerce presence, and implementing public relations and communication strategies. One of my sweet spots includes crafting compelling strategic visions, capitalizing on market trends, and building competitive advantages. I have built and led global marketing teams of marketing professionals, propelling company sales, enhancing brand equity, and cultivating a loyal customer base.

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In my Vice President of Marketing role in Private Equity, I have been responsible for the development of corporate brands and the formulation and execution of corporate marketing, public relations, and communication strategies. This encompassed a global portfolio of 11 companies and 20 brands within the CIMS industries (Controls, Instruments, Measurement Devices, and Sensors).

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One significant achievement was the successful re-platforming and optimization of four global websites within tight timelines. This effort resulted in an impressive revenue increase of 14.72% and conferred a substantial competitive advantage. In addition, I implemented robust PPC strategies that yielded remarkable outcomes, with a staggering 185% increase in transactions and a notable 142% growth in PPC online revenue, effectively maximizing profitability.

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My role also involved a deep understanding of customer behavior and preferences, achieved through persona development, market research, competitive analysis, and customer insights. This allowed me to uncover hidden growth opportunities and make data-driven strategic marketing decisions.

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Furthermore, I devised and executed innovative marketing initiatives, including personalized customer engagement tactics and upselling and cross-selling campaigns. These efforts led to an impressive 19% boost in the average order value, thereby maximizing customer lifetime value. Additionally, I implemented comprehensive SEO strategies that resulted in a substantial 43% increase in ranking keywords for each website, enhancing organic visibility and driving targeted traffic. Lastly, I had the privilege of building and leading high-performing international and U.S. marketing teams, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture. This collaborative effort was pivotal in driving strategic initiatives and achieving business objectives.

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Integral to the various roles I have worked in, as a CMO, I was centralizing and unifying brand efforts, establishing brand guidelines, and securing buy-in from legacy employees. I have also led efforts to create, rebrand, and rejuvenate several well-known brands, including C & B Operations, Parker Freeze, Dry ProForm Fabrication, Real Tractors Are Green, Products for Ag, and the Echo Ski Resort.

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I supported the impressive growth of the B2B company C & B Operations, which expanded from a 25-location John Deere dealership group to an impressive 37-location presence across six states. Through a comprehensive approach involving SEO, email campaigns, social media, paid advertising, and traditional media, we managed to skyrocket online traffic by 251%. Additionally, we achieved a 72% increase in online leads through SEO and email program enhancements. Notably, we established a focused online video presence, enhancing our YouTube channel with over 200 videos and the launch of C & B TV.

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The transformation I led was not limited to digital initiatives. We shifted from limited social media presence to a remarkably effective funnel that drove leads through a new website, overseeing a total of 10 websites. This transformation included the incorporation of video, CRM systems, and marketing automation.

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Through these efforts, I ignited hypergrowth, taking the enterprise from $600 million to over $1 billion in revenue. This involved creating a clear, universally identifiable brand across diverse markets and successfully pushing the new brand into new territories, expanding our reach.

Additionally, I partnered with store managers to create individualized store plans, including advertising sponsorships, and provided education on digital spending and its impact.

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Another noteworthy accomplishment was generating 1.2 million YouTube views in two years, with over 100 professionally crafted videos produced. This effort increased leads by 32% and organic leads by 20%. These videos served as a powerful tool to convey information about our products and utilized our own farm plot for educational purposes. 

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Lastly, I reduced the percentage of advertising spend due to increased efficiency and the company's growth. I transformed a previously chaotic marketing environment into a scalable and organized system, ensuring a more streamlined and effective operation.

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In another role as Senior Director of Marketing and Ecommerce at Brock White, I oversaw international market penetration strategies across all in-store and online consumer touchpoints. I served as the chief architect of digital, advertising, merchandising, public relations, customer relationship management, customer retention, strategy, customer loyalty, product launches, enterprise growth initiatives, and research and data analytics. My role also included rebranding and refreshing the brand for e-commerce friendliness. I managed a team of eight professionals and a substantial budget.

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During this tenure, I generated revenue through successful global marketing, leveraging research, data-driven insights, product marketing, communications, advertising, and public relations. I was instrumental in creating and launching an eCommerce website, surpassing sales targets by 60%. This website displayed 8,000 products online.

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My efforts exceeded the sales budget, producing first-year sales of $600,000, which led to a favorable acquisition. I was responsible for architecting segmentation and targeting strategies across all business units through data analytics.

Furthermore, I developed a marketing roadmap that enhanced conversion, customer engagement, and competitive advantage in the construction supply business.

 

My approach combined consumer emotions, intuitive insights, and a compelling brand vision with scientific best practices, discipline, key metrics, analysis, and processes, yielding results that exceeded expectations. One of the noteworthy challenges I addressed was overcoming legacy employee resistance to job loss and lack of cooperation due to the launch of a new eCommerce channel. I succeeded in fostering a growth-oriented attitude and opportunity mindset among these employees.

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Lastly, I led the online B2C eCommerce marketing strategy, digital project planning, digital design, and digital merchandising for the $3.5 billion furniture manufacturing and retail company, Ashley Furniture. This role involved identifying and executing digital strategies for continuous improvement in customer acquisition, spanning paid search, social media, email, SEO, affiliates, and display advertising. I also managed agency partnerships that supported the team's activities and collaborated with international teams on global eCommerce initiatives. My responsibilities extended to overseeing the web and digital teams and setting goals that aligned with department and function objectives.

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Some notable achievements during this role as a Global Director of Marketing and eCommerce, included launching Ashley's first international multi-lingual product website and mobile website, overseeing seven websites with a $9 million digital budget, and re-platforming the websites to create operational efficiencies. I optimized online marketing through data mining via Adobe/Omniture Site Catalyst and Google Analytics and initiated CRM email campaign programs.

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These roles collectively represent my ability to shape and drive marketing and branding efforts, whether in the digital realm or across various consumer touchpoints, and foster growth and transformation within organizations.