Heather Richard

Experience

Why should you choose me?

I am driven by the momentum of continuous improvement, with expertise in customer experience, data insights, social media strategy, and search engine optimization. I believe in thoroughly evaluating every avenue to ensure success. Understanding your consumer is essential to maintaining their loyalty, and understanding your competitors is key to staying ahead in the market.
You must understand your consumer or you will lose them.
You must understand those who share your market or you will lose to them.

Here's the real: I have worked for a variety of industries. I have worked directly with C-Suites and under a marketing team. I have led developer teams, both on shore and near shore, working unilaterlly with marketing and sales departments. I believe that leadership is more than just a direction giver, but someone who is willing to get in the deep of it, even when your muck boots are stuck. While there, I find where pieces are missing or broken from website code to marketing niches. Then develop and implement solutions.
Design? That is where I started! I love to design or be apart of a design team. I live for new ways to catch a consumers attention. You are reading my website aren't you?
Ads - Campaigns? I am an out of the box or let's create a new box thinker. While each industry can see a cross over of consumers, that does not mean that the ads should be the same. Creating unique campaigns that drive the brand message is what I strive for. The analytics behind those ads and campaigns is where I further bring understanding of the CRO, CTR, and ROA. I do not believe in throwing money at campaigns. You can spend thousands, yet without intuitive and cohesive understanding of who, where, and why you are targeting those consumers, it will be wasted money. Which means a loss to the company not only in the short term but from a sustainability stance.
Data? To say I love data is as a huge understatement. I do not just look at data - I explore, measure, compare, then align with best outcomes for the business.
What drives me? I am driven by the goals to make a client's company the best in the industry not just in a current trend but through sustainability for long term growth. There has to always be a forward momentum. You can not stop strategizing even in off or down seasons. An organization has to be thinking of the next on-demand scenario.
You have to think in innovative ways in order to keep and grow your market share.

My motto: Always on. Always moving. Always leading.

Throughout my career journey, I have embraced diverse opportunities that enriched both my personal growth and professional expertise. While living in various regions, I strategically undertook freelance and flexible roles that supported our family and allowed extensive travel alongside my husband. These experiences significantly enhanced my perspective, deepening my insights into market research, customer behavior, and customer experience across diverse demographics. Concurrently, I advanced my academic credentials, earning my Bachelor's degree, an MBA, and initiating my Doctorate studies. The extensive travel and exposure to different markets have notably strengthened my ability to develop effective go-to-market strategies tailored to varied client needs. Additionally, these experiences have sharpened my skills in crafting impactful digital marketing initiatives, driving greater engagement and improved digital presence for businesses.

If you continue reading and see I am a good fit for your organization, reach out via hr[at]downatrail.com or connect with me on:

Experience

Marketing Strategist

Hybrid - Clients in Texas, Gulf Coast, East Coast, Oklahoma

▪ Collaborated with small business to align their goals with organizational visions.
▪ Managed graphic design content strategically to facilitate effective visual communication, emphasizing user-centric design principles and aligning designs with project requirements.
▪ Managed vendor relationships effectively, fostering connections with suppliers, and ensuring timely project deliveries and maintaining productive collaborations.
▪ Demonstrated knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Microsoft Office, FIGMA, Visual Studio, HubSpot, Salesforces, API's, and WordPress.
▪ Designed Social Media Campaigns collaborating with Stakeholders to ensure Brand Voice was paramount across all platforms.
▪ Experienced in crafting engaging web designs with a focus on intuitive interfaces and responsive layouts, enhancing online user experiences.
▪ Managed graphic design content strategically to facilitate effective visual communication, emphasizing user-centric design principles and aligning designs with project requirements.
▪ Utilized AI to create ads, consumer insights, market research from a varied perspective, and consumer personas based on data.
▪ Collaborated closely with senior developers to contribute to the implementation of software solutions and working biometrics.
▪ Demonstrated adaptability and agility in a dynamic development environment, addressing challenges effectively.
▪ Participated in agile development processes, fostering effective project management and teamwork.
▪ Thrive in dynamic environments, effectively addressing challenges and adapting project strategies as needed to ensure project success.
▪ Led collaborative sessions, fostering creative concepts through feedback and mentorship.
▪ Oversaw end-to-end project lifecycles, ensuring high-quality results on multiple projects within deadlines while aligning designs with project objectives.
▪ Demonstrating strong project management skills in organizing and coordinating successful implementation.
▪ Proficiently utilized diverse design tools for efficient and precise production, leveraging technology to streamline design processes and project management.
▪ Created and deployed targeted advertising campaigns across various platforms, achieving a significant boost in engagement.
▪ Exhibited flexibility and responsiveness in a fast-paced development environment, swiftly adapting to changing requirements and overcoming obstacles.
▪ Crafted and executed a comprehensive Go-To-Market strategy for the 2024 season, aligning marketing efforts with business objectives to maximize market penetration and revenue growth.
▪ Created and deployed targeted advertising campaigns across various platforms, achieving a significant boost in engagement. Social media campaigns saw a 75% increase in interaction, while Google Ads and LinkedIn campaigns experienced engagement growth ranging from 15% to 36% (Display versus Performance Max).
▪ Negotiated advertising contracts and managed relationships with media partners to ensure optimal placement and cost-effectiveness.
▪ Worked in tandem with senior developers to design, develop, and deploy a robust software portal.
▪ Crafted engaging web designs with a focus on intuitive interfaces and responsive layouts, enhancing online user experiences.
▪ Provided expertise across diverse design projects, including branding, logos, and multimedia presentations, highlighting a dynamic approach to visual communication.
▪ Assited clients in launching their first social media pages through development and coaching.
▪ Empowered small business owners in developing their visions.
▪ Collabrorated with board members to coordinate fundraisers for the events including Toys for Tots, Thanksgiving, and Christmas meals for individuals and community.
▪ Assited in cordination of the National Day of the American Cowboy Parade, festival, and concerts.
▪ Conducted community outreach and marketing efforts for the National Day of The American Cowboy
▪ Coordinated performances and demonstrations with partners such as Muscogee Nation, Budweiser, artists, and bands.
▪ Managed vendor coordination, setup, and volunteer organization for events.
▪ Organized volunteers for both the parade, the festivals, and concerts.
▪ Designed promotional media materials for events, including large and small-scale print/vinyl projects.
▪ Provided targeted training and coaching to client teams, enhancing their customer service capabilities and streamlining production processes.
▪ Oversaw installation of vinyl graphics from license plates to billboards.
▪ Created print materials supporting marketing and website initiatives.
▪ Managed customer interactions from initial design consultation through project completion.

Education

Liberty University Lynchburg Virginia

Doctorate of Business Administration: Marketing (Expected Graduation 2026)

University of Texas at Tyler

Master of Business Adminstration: Project Mangement

Liberty University Lynchburg Virginia

Bachelor of Science:Government | Public Administration - Cum Laude

Certifications

Certified Scrum Product Owner| CSPO

Scrum Alliance

Credential#: 001445284

Google Analytics Certification

Google SkillShop

Credential#: 138560539

Skills

Leadership / Management
Marketing Strategy
Process Improvement
Forward Thinker
Active Listening
Agile Leadership
UI|UX Designer
Cross-functional Team Connector
Event Planning
Objective Analyst
Consumer Behavior Strategist
Market Research
Social Media Strategy
Customer Experience
Search Engine Optimization
Website Anayltics
Ad Campaign Strategy
Graphic Designer
Performance Marketing

Interests

Apart from my passion for marketing research and design, I love watching our children show their stock animals, play sports, and garden. I love to travel and see every chance as a new adventure to find a place to explore. As a family we spend time serving in our Church, traveling, and taking turns saying "I do not know" when asked what we want for supper.

Which is why when forced indoors, I love finding new ways to prepare a homecooked meal for my family. I also love interior designing. When not working or needing to take care of things on our small place, you can find me with paint brush, trowel, or hammer in hand.

Any free-time between the latter activities is spent in books. Here is just a few samplings of what you will find on my bookshelf, Kindle, Audiobooks, or desk.

Kings of Texas: The 150-Year Saga of an American Ranching Empire
Primal Leadership
Across Time & Time: A Walk Through the National Ranching Heritage Center
Never Split the Difference
Every Good Endeavor
Surrounded by Idiots
The Texas Cowboy Cookbook
Southern Comfort Food: Texas Style

Recommendations

"If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it." Harvey Mackay

I had the pleasure of working with Heather Richard on the graphic and print designs for my business, Sprouts Play Cafe in Oklahoma. She was timely and professional with an exceptional eye for detail, and created an end product that effectively highlighted my business while make the process simple and pain less. I would happily contract with her again and highly recommend her for any of your graphic and/or print design needs.
GJ, Owner | Event Director

I recommend Heather Richard without reservation. Having worked closely with Heather, I can confidently attest to her skills and knowledge in digital marketing and paid media campaigns. Most importantly, Heather conducts herself with the highest level of professionalism and integrity. She is top notch professional and a pleasure to work with. She consistently demonstrated an ability to develop and execute comprehensive marketing insights. Her management of Google Ads, social media advertising, and enhancing web presence brought needed changes and forward movement to the project we were working on. Heather's proficiency in conducting thorough keyword research and optimizing landing pages through A/B testing has consistently improved conversion rates. Her analytical skills and monitoring provided actionable awareness that enhanced overall marketing strategies. She looked for ways to ensure that campaigns were cost-effective while working toward performance goals. One of Heather's qualities is her unwavering commitment to staying current with industry trends and best practices. She is eager to apply new insights to enhance campaign performance. Her collaborative approach has fostered strong partnerships with teams across the company, aligning paid media efforts with content strategy to ensure consistent messaging and optimal user experience while working to clarify the brand voice. Heather is not only familiar with a variety of paid media platforms, including Google Ads, Meta Ads, and various social media channels, but she is also proficient in using tools such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, HubSpot, and Looker Studio. Heather’s experience, coupled with her passion for innovation and excellence, makes her an ideal candidate. I am confident that Heather will bring value to your team and contribute to the continued success of your organization.
BM, CMO

I am so grateful to have gotten to work with Heather Richard, who has served as our Marketing Manager at Prompt with exemplary skill and dedication. During Heather's tenure, she consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive our digital marketing efforts with a strong focus on data-driven results. She implemented robust analytics frameworks that enabled us to measure the effectiveness of our campaigns accurately. Through meticulous analysis of key performance indicators, she not only optimized our marketing strategies but also provided actionable insights that significantly boosted our ROI. One of Heather's most outstanding qualities is her leadership skills. She effectively managed our Marketing department, fostering a collaborative environment where creativity and data intersected seamlessly. Under her guidance, our team consistently met or exceeded targets and achieved milestones that were previously thought unattainable. She led by example, demonstrating an incredibly strong work ethic, clear communication, and a passion for digital marketing that inspired those around her. Additionally, Heather played a pivotal role in the successful implementation and optimization of our Content Management System (CMS). Her technical expertise and strategic vision were instrumental in leveraging the full capabilities of our CMS to enhance our digital presence and streamline content delivery across multiple channels. Heather has proven to be an invaluable asset to our team, consistently delivering exceptional results through a combination of data-driven insights, outstanding leadership, and expertise in CMS implementation. She possesses a rare blend of technical proficiency, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills that make her an absolute delight to work with, any organization would be incredibly lucky to have her knowledge, drive, grace, and highly honed skills. It has been an immense privilege working with Heather. I highly recommend her without reservation and am confident that she will continue to excel in future endeavors.
RS, Software Engineer

Heather and I worked on training for the enrollment counselors for the computer information technology program. She is excellent at that but where I was impressed with Heather is her approach to marketing. She breaks it down in easy to digest steps and is looking at long term engagements instead of quick hits. She has fantastic ideas on audience engagement and how to get individuals to desire your offerings.
Professor, MSCT

I have known Heather Richard for over eleven years, and I highly recommend her for any project you may have. She has worked on several projects for me such as building websites, designing logos, managing social media, running email marketing campaigns as well as troubleshooting other computer issues that I have had. She is always dependable and gets the job done. She doesn't mind putting in the hours, no matter how late if I have a crisis. She is a dream to work with. She is a Christian with good values and is always willing to go the extra mile. She would be a great asset in any capacity to your organization. I honestly can't say enough about Heather.
MM, CEO

In mid 2021 our marketing team was in transition and the management at Elliott Homes had Heather do an assessment on our website and online platforms. Her attention to detail was extremely helpful as we learned how to improve our online presence and utilize various technologies to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Not only did she point out the problems we had, but an action plan accompanied each item. Heather had sharp attention to detail and clear knowledge of how to improve our sites as she spelled out in simple terms a measurable execution plan. In a world where online shopping is becoming more prevalent, the virtual presence of a business is vital to it’s success. Heather showed us that she had the knowledge, work ethic and attention to detail to play a key role in this department. Although our time with her was for a short while we were very pleased with the outcome and look forward to working with her again soon.
BE, CEO