Louise Hunter CV

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Web: http://louise-hunter.blogspot.com/
E-mail: louhunter@gmail.com
Phone: 021 364 456
Location: Auckland

Qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing Management
Bachelor of Arts – Japanese

Academic History

University Of Canterbury: 2000 – 2003
Grade Point Average For All Years: 6.2 (B+)

Employment History

Olympic Software NZ Limited
February 2004 – Present

Marketing Manager

- Responsible for marketing strategy.

- Develop and execute all aspects of annual marketing plans –including all aspects of value proposition message, project management of major internal and external promotional events.

- Creation of sales & marketing collateral.

- Manage all client communication.

- Budget management and monthly reporting for financial statements.

- Design and creation of marketing campaigns for demand generation – including data management and lead nurturing.

- Commission and undertake market research.

- Brand development.

Key Achievements: Lead generation rose by 45% over 2 years. Grew annual conference by 100% year on year over 3 years. Brand portfolio quadrupled in scale through merger activity and I remained the only marketing person. Owner of international branding and distribution of product.

Just Jeans
May 2003 – January 2004

Fashion Consultant: -Create wardrobes for customers that both compliment their existing style and keep them up to date with fashion.
-Create and maintain professional relationships with my customers to ensure their continued patronage.
-Maintain an in depth knowledge of the latest fashion trends in all genres
-Act as an advisor to new staff members
-Continue my learning within the company by creating opportunities for more responsibility and being proactive.

Key Achievement: Achieving sales results by obtaining numerous Gold Sales Certificates.

The CD Store Ltd.
June 1999 – August 2002

Retail Assistant: -Provide advice to customers on musical decisions
-Maintain knowledge of a broad range of musical genres
-Responsible for balancing and handling of cash
-Supervise junior staff members

Key Achievement: Being the top sales person on almost every day that I worked.

Clyne Management
August 1998 – October 2001

Model: -Photographic
-Catwalk
-Hair

Key Achievement: Gaining confidence and poise in all situations. Modeling on the catwalk in front of 600 people on my first job.

Personal Attributes and Interests

Attributes:

-Outgoing personality
-Driven to excel and succeed
-Excellent verbal and written communication skills
-Trustworthy and conscientious
-Composed under pressure
-Team player

Interests:
-Volleyball
-Music
-Speaking Japanese
-Weight lifting
-Running
-Biking
-Unihock
- Toastmasters

Referees
Available On Request

Running in Chch in Spring Time - Another speech I wrote for ToastMasters

I’m a runner and have been for the last 6 years. And there’s nothing I find more relaxing and liberating than going for a run. Although I love running around the streets up here in Auckland there’s one place that will always be my favourite place to run. It’s Christchurch’s Hagley Park in Spring time.

So picture this – it’s Spring time in Christchurch, the weather is starting to warm up, there’s not a breath of wind and the sun is blazing. I’m sitting at my desk at work and gaze out the window and realize I have to go for a run. So much so that my feet start to itch and my muscles start to twitch.

I get into my running gear and head out the door. The air’s brisk but the sun shine is warm on my skin. It’s a 5 minute jog from the office to my stretching tree in Hagley park and by the time I get there I’m puffing slightly and my muscles are warm. I do my stretches – calf, thigh and hamstring (although secretly, my hamstring stretch is actually a bow to the tree to thank it for letting me use it to stretch against.)

Now I’m all ready to run. Right, I’m going to try and describe the visual feast that is Hagley Park in Spring time. I know I won’t do it any justice so you have to believe me when I say that what ever you imagine – the real thing is about 100 times better!

So picture this, to my right, over near the road is a row of magnificent weeping willows, bending down into the Avon river like nanas do to pick up their grand children. Their branches look like dark brown ropes with a haze of brilliant green over them.

Next to the row of willows the Avon river snakes lazily north. It’s clear and full of 10s of mother ducks followed by bundles of fuzzy yellow ducklings all swimming happily down stream. The Avon is a cacophony of quacking and the sight of these cute wee ducklings always brings a smile to my face.

Next to the Avon is a steep green bank. Now this is the coolest thing – the bank is covered in thousands of sunshine yellow daffodils. Their trumpets look up at me and peeking out from between them are old signs (which I swear have been there since I used to walk around Hagley Park with my nana as a child) which say “please do not pick the daffodils the are for everyone to enjoy”

Under my running feet is a grey gravel path that lazily follows the Avon river.

To my left is a row of magnificent oak trees. These trees are massive!

I look up (this is a terrible habit I have and is the reason for all the scars on my knees) and above me the branches of the acorn trees create a slight canopy. Tiny green buds are waking from their winter slumber and are in stark contrast to the dark brown branches. Beyond the canopy is an azure blue sky with out the slightest hint of a cloud.

This amazing landscape is just the beginning – believe it or not the best is still to come!
So I’m running along in this incredible setting. My body is feeling fantastic – I’m in “the zone” – my breathing is perfect, my legs are moving like well oiled pistons and I feel like I could run forever.

Now, I’ve just come to the corner of the park and make a slow left. Ahhhh my favourite part is about to come into view. Finally I see them. The cherry blossoms.

Now, I’m not going to be able to do this scene justice so you’ll just have to bare with me and use your imagination to the max.

Following the now concrete path on both sides of me are majestic cherry blossoms. Their beauty takes my breath away and brings a tear to my eye. The small, spindly usually ugly trees are ablaze in delicate pink blossoms. It looks like some giant child has plopped down candy floss sticks all along the path.

The blossoms are delicate and contrast sharply against the trees’ dark foliage and deep brown branches.

And the smell! I’m breathing deeply because of my running but every breath is a pleasure. The beautiful, sweet and delicate scent surrounds me and for a moment forget I’m running and instead feel I’m a cherry blossom floating along on the breeze without a care in the world.

But just like the cherry blossoms – they don’t last forever and before I know it I’m back under the acorn trees on my way back to the office.

It’s been an amazing run. I’ve been in the perfect running space – I’ve felt like I could run forever but know I have to return to the office and do some work.

It’s been fantastic though – I’ve been treated to a sensual feast. Hazy green weeping willows, fuzzy yellow ducklings quaking happily, azure blue sky, sunshine yellow daffodils and sweet smelling candy floss coloured cherry blossoms.
It’s because of this sensory feast, the tranquility and freedom my running provides me that my favourite place to run is Hagley Park in Spring time.

My Nana - A speech I wrote for Toastmasters

Do you remember your nana? Do you remember her smell? The look in her eyes when you made her proud? Do you remember spending quiet Saturday afternoons with her - just happy being in her company?

I remember all this and much more. My nan was amazing.
My nan was about 5 foot 5 with brown hair, dark skin, a big home baking made belly, skinny chicken legs, a shining white smile and strong arms that gave the best hugs.

A hug from my nan was like being enveloped in warm honey. A hug from my nan felt fantastic. Her big belly ensured that I could never get my arms all the way around her. Her smell was a mix of baking, talcum powder, sweet perfume and the smell that’s peculiar only to fabric shops.
Her comment as she grabbed my up into her arms was always, "love ya my girl"

My nan had a fighter’s spirit. A trait she kindly passed on to my mum and me. I admire my nan for her spirit. In a time when women were meant to do as their fathers told them she thumbed her nose to society and convention. She left her native Australia and came to New Zealand to follow the love of her life. For it she was exiled from her family, but she didn’t care – she did what she wanted and was so much happier for it.

She used that spirit to bring up 4 kids on a railway worker’s salary. She used that spirit to encourage her grandkids to be true to themselves and do what they wanted. She used that spirit to make the best of every situation and to always see the bright side of life.

My nan’s spirit ensured she wouldn’t take any crap from people and that her opinion was always known. Her spirit made her someone you’d always think twice about crossing and her spirit ensured that as a grandkid you always felt safe and protected from anyone and anything – including my parents sending me to bed early! I felt she was always on my side.

My nan was the best baker. I remember her house always smelt of freshly baked scones, muffins, biscuits and cakes. Even now when I smell home baking I always think of her. I’m a terrible cook but I can bake well and it’s all thanks to my nan’s fantastic teaching skills.

We used to spend happy Saturday afternoons baking up a storm. While most adults wouldn’t trust me to carry a drink my nan encouraged me to use hot oven, sharp knives and cake mixers while we baked. My nan had faith in me and let me do it all. She knew that the only way I could improve was to practise. She was always there guiding me, letting me grow.

And even though she did the majority of the baking she let me feel confident in the importance of my help.

It was the look of pure pride in her eyes and a big nana hug that kept me going even when I made rock cakes!

Even though we were baking it was my nan’s pride and teaching that really made me grow in self confidence.

My nan was an amazing person. She gave hugs like warm honey. She passed on her fighters spirit to me and her patient teaching all lead to me growing in self confidence and realising that no matter what anyone else thought I could do anything I set me mind to.

My nan was an amazing lady – and in the words of a very wise quote, "Nanas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever."

-Louise Hunter

Your Customers Like You? Too Bad! You need them to love you! -An article I wrote for the Marketing Association

Your customers like you? Too bad! You need them to love you!

There’s a whole new meaning to customer-centricity. No longer is it to be given just lip service in the corporate mission statement. If you want first-rate customer advocates and killer marketing returns then you need to become truly customer centric.

There’s a tyre shop in Christchurch, let’s call it Tyre Max, that has my partner’s, mine and many other customers’ complete loyalty. "Yawn, tyres" I hear you saying, "How does this relate to marketing?" Well, here’s the thing, yes Tyre Max has good prices, snappy advertising and great staff uniforms. But do you want to know what the real reason is that hundreds of customers love them?

The real reason why so many people love this shop is because Tyre Max are customer-centric. No I’m not talking about the type of customer-centricity that’s mentioned in almost every corporate mission statement. I’m talking about real nitty-gritty, research-driven customer-centricity. The kind that makes your eyes water because of its honesty and its ability to turn detractors into advocates that use "love" to describe your company, the kind that makes your marketing ROI fly and your sales soar.

Let me explain with an illustration of true customer-centricity in all its glory. A few months ago my partner and I went to do our grocery shopping only to find, to our dismay, that we had a flat tyre. So after racking our brains we decided on Tyre Max.

Now as you can imagine, we weren’t in the best mood. But because of Tyre Max’s impressive true customer-centricity, we left in a great mood and as complete advocates. What did they do that was so amazing? Here’s the secret; Tyre Max do at least 12 things differently than do companies who only pay lip service to customer service. To keep it simple I’ll illustrate just 6 of these differentiators; all of which Tyre Max seem to do with ease.

Put your customers’ needs ahead of your own.
After deciding on Tyre Max we gave them a call. We were greeted by a voice message promising to call us back within 15 minutes (which they did.) Score number 1. It would have been easier for the owner to leave a generic voice message; you know the one, "Hi, leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible." The Tyre Max management had so completely stepped into our, the customers’, shoes and understood that with the anxiety a blown tyre causes, a vague, "as soon as possible" reference won’t do. And although it puts more pressure on the Tyre Max staff, their customers are happier because they do not feel left in limbo.

The owner takes the lead and sets with example.
What hit us the moment we arrived at Tyre Max was, once again, the way the owner had completely stepped into the customers’ shoes and understood how we would be feeling when we first arrived at their shop. Score number 2. In an area of the city where there is no parking Tyre Max management had scaled back their workshop (to non customer-centric thought, less cars to work on and therefore less money) just to create customer parking space. The owner took the lead and set the example of putting the customer first. They knew that generally when coming to a tyre store you’re edgy, be it from a blown tyre to a failed warrant and parking hassles are the last thing customers need. So management did something about it.

Hire staff with attitude, not just aptitude
From the moment we stepped in the door all the staff we dealt with were friendly, courteous, and made us feel important. Not only that, they explained things to us in a language we could understand and without making us feel dumb. Score number 3, the staff knew what they were doing but they also had the right attitude and personality to explain to us what was wrong in a way that we would understand.

Exceed customer’s expectations – don’t just meet them.
So now you may be thinking wow, this is great! Maybe there really is some substance to true customer-centricity. Well wait; there’s more! Score number 4, after all this amazing truly customer-centric service they then asked us what our morning plans were. Upon our explanation of grocery shopping they offered us a courtesy car in which to do it. Wow! Tyre Max didn’t just meet our expectations, they exceeded them while showing us they cared - and in doing so they made us think they were total stars.

Get customers to tell you what they really think and feel.
Score number 5, upon our return they gave us a survey and asked us to be brutally honest. You see the trick is this; Tyre Max showed us that they valued us, and because of this and the trust we’d built up over that short time frame we were honest with our feedback. Although we gave them a glowing report, if we’d had any concerns we would have told them because of the trust they’d created. This honest feedback, both good and bad, can then be used to better their service. It’s win-win for all.

Satisfy customer’s emotional needs, not just rational needs.
Score number 6. A day after our Tyre Max visit they gave us a call to say thanks for choosing them and to check that it was all ok. Wow. Not only did they fix our rational need, a blown tyre, they also satisfied our emotional needs by showing us they cared and remembered us and that we’d made the right decision to use them.

This kind of extreme marketing takes a lot of effort, but if you can commit to being truly customer-centric then you will reap the rewards; with total advocate customers and so much word-of-mouth marketing that you won’t be able to keep up with demand.

-Louise Hunter