Shaun Atkins

Deep Digital is a full-service marketing agency offering services in both digital and traditional marketing. As Head of Marketing, my role is to oversee and spearhead the strategy of all marketing efforts across all accounts, including but not limited to Paid Ads, Email Marketing, Public Relations, Organic Socials, SEO, Website maintenance, Webinars, Podcasts, Billboards, Live events, Sales pipeline management, Forecasting growth, and much more. Unlike most Head of Marketing personnel, I did not remove myself from being "on the tools"; rather, I adopted a lead-by-example management style, which not only made colleagues confident in my direction but, more importantly, ensured I was up to date with the latest changes in platforms and marketing trends.

As part of Deep Digital's services, we also offer a more in-house approach where pre-qualified businesses are eligible to have myself as an In-House Marketer on a 3 or 6-month contract. I have had a deeper dive into what I was doing with these companies; namely, Propell Property and WCM Digital.

The reason for leaving Deep Digital is due to the fact that, as the founder of the company, I lost passion when returning to the marketing agency world after undertaking my last in-person contract position with Propell Property, quickly realising I feel more at home working with one singular company.

In March, i sold my client list to agencies/ individuals who i felt would best suite their needs.

Dealcompare.ai is an AI-Powered comparison as a service company (CAAS).

In my advisory role, I initially engaged with the founders in an in-depth strategy session where we established our five-year goals, including potential exit strategies, alongside yearly financial milestones and quarterly tasks essential for achieving our objectives.

With the majority of the groundwork now accomplished, I currently convene virtually with the founders outside of regular work hours once a month. During these sessions, my focus is on reviewing, advising, and assisting in the development of strategic marketing initiatives aimed at achieving the key performance indicators (KPIs) set during our initial strategy session which include both traditional and digital marketing efforts designed to capture the targets attention and nurture then through to commitment of the platform.

As mentioned in the description above for Deep Digital, Propell Property was the most recent contract role associated with Deep Digital.

Propell Property is a boutique property investment agency based in Southport, Gold Coast. Prior to my involvement, the company had undergone its initial growth phase, during which they increased both their marketing spend and internal staffing in anticipation of expected growth, which unfortunately did not materialise. I was informed that sales had significantly declined to three per month for June and July, and they were not much better in the initial six months of 2023. This period was seen as their final opportunity for success before reverting to a sole proprietorship and releasing all current staff.

Upon commencing my role as Head of Marketing, I initiated a comprehensive company-wide marketing and branding session to ensure alignment and consistency across all client touchpoints. I terminated all outsourced marketing efforts, including Paid Ads, copywriters, and organic marketing management, and brought these functions in-house managing personally to reduce expenses. Additionally, I collaborated closely with the sales team to ensure that all leads received the necessary attention to improve conversion rates and reduce appointment no-shows.

In my first month (August), I orchestrated a complete overhaul of the company, resulting in 11 sales, marking their best month yet. This momentum continued with 3 record-breaking months consecutively. These achievements were facilitated by a comprehensive repositioning of the brand, enhancing public perception, introducing live Property Investing Masterclasses, streamlining the sales pipeline, and implementing a targeted PR strategy, culminating in a live appearance on the morning show Sunrise.

The company has since more than doubled its internal staff, including new appointment setters, contracts and administrative staff, and expanding its internal marketing team, enabling them to manage all marketing functions internally.

Much like Propell Property, I worked with WCM Digital on a contract for six months.

WCM Digital is an E-commerce Marketing Agency that collaborates with high-spending corporate clients. Introduced to WCM through acquaintances, I discovered they were facing challenges with client retention, consequently leading to staff turnover issues. Leveraging my marketing expertise and experience as a customer success manager (see below), I served as the Senior Strategist at WCM, focusing on realigning, stabilising, and establishing procedures and processes for both clients and internal staff, ensuring a more streamlined and repeatable approach to instil confidence among all stakeholders.

Other aspects of the role included:
- Managing a dynamic team of 11 department specialists, covering areas such as Google Ads, SEO, Paid Social Media, Graphic Design, and Web Development, catering to both B2B and DTC companies for services and products.
- Reporting directly to the CEO on campaign budgets, stakeholder expectations, and staff KPIs.
- Conducting educational and development sessions on the latest trends and platforms.
- Adjusting, optimizing, and establishing procedures and processes to enhance performance and streamline information sharing between departments.
- Utilising platforms such as HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Monday.com, Slack, SEMrush, and more.
- Maintaining an in-depth understanding of all marketing platforms to ensure adherence to the latest trends and practices.
- Contributing to estimates, bids, and new business plans to ensure the integrity of system demands and gain a comprehensive understanding of needs.

Certainly, here's the refined version for your CV:

LocalSearch functions both as a search engine for users to locate SMBs and as a provider of affordable, localised marketing campaigns for those SMBs. Working with LocalSearch provided me with invaluable experience collaborating with smaller, family-run businesses that would otherwise struggle to afford the services of mainstream marketing agencies.

In my role as Key Account Manager at LocalSearch, I was entrusted with overseeing both high-spending clients and those deemed most susceptible to switching providers.

Key Responsibilities:
- Conducted comprehensive client analysis and fact-finding meetings to devise a paid search strategy across various platforms, including direct mail.
- Developed and presented PPC and social strategies to clients, accompanied by detailed PPC Audit Reports and Social Strategy and forecasting templates to meet initial objectives.
- Provided clients with SEO audit reports to ensure their websites were optimised for Google, thereby improving organic ratings and facilitating PPC Google Ad efforts. Liaised with web developers to implement recommended changes.
- Managed and monitored SEO, PPC, and Social campaigns when necessary.
- Delivered regular client updates via in-person meetings and live MS Teams sessions, tailored to their location.
- Ensured all staff and account managers remained abreast of the latest changes and strategies.
- Conducted staff meetings and facilitated group training sessions to maintain staff competence across all services.
- Tracked and analysed key account trends, identifying growth opportunities and mitigating potential threats.
- Designed and implemented annual blueprints for accounts, outlining opportunities and priorities for internal and external stakeholders.
- Presented comprehensive results of larger key account clients to stakeholders and the board of directors.
- Collaborated closely with the CEO, Owner, and stakeholders to continually adapt and implement new strategies during periods of growth and expansion..

Digital Sucker Punch is an e-commerce growth agency primarily operating in the sports and nutrition sector.

As the National Client Success Manager, my responsibilities included:

- Developing and implementing onboarding procedures and policies.
- Guiding customers through the sales and onboarding phase, offering advice on best practices to support their business growth and achieve agreed-upon goals.
- Managing international client relations.
- Conducting cost-benefit analyses on both internal sales marketing and client digital marketing projects.
- Aligning client expectations and managing client relations to enhance sustainable client Lifetime Value.
- Overseeing and maintaining Digital Sucker Punch's Facebook and Instagram pages.
- Possessing an in-depth understanding of marketing strategies, both digital and non-digital, as well as consumer behaviour and trends to advise media buyers and clients on best practices.
- Implementing and managing PPC and social media campaigns.
- Maximising revenue retention by identifying service and utilisation trends and devising action plans to address any issues.
- Supporting customers through implementation, adoption, renewal, and growth phases to drive long-term success and value.
- Organising regular meetings with stakeholders to address formal agendas, record meeting minutes, and follow up on action items.

During my two years at Sensic Digital, I initially served as a Junior Marketing Strategist to complement and apply the skills I was acquiring through my degree in real-time.

As I swiftly adapted to the roles, with Matt (CEO) recognising the positive feedback from clients regarding the personal connection I fostered, I was promptly promoted to Business Manager. In this role, I became more actively engaged in the sales acquisition aspect of the company and was tasked with developing lead generation strategies for both Sensic Digital and our clients.

Other tasks and responsibilities encompassed in this role include:
Managing marketing strategies such as paid ads, website design and maintenance, SEO, Email Marketing, and Offline marketing, including physical print strategies and company rebranding.

The decision to leave this role stemmed from a desire to gain more hands-on experience within a larger company, dealing with bigger high-spending clients.

Here's the refined version for your CV:

With varied roles and responsibilities depending on posting locations, I have proudly served and uphold a strong family history in the Australian Defence Force.

I served on HMAS SUCCESS, Clearance Diving Team-1, HMAS Cerberus, and HMAS Penguin, where I was honoured to receive my Captain's Commendation for surpassing the expected call of duty.

Some of the skills and duties relevant to the civilian workforce are outlined below:
- Conducting meetings with local government and parliamentary officials for the International Fleet Review.
- Implementing risk management strategies with regular revisions to safety and legal protocols.
- Leading team development meetings and pre-operational strategic sessions and debriefs.
- Resolving conflicts and negotiating mutually beneficial agreements between parties.
- Applying critical thinking and situational analysis to all daily objectives.
- Conducting periodic evaluations of staff members, providing retraining and re-education to better align with the corporation's mission statement when necessary.