Colin G Chase

Seeking Contract Opportunities

Colin Chase is currently seeking consulting opportunities in the fields of eCommerce, Online Marketing (SEO/SEM), Brand Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Cross Promotion Management, Project Management, SEO Management, and Interactive or Traditional Marketing. Chase is seeking contract work (such as through a 1099 Contract or services paid directly to Chase-It Marketing™).

Colin Chase has been employed in various marketing capacities since 2000, while his Internet prowess dates back to the beginning of the World Wide Web in 1993. Chase has held positions in eCommerce, Online / Internet Marketing, Agency Marketing and Advertising, and Interactive Marketing. He has held titles such as: Director of eCommerce, eCommerce Manager, Director of Marketing, Project Manager, Marketing Film / Animation Producer and Director, and Lead Creative Agent.

Chase has seventeen (17) years of professional experience, with nearly 12 years being in management and director roles. Chase began his career as a Computer Technician and Network Administrator for a SUNY Community College from 1995 through 1999. In 2000 Chase went on to start his own marketing agency and firmly established himself in Online Marketing, Brand Marketing, and Interactive Marketing.

Chase was able to achieve a level of prominent success within interactive marketing from 2000 through the end of 2007 servicing niche Manufacturers before repositioning solely into eCommerce in 2008. For two years Chase guided the Online efforts of a mid-sized, family-run eRetail company in Buffalo, NY (best known for their website PoolSupplies.com). This company realized nearly 25% growth per year in the Internet Division that Chase managed, for the two years of Chase's employment at the height of the worst economic Recession since WWII. This growth came from within the Leisure Industry at a time when this industry was experiencing negative growth.

From 2010 through 2012 Chase directed the Online and Brand Marketing efforts of an emerging brand within the Snack Food industry that has become established in several retail chains across the US. The specific products marketed by Chase being primarily "Freeze-dried Fruit" which is categorized as a "Healthy Snack" and is a sub-set of the very large "Dried Fruit" market of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). Due to Chase's multi-channel approach he was able to grow online revenue for the primary brand (Brothers-All-Natural) by 60% in 2011 alone.

eCommerce Director, Manager, and Hands-On Highlights

Brothers International Food Corp (& Brothers-All-Natural brand)

eCommerce Websites, SEM / PPC Campaigns, SEO efforts, Social Media Marketing, Web Programming, Credit Card Processing accounts liaison, Shipping Management software management

Director of eCommerce, Brand Marketing Manager, eCommerce Manager and Hands-On Efforts, Project Management, Lead Creative Agent, Web Programmer, Content copywriting, Vendor Liaison and Negotiator, Shipping Manager Implementer and Manager

Chase in all roles, part-time web programmer (for the last 4 months for Special Projects), company graphic artist, multiple order processing staff

From 1 Day to Indefinite

Hundreds of Thousands

eCommerce Director, Manager, and Hands-On Efforts

When Colin Chase came on-board with Brothers-All-Natural (the primary brand owned by Brothers International Food Corp) he came to conduct all aspects of the eCommerce division. This meant Chase would be responsible for all aspects of eRetail: creating a new version of the website, creating all the programming code (html, css, javascript), implementing the eCommerce solution (software or SaaS), implementing the credit card processing (payment gateway and merchant account), and implementing the shipping management system. Chase would be provided two general purpose staff members on a part-time basis for his use in processing the orders each morning and handling customer service calls, but that was all.

The BrothersAllNatural.com website had been created in 2005 and had undergone two iterations (one solely graphical and html-based, the second a home-grown online sales site based upon PHP but utilizing undocumented constructs built on top the PHP). In 2010 the site had two major problems:

1) The website was not PCI-Compliant and the time frame for full compliance had passed in 2009 and thus PCI-Compliance was to be enforced for all websites no matter the size.

2) The programming structures (i.e., the framework of the Shopping Cart and the CMS) were built atop PHP and had never been documented so that understanding this framework was extremely difficult if not pragmatically impossible.

Directing and managing an eCommerce Division requires a thorough understanding of all aspects and components of eCommerce, from how the sales are generated to how the orders are processed to how the funds are received by the company for the online purchases. An effective eCommerce Director needs to know how to direct and manage a group of creative professionals as well as effectively interface with the necessary vendors. However for Brothers-All-Natural Chase was charged with handling everything on his own without any professional or creative staff.

eCommerce involves a variety of components such as: graphic art, web design, web programming, Internet Marketing (SEO, SEM, SCS, Social Media, marketplaces such as Amazon, affiliate networks), email marketing, copy writing (content creation), order entry systems, order fulfillment systems / shipping management, payment gateway systems (the mechanism through which online transactions occur), and merchant account providers (where the funds from online sales get deposited).

Chase plotted a course of action by first analyzing what software would work best for Brothers-All-Natural at the present time and into the near future (at least 5 years out). After an in depth Cost/Benefit Analysis and discussions with the Co-CEOs, Chase opted for BigCommerce. At that time BigCommerce was receiving praise, but had not yet developed into the fully robust and widely used SaaS that it is today. The choice was very wise as it allowed Chase to focus on the Hands-on efforts of launching the new website and marketing it without having to expend energies on the IT aspects of the system. This provided the company with a more nimble and responsive environment for selling online.

By the end of October 2010 Chase launched the brand new BrothersAllNatural.com website and immediately initiated a new and much more consistent and professional Email Marketing program. The new website was fully PCI-Compliant and the underlying structures of the eCommerce site did not require Chase's attention as only the HTML and CSS were required. Immediately sales climbed and in 2011 the new website enjoyed a 60% increase in revenues and this during the continued downturn in the national economy. Furthermore, due to the products being mainly freeze-dried fruit they were seen as a "healthy" snack item and were not seen as a necessity by most families.

The Nuances of eCommerce

Managing the eCommerce components from day to day is tactical, requiring a thorough knowledge of what needs to be done as well as leadership to direct and manage the efforts of other employees involved. Creating and directing the overriding eCommerce plan and seeking to maximize profits requires strategic vision, marketing acumen, and Internet / Online savvy. Colin Chase provides both the ability to manage and participate hands-on with the day to day workload - the tactical aspects, plus the capability to develop and implement strategic Online eCommerce plans for the long-term.

Each eCommerce component has a considerable number of elements or nuances that need to be fully understood in order to direct and manage what needs to be accomplished. For instance, within web design is the science and art of usability. If a website's design is not functional for the specific customer base and visitors, or if the design lends to confusion and frustration, then it is poorly designed and online sales will suffer. Usability addresses this issue and can be achieved with a Usability Specialist or a knowledgeable web design or marketing staff member (if the company does not have the resources or does not require a full-time Usability Specialist). Techniques such as the use of A/B and Multivariate Testing can bring about where the problems reside and vendors such as Tea Leaf or services such as Google Webmaster Tools can be utilized. Changes and enhancements to the design can be tested and it can be determined what works best at that moment. However, due to the fickle nature of the audience and of marketing in general, what works today may very well not work in a few months or a few years and thus continual testing is required for the optimal design and usability.

Another example of a unique eCommerce nuance would be in the area of Online Marketing. Understanding the use and vital importance of Landing Pages is crucial for improving conversion rates. Colin Chase has engaged in the process of targeted marketing since 2000, and in regard to Landing Page Optimization (LPO) Chase has undergone professional training and earned certification from Marketing Experiments (the sister company of Marketing Sherpa) in 2009. The Conversion Sequence Heuristic taught by Marketing Experiments is a process or method that explains how best to improve website conversion rates. Marketing Experiments was able to verbalize or quantify what many eCommerce Professionals had come to understand about conversions through their own inferences and trial and error.

"C = 4m + 3v + 2(i - f) - 2a" is a principle-based optimization methodology as opposed to a rules-based methodology. The meta-theory behind this heuristic is that "people don't buy from websites, people buy from people." This theory from Marketing Experiments goes on to explain that "you don't optimize websites or web pages, you optimize the thought sequences of your potential customers."

Online Marketing: One of the Most Crucial Aspects of eCommerce

Online Marketing is usually classified as SEO, SEM, SCS, Marketplaces, and Auction Sites. All are important to varying degrees, but the single most important according to Chase is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO involves the techniques utilized to have a website appear in the major search engines for specific keyword phrases and to appear within the first few pages of the Result Set (Search Engine Result Page or SERP) is the most desirable.

Understanding Keyword Research is essential for determining the best keywords for a specific webpage or site and can be accomplished using a vendor product such as Keyword Discovery or through free online tools such as Google's Keyword Tool. SEO is often viewed as "free traffic", however a great lot of on-going effort is required to be successful and in this way it is not free but has real costs associated. [To view information regarding Chase's abilities with, and examples of SEO, please click here.]

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is usually seen as the 2nd most important Online Marketing technique. SEM involves the Pay-Per-Click or Sponsored Ads within the search engines (along the top and right-hand side in Google and Bing). SEM also involves Banner Ads and the latest technique of Retargeting (i.e., following an interested user from website to website within a specific Ad Network). SEM is paid for on a cost per each click or each visit basis (to a specific website). Though at times SEM is done on a cost per action basis, the action could be filling out a form or making a purchase (this is often called Pay-Per-Acquisition). SEM also involved Keyword Research and constant monitoring and adjusting to stay optimized to maximize the profits.

Social Media Marketing has taken on an increased level of importance since 2010 as it believed to be used by over 75% of those getting online. The Social Media used by the masses may include: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Pinterest, or any number of Blogs and Forums. Keeping an eye on what form of Social Media works best for a specific website or brand is very important nowadays as not all forms work well for every brand.

Even if a brand does not engage in Social Media, its customers (real and potential) are engaging in Social Media daily and are likely to be posting information or reading opinions about that brand and its website. It is important to market brands via social media as this allows a brand to target and actively engage with their target audience(s). Marketing in this manner could involve simply having a presence and posting relevent information daily or weekly, or it could involve spending money to purchase advertising on these Social Media websites. Many brands and companies are seeing Social Media Campaigns as highly profitable, though sometimes the monetary remuneration is realized over a duration of time and not immediate. [To view information regarding Chase's abilities with, and examples of Social Media Marketing, please click here.]

Other Online Marketing outlets to take note of include: Product or Service Review sites (often done via a person's blog or done more officially through larger websites such as Angie's List or reviews on CNET or Epinions.com), Content Marketing sites (being articles written specifically about your products or services and hosted on well traversed websites), Press Release Distribution sites (such as Vocus and PRNewsWire.com), Auction websites such as Ebay, Marketplace websites such as Amazon, and Shopping Comparison websites such as Nextag and Bizrate.

The Holistic View of Multi-Channel Marketing

In 2010 when Colin Chase joined Brothers International Food Corp, the Online Marketing was inconsistent and only involved two websites and sporadic email marketing. The company had previously viewed the online revenue coming from BrothersAllNatural.com as a natural extension to their printing the web address (URL) onto the product packaging. The company's focus was initially more on retail distribution than anything else and so the website received only some attention. The primary website had grown naturally to a respectable amount of online revenue, and the site only required part-time staff to process orders. However the marketing efforts were very disjointed and sporadic. Chase sought to change this mindset and upon doing so the website experienced spectacular growth in 2011 (over 60% increases in online revenues from BrothersAllNatural.com). Chase created and implemented a cohesive multi-channel plan and was able to reap the benefits.

When Chase came on board with PoolSupplies.com the company viewed each channel as disparate functional units. Chase sought to change this mindset in 2008 with some success coming in 2009 that culminated into an official Multi-Channel Marketing Plan for 2010. This same battle was proverbially fought by Chase with his clients while working for his own marketing firm from 2000 through 2007. Few companies view all of their marketing efforts together as a comprehensive and cohesive marketing program to be coordinated as such, but rather they choose to view each channel as somewhat autonomous.

Chase believes that to maximize profitability, a holistic multi-channel mindset or paradigm must be adopted. The right hand must know what the left hand is doing in order for there to be cohesion amongst the sales channels. Research has shown that the most profitable customers (life-long, returning customers) are those who utilize multiple channels before choosing to purchase from one of the companies that they viewed. These life-long customers are more likely to choose a specific brand if that brand appears in many if not all of the channels they investigated. Additionally, if a specific brand appears differently or uses a different vernacular in one channel than in another, the potential customers investigating the channels may not realize that it is the same brand. Thus a cohesive multi-channel approach is the most profitable. [To view information regarding Chase's abilities with, and examples of Multi-Channel Marketing, please click here.]

Furthermore, the lifetime value of each customer must be esteemed as the preeminent performance indicator, rather than the one-time or one-off sale. Rome wasn't built with a single victory, but with hundreds of victories upon which they could draw resources again and again.

Conclusion

Chase has Managed professional staff since 2001 with both project-based and daily-work-based approaches, ensuring that what needed to get done was achieved to the highest level of professionalism that could be afforded. Chase has Directed a division of a company as well as an entire company and this has been achieved by creating and implementing strategic long-term plans (marketing plans and eCommerce plans), and dividing these long-term plans into short-term tactical objectives and day to day workload. He has analyzed statistical trends and website analytics to make tactical (immediate) and strategic (long-term) decisions based upon the data. Chase has also researched and implemented new infrastructure to meet strategic business goals.

Colin Chase is a team-player with a proven record of success. He is able to rally the troops to get large goals accomplished on-time and on-budget within acceptable margins. Chase's demeanor is that of a peer-leader with the "win one for the Gipper" attitude of team play. When given a directive, a clear cut mission, Chase is unwavering in reaching the goal. However, when given inexact or overly broad-based direction without a clear vision, Chase is a natural leader with whom vision can be acquired, and consensus of the staff won by persuasion and inclusion.

If your company is seeking a tenacious go-getter who has managed programmers, artistic staff, marketers, customer service staff, and clerical staff while concurrently juggling cross communication between vendors and clients as well as the top management, then Chase is your man. He is a marketing professional who thinks out of the box, while employing the acumen to know how to effectively develop and implement tactical and strategic plans.

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