Job Title: Marketing Specialist
Are you enthusiastic about the prospect of promoting vibrant communities and enticing visitors to explore hidden gems? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where creativity and strategy intersect? Do you dislike the status quo for the sake of the status quo? Do you like proving naysayers and negative folks wrong, just once-in-a-while? Do you kinda like being an underdog and punching above your weight? Are you ok laughing off a loss and getting back on the horse? Are you comfortable being loud and proud of all our region’s sweet, quirky, fun, one-of-a-kind attributes? Are you ok if an office-mate sings soft rock songs from the 70’s a little too loudly? If so, we want you to join our team as Marketing Specialist for our Destination Marketing Organization, DESTINATION LAKE WINNEBAGO REGION, the official visitors bureau for Fond du Lac, Waupun, and beyond.
About Us:
DESTINATION LAKE WINNEBAGO REGION serves, sort of, as the Sales and Marketing department for our region. We are a dedicated team committed to showcasing the beauty, culture, and experiences of our home turf. Our DMO (Destination Marketing Organization), located in the heart of Fond du Lac’s thriving Downtown District, plays a vital role in attracting visitors, driving economic growth, and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.
Through innovative and time-tested marketing tactics, we strive to position our community as a must-visit destination for travelers seeking authentic experiences. DESTINATION LAKE WINNEBAGO REGION also plays a key role in reminding locals what an awesome community we live in and assisting in attracting workers and new residents to our region. While our sole revenue stream comes from a bed tax on hotel guests (in other words tourists, not locals, fund this organization), we strongly believe that a community must be a great place to live, in order for it to be a great place to visit.
Position:
We are seeking an individual that can serve as our marketing generalist, to both partner with our Director of Marketing internally to create marketing campaigns and work alongside our external marketing partners. A relevant college degree is a plus. We absolutely are interested in folks who are WordPress literate, proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud, have great copywriting skills, are devoted to the use of oxford commas, and can analyze digital media metrics.
This staff person will also play a pivotal role in fostering strong connections between DESTINATION LAKE WINNEBAGO REGION and the local community. This individual is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage various community stakeholders, including residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local government entities.
An emphasis will be put on teamwork, collaboration, and timely execution.
- Oversee the daily management and strategic positioning of the organization’s website using WordPress.
- In close collaboration with our Director of Marketing, develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies to promote our community as a premier destination for leisure travelers, business travelers, youth & amateur sports tournaments, and event planners. Secondarily, this person will also understand the importance of smart messaging to local audiences such as event organizers, hotels, restaurants, local businesses, residents, not-for-profits, and many other local entities.
- Work passionately to promote the use of and populate our organization’s Event Calendar.
- In close collaboration with our Director of Marketing, collaborate with local businesses, attractions, economic development organizations, and stakeholders to create compelling marketing campaigns that highlight our community’s unique offerings.
- Cultivate relationships with media outlets, travel influencers, and industry partners to generate positive publicity and media coverage.
- Analyze market trends, visitor data, campaign performance, and digital metrics to evaluate effectiveness and inform future marketing strategies.
- Represent our DMO at industry events, trade shows, and networking functions to promote our community and foster partnerships.
- This person will also take a crucial role in special projects, such as assisting in the organizing and execution of regional shopping events, the Customer Service Training Initiative, agritourism initiatives, and other such projects designed to increase the attractiveness of our community to visitors and residents alike.
- Monitor and maximize our website’s SEO.
- Collaborate closely with our Director of Marketing to create and execute collateral marketing material (posters, flyers, print ads, yard signs, banners, etc.) using the Adobe platform.
- Maintain the integrity of our CRM (we use Simpleview which is a DMO industry standard, used throughout the world and relatively easy to learn).
- Be willing to embrace, educate themselves in, and onboard emerging AI technology.
- Maintain our internal Marketing Calendar.
- Manage our photo and video library and share content via Dropbox.
- Populate external/partner websites and execute digital marketing campaigns.
- In cooperation with the Director of Marketing, oversee the community’s Visitor Center, located on Main Street in Fond du Lac’s Downtown District.
- Function as a liaison between our DMO and community stakeholders, businesses, and residents facilitating communication and collaboration.
- Attend community events, meetings, and forums to represent Destination Lake Winnebago Region and build rapport with residents and local organizations.
Qualifications:
- Relevant marketing degree or life experience in marketing, communications, or related fields.
- Strong understanding of digital marketing principles and proficiency with social media platforms, content management systems, and analytics tools (this person will collaborate with our Director of Marketing – who executes all social media output).
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messaging and engage diverse audiences.
- Creative thinker with a passion for storytelling and showcasing the unique aspects of our community, to locals, partners, and visitors alike.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Willing to learn DMO best practices, tourism trends, and industry regulations.
- MUST be super detail oriented.
- MUST be a self-starter.
- MUST be able to pivot between Strategic and Tactical.
- MUST be able to manage and execute multiple projects simultaneously and collaboratively.
- MUST be willing to laugh a lot.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary.
- Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and retirement plans.
- Opportunities for professional development and advancement.
- Exciting and dynamic work environment with an enthusiastic team.
- The chance to make a significant impact on the growth and success of our communities.
- Make a significant impact by shaping the narrative and perception of our community on a regional, statewide, and national level.
- Collaborate with an enthusiastic team dedicated to promoting our community’s assets and driving economic development.
- Opportunity for professional growth and advancement in a dynamic industry.
- We have a really cool logo, which looks nice on shirts, hats, and active wear.
How to Apply:
Well, it ain’t too complicated!
If you have actually read this entire document and embrace the idea that you could be a key player in our Region’s Destination Marketing Organization, we want to hear from you!
For those interested in getting paid to be a community advocate, this is a fantastic career and not just another job. We are looking to move forward quickly and encourage interested parties to act now (or forward this listing to an awesome friend looking for a new gig – they will likely be very appreciative of the kind gesture).
Please submit your resume and a bespoke cover letter outlining your qualifications and why you would be a great fit for this role to Craig at cmolitor@fdl.com.
Candidates with a portfolio of past work are particularly of interest … Come on! Show us what you’ve got!
To learn more about this career opportunity, please scan the QR Code
To learn more about our cool organization check out https://www.fdl.com/who-we-are/
To learn more about our incredible team check out https://www.fdl.com/meet-the-team/