NICHOLAS A. WILLIAMS

Strategic Marketing Leader

A customer-focused, results-oriented marketing and eCommerce leader with 20+ years of experience driving brand growth through innovative strategies, data-driven insights, and cross-functional collaboration. Proven ability to develop and execute integrated marketing campaigns across all channels, optimize customer acquisition and retention, and establish a culture of continuous improvement. Skilled in creative thinking, leading teams, and building strategic partnerships.

Core Competencies

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Media Lead | Meijer Media, Grand Rapids, MI Nov 2023 – Present

Driving vendor revenue and category business growth through development, execution, and optimization of integrated marketing campaigns across digital and in-store channels, leveraging data analytics and cross-functional collaboration to measure success and deliver ROI.

eCommerce Marketing Specialist | Meijer, Grand Rapids, MI Mar 2022 – Nov 2023

Led cross-functional initiatives to drive Meijer's Home Delivery & Pickup (MHDP) services: Collaborated with internal teams to develop compelling offers and customer experiences across traditional & digital media, resulting in increased acquisition and retention. Established media reporting and communicated campaign performance to stakeholders.
Developed and executed a comprehensive MHDP media strategy: Managed the $20M annual digital shopping media budget, aligning with corporate goals and establishing clear acquisition/retention objectives. Created a full-funnel strategy encompassing audience targeting, channel selection, and creative versions.
Delivered successful MHDP marketing campaigns: Managed the "SAVEBIG" acquisition program, driving a 24% redemption rate for new digital customers in 2022. Launched the 2022 Summer Campaign, exceeding regional targets and chain performance. Implemented targeted media placements, contributing to a 16% redemption rate for home delivery/pickup offers. Pioneered market-specific acquisition offers and personalized paid media, increasing campaign effectiveness.

Senior Manager, Email, Digital, Social Media Marketing | Smart & Final, Los Angeles, CA Jul 2019 – Mar 2022

Drove omnichannel marketing success for a leading food and grocery company: Managed a multi-million dollar budget, led a high-performing team, and implemented strategic initiatives that resulted in a 275% increase in CRM subscribers (250K+ new email addresses), a 14% growth in Private Label revenue, and a 37% YoY increase in floral sales through a successful Dia de los Muertos campaign.
Optimized digital marketing performance: Achieved a 38% reduction in CPM and a 27% decrease in CPC through paid social media optimization. Increased active email subscribers by 20% YoY and total email deliveries by 30% through targeted campaigns and persona-driven list management. Boosted email deliverability by 30% while maintaining a near-perfect 98% rate through strategic segmentation and content optimization.
Championed innovative marketing practices: Spearheaded the integration of Salesforce automation tools and spearheaded influencer collaborations. Collaborated with cross-functional teams (web ops, product marketing, analytics) to measure success and continuously improve campaigns.

Co-Founder/Strategist, Thelen | Williams, Denver, CO Jun 2017 - Jun 2019

Co-Founded a Marketing Agency Serving Niche Markets: Built a specialized marketing agency catering to the beverage, CPG, restaurant, and hospitality industries.
Secured $50,000+ in Donations with Pop-Up Concert: Led a successful campaign culminating in a 24-hour pop-up charity concert that raised $50,000 for All Sacred Tattoo + Foundation.
Drove Significant Sales Growth for Multi-Million Dollar DTC Brand: Developed a comprehensive digital strategy (content, e-commerce, media) for Ritualcravt, a multi-million dollar DTC lifestyle brand, resulting in significant sales growth across all product categories.

Manager, Media + Design | Digital Fusion, Denver, CO Sep 2015 – Jun 2017

Built and Led a High-Impact Digital Media & Design Team: Scaled a team to support diverse client needs across digital media and design operations (budget: $1 million). Doubled the scope of the Smart & Final account, transforming it from an email marketing client to a full-service partner with a $1.4M partnership. Secured significant results for other clients, demonstrating expertise across various industries.
Developed and Delivered High-Performing Digital Strategies: Increased impressions by 353% and clicks by 40% above benchmark for Smashburger's new product launch, exceeding campaign goals. Implemented other high-performing digital strategies, consistently exceeding client expectations.
Established and Managed a Revenue-Generating Influencer Program: Built a successful influencer program, generating over $10,000+ in MRR.

Previous Roles include

Owner/Founder at Diffraction Media, Digital Marketing Strategist at Designkitchen, Digital Marketing Manager at LRXD, Social Media Manager at Widefoc.us, and Email Marketing Manager at Reed Business Information.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Design, University of Colorado – Boulder

Bachelor of Arts in Business, Management + Marketing, North Central College

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY

Salesforce Certified Administrator, Google (GAM) Certification, DoubleClick (DCM) Certification, Meta Blueprint Certification, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, Squarespace, WordPress, MS Office Suite